Worship is the centerpiece of the corporate Christian life. The following are several principles that guide the worship at Providence Presbyterian Church.
Worship is an Event
Worship is a gathering of believers with God! Something is happening in the sacred assembly that is unique. God is present in a special way, graciously welcoming His children into the joy of His presence (Psalm 100).
Worship is Dialogical
Worship is an exchange (dialogue) between God and His people. You will find this expressed clearly in our order of worship. God calls us to worship. We respond to His call. We praise God and confess our sins and He listens. God speaks to us through His Word and we listen (Psalm 99).
Worship Extols the Majesty of God
The elements in our worship are chosen to reflect the dignity and majesty of the One we praise (Psalm 145). This is why the Word of God read, preached, and visible in the sacraments is prominent in our worship service. We believe that the Word, especially as is preached, is central to worship.
Worship Reflects God’s Relationship with His People
We are sinners who deserve God’s wrath, but we have been remarkably converted to faith, adopted into God’s family, and will spend eternity with Him (Ephesians 1:3-14). Our worship reminds us of what God has done for His people and of His relationship with us.
Worship is Christ-Centered
The context for our worship is the majesty and supremacy of God, who has reconciled the church to Himself in Christ. Our desire is for the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners like us to be made clear throughout our worship (Colossians 1:15-23).
Worship is a Corporate Experience
While the Bible commends both public and private worship, on the Lord’s Day we worship God together (Psalm 34:1-3, Hebrews 10:23-25). You see the corporate elements of worship in our prayer of confession, congregational singing, and listening together to the Word preached. We are a worshipping church.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Psalm 95:6-7a