We are delighted you have decided to explore worshipping with us. We want you to be able to experience the awesome worship, anointed-powerful messages with friendly people in a loving atmosphere.
If you’re wondering what our services are like, this article will provide you with a glimpse of what we do every time we gather.
Why do we sing as we do?
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16) “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19)
Why do we lift our hands?
The act of lifting our hands is a form of praising the Lord. More than fifty times in the Psalms the word “Towday” or “Yadah” is translated “praise” but in actuality the word means- “to extend the hands in praise.” Some other scriptures that mention this form of praise are: “Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name.” (Psalm 63:4) “I desire that people everywhere lift up holy hands in prayer…” (1 Timothy 2:8)
Why do we clap our hands?
The act of clapping our hands is a form of praise which is mentioned frequently in scriptures. “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” (Psalm 47:1) “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:12)
Why do we praise the Lord out loud?
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.” (Psalm 100: 1 & 2) “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: …And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:1 & 6)
Why do we sing and pray in tongues and in English?
“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with understanding: I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with understanding.” (1 Corinthians 14:14 & 15) “I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied. For he who prophesies is greater then he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that all may be edified.” (1 Corinthians 14:5)
What is prophecy and how is it used?
Prophecy is a supernatural message from God in an understood or known tongue (language):
“But he that prophesies speaks to men for edification (to build up and strengthen), and exhortation (to challenge or encourage) and comfort (to minister the peace of God).” (1 Corinthians 14:3) “Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1) “Therefore, brothers and sisters, earnestly desire to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Why do we have speaking with tongues and interpretations of those tongues in the church?
Various kinds of tongues are a supernatural utterance by the Holy Spirit in a language that was never learned by the speaker nor is it understood by the speaker. The interpretation of tongues is the supernatural showing forth by the Holy Spirit the meaning of an utterance in other tongues. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all… (10) to one the gift of miracles, to another the gift of prophecy, to another spiritual discernment; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tonuges” (1 Corinthians 12:7 & 10) “Therefore, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39) “I wish you all spoke with tongues but especially that you would prophesy: for he who prophesies is greater than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive edification.” (1 Corinthians 14:5) “If anyone speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, each in turn and let one interpret.” (1 Corinthians 14:27)
Why are musical instruments a part of the worship service?
“Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.” (Psalm 150:3-5) “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” (Revelation 14:2).
There are some groups who say that musical instruments were not used in the New Testament Church and thus we should not use them in our corporate worship today. However, Ephesians 5:19 says “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs…” and Colossians 3:16 says “Teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs…” The Greek word translated Psalms = “Scriptural songs accompanied by stringed or musical instruments”
Why do we pray for the sick and anoint with oil?
Mark 6:13- “And they anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.” James 5:14-15- “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed any sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Why do we practice laying on of hands?
Jesus said: “These signs will follow those who believe… they will lay hands on the sick and the will recover” (Mark 16:17-18) “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” (Luke 4:40) “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:6) “Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy through the laying on of hands by the elders” (1 Timothy 4:14). “Stir up the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6)