Worship Night

Schedule of Events

Introduction

Introduction to the Evening

Prayer

Thanksgiving

Scripture and Prayer (Andrew Stepp)

Holy, Holy, Holy (Brad)

King of My Heart (Caroline)

O Praise The Name (Caroline)

Confession/Repentance

Scripture and Prayer (Camryn Gibson)

From The Inside Out (Brad)

Living Hope (Caroline)

Supplication

Scripture and Prayer (Lauren Simoneau)

Interactive Element

Brief Sermonette (2-3 mins) (Caleb)

Pray Together in Groups

Close in Prayer (Cassidy Williams)

Reckless Love (Caroline)

Adoration

Scripture and Prayer (Nathan Larson)

Good, Good Father (Brad)

All the Poor and Powerless (Brad)

Holy, Holy Holy (Chorus only)

Benediction Prayer (Caleb)

Worship Night Speaking Notes

Introduction

Hey everyone! We’re excited that you’re here tonight. This evening we’re going to do something a little different than usual. We think it’s important to take time every once in a while to step back and just worship together. We think it’s important to join together and praise the Lord for who He is and all that He has done.

We’ve done worship nights before, but tonight’s will look different. Rather than just singing 10 songs in a row, praying, and leaving, our time together will have a more structured liturgy. Brad has really helpfully based the night around 4 themes: thanksgiving, confession/repentance, supplication, and adoration. We will work through these themes and sing about 3 songs per theme. At the beginning of each theme we will have someone come up, read a verse or two, and then pray to lead us into our time in that theme. We’re not here to throw up random words to God that simply make us feel good. In fact, we believe the God has shown us how to worship in His Word and we want to use His Word to guide us in our worship.

As we prepare to worship together I want to leave you with a few brief thoughts.

First, I want you to sense how unique this is. I want you to feel how weird this is. How many groups do you know that meet up to sing songs about things that happened 2000 years ago in a different country on the other side of the globe? This isn’t a concert by some top 40 artist singing songs at arena. This is a group of people joining together to celebrate the death and resurrection of a man that never spoke their language and never stepped foot in their nation. That’s weird. But here’s the even crazier part. We have overwhelming evidence to show that this many wasn’t just anyone; He was the Son of God, Immanuel, God with us. He came and lived the perfect life we never could and died the death we deserved, taking on the punishment for our sin and clothing us in His righteousness so that we could be in relationship with God forever. No matter what you have done or had done to you, no matter what anyone else say about you, not matter what is going on in your life, if you put your trust in Jesus that He is mighty to save, you can be in communion with God. It is through Him and Him alone that we can have eternal life and be satisfied. Use tonight as an opportunity to take a breath amidst all of the craziness of work, midterms, relationships and more. Take a step back and take comfort in knowing that even though everything may seem as if it’s spinning out of control, God is ruling and reigning and making all things work for His glory and the good of those who love Him. Take time to pray, to reflect, to meditate. If you need to talk to someone during the night, we’d be glad to talk and pray with you. And if you’re not a follower of Christ, don’t simply sing these words in vain to fit in. Think about the lyrics. Think about what it would mean that there really was a God who loves you as much as the songs say. If you sense the Lord stirring in your heart, there is nothing more we’d love to do than talk with you and pray with you. Let me pray and then we’ll have Andrew come up and lead us into our first theme.

Introductory Prayer

God, you are sovereign, mighty, all powerful, perfect in love, and greater than anything we could conceive of. You deserve far more than the feeble praise that we’re about to give you, yet you take pleasure in the small offering we’re able to lift up. You tell us in Your Word that if we ceased to worship, even the rocks would cry out in praise. God, help us give the rocks a night off tonight as we praise Your name for who you are and all you’ve done. We pray this in Jesus’ name, the name above all names, and the only name by which we can be saved. Amen

Group Prayer Sermonette and Explanation

We’ve been singing about how incredible this God is.

In an age where we can be connected virtually with almost anyone and any time, we can lose sight of the importance real, face-to-face interaction. Online community is a false and sorry substitute for real, in-person communion. One of the central aspects of Christian community is praying together. We want to give you all some space and time to pray together. So here’s what I want you to do. Get in groups of 4-5 with those around you. Make sure you know everyone’s name and then we’re going to take some time to pray through each of the 4 themes of the night. I’ll give you a theme and give you a couple of minutes to pray through that theme. The first theme I want you to pray through is Thanksgiving. I want each person in the group to pray about things they are thankful for that God has provided or done. It doesn’t just have to be in your life. In can be in the lives of others too. So take a couple minutes and pray through Thanksgiving with everyone in the group praying.

Thanksgiving

Confession/Repentance (be as vulnerable as you want)

Supplication

Adoration

Cassidy will close this portion in prayer

Benediction

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.