Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 221
CHAPTER 1
The Heart of Worship
1. All creation findsits purpose and destiny in returning to Almighty God, its
maker, the glory due His name. Reborn in Jesus Christ, redeemed mankindis
delivered from rebellion to this purpose: to glorify and enjoy God eternally. True
worship is the faithful response of God's people, expressing their love for,
dependence upon, and joy in the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as
revealed in the Scriptures. Worshipis acceptable to God only asit is offered from
the depth of our being in full dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the only
Mediator between God and man.
2. The worship of God is essential to spirituallife and growth, and should be
engaged in regularly and reverently, both privately, in our homes, and publicly, in
the assemblies of the church.
3. In public worship, we are called by the church to assemble ourselves
together (Hebrews 10:25). God commands his particular blessing in these
appointed times of corporate worship. From the resurrection of our Lord, the first
day of the week, the Lord's Day, has been set aside as the Christian Sabbath, to be
kept holy as the day for the church's worship and the Christian's rest from his
regular work. The church may, in addition to the Sabbath, designate other
occasions for public worship, for prayer, repentance, fasting and thanksgiving.
4. When we gather for public worship, we ought firstto have prepared our
hearts for coming into the presence of our God and Savior. Furthermore, we
ought all to come and join in with a joyous willingness, not absenting ourselves
either through contempt or negligence, or on account of family activities or other
Christian meetings. In normal circumstances, neither personal devotions nor family
worship at home are to be regarded as proper substitutes for public worship in a
congregation of a true church of Jesus Christ. In addition to attending the stated
services of public worship, the Lord's Day may be fruitfully observed by personal
Bible reading and study, meditation and prayer, spiritual fellowship, instructing
and catechizing the children in the home, and visiting the sick.
CHAPTER 2
The Practice of Worship
1. The Scriptures do not prescribe a fixedorder of worship, but so that all
things may be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40),itis desirable
that the exercises of worship be conducted in a thoughtful, dignified and edifying
manner. The following patternis suggested, but the order may be varied: a call to
worship, which might be the singing of an appropriate Psalm; a prayer seeking the
Lord's blessing; the singing of a Psalm; readings from the Old and New
Testaments; prayers of thanksgiving and intercession; the reading and preaching
of the Word; the receiving of the offering; singing a Psalm; and the Benediction.