The coming of the kingdom transformed the public worship of God from a flesh-based to a Spirit-based orientation[i]. The church is now the temple where saints gather to worship their Lord[ii].
Our vision is to be a congregation of saints who offer their bodies as living sacrifices unto God, ordering our services in accordance to His revealed word[iii]. We will practice family-integrated worship as we offer these spiritual sacrifices[iv]. This is our reasonable worship and means that we submit to His will (as found in His word)[v]. We desire to display this by setting apart the first day of the week to worship the Lord with fellow saints. We do not view the Lord’s Day worship as drudgery, but as an occasion to celebrate His victorious work on our behalf and rejoice in the rest He has provided for us[vi]. Because the Lord’s service is a reverential occasion, we will seek to prepare ourselves on Saturday evening for public worship on the Lord’s Day[vii].
Our vision is to be a church that enters the worship service with awe towards God[viii]. We will view ourselves as ascending unto His presence with all other saints, both in heaven and on earth[ix]. We desire to actively worship God, not passively go through prescribed motions[x]. This will include activities such as: confession of sin; reading of Scripture: public prayers; singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs; giving; praise; the proclamation of the word; and partaking of the Lord’s Supper[xi].
[i] Hebrews 8
[ii] Ephesians 2:19-22
[iii] Romans 12:1
[iv] Deuteronomy 31:11-13, Psalm 54:6
[v] Romans 12:2
[vi] Psalm 95, 96:9-13, 122, Hebrews 4,
[vii] I Samuel 7:3, II Chronicles 35:6, Job 11:13-15
[viii] Leviticus 19:30, Psalm 89:7, Hebrews 12:28
[ix] Hebrews 12:22-24
[x] Psalm 29:2
[xi] James 5:16, Deuteronomy 31:11, I Timothy 4:13, Eph. 5:19, 6:18, Acts 2:42, I Cor. 11:23-33
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