Is there any particular order that church services are to occur in?  In some congregations I've been to, the Lord's Supper is at the end of the sermon, but most other congregations I have attended have it prior to the sermon.  Is there an example of how church services should be conducted down to this detail in the New Testament, or is this up to the leaders of the congregation?

Sincerely,
Out Of Order

Dear Out Of Order,

There is no particular order that services must occur in – only particular elements that need to be included.  The Bible gives us examples and commands for five different elements to the public worship.

1. Teaching/Preaching (1 Cor 4:17)
2. Singing (Eph 5:19)
3. Prayer (Acts 12:5)
4. Taking A Collection – Sunday only (1 Cor 16:1-2)
5. Lord’s Supper – Sunday only (Acts 20:7)

Of these five elements, two of them are specifically allowed only on Sundays.  The others can be done any time the brethren get together.  God is specific that these are the things He wants us to do, however, He never stipulates what order He wants them done in.  Every Bible command has specific elements and general elements to them.  For example, Noah was told to build the ark out of a specific type of wood – gopher wood (Gen 6:14) – but he was free to use whatever tools or procedures he liked to collect that wood because God wasn’t specific about that detail.  In the case of worship, God is specific on what elements He wants, but He leaves what time of day to meet, arrangement of pews, order of services, which songs to lead, and other details up to us.

I have a really odd question.  When I say my prayer at night before bed, I talk to the Lord like I would any person I care about.  I've had nights that my prayer goes on for a long time.  I guess my question is: is this okay?  Is it wrong?  Is there a proper way to say a prayer, or does it matter when you believe in the Lord?  Thanks so much for your time and patience.  I'm sorry for such an odd question.

Sincerely,
Comfortable In Prayer

Dear Comfortable In Prayer,

We love odd questions!  There is a right and wrong way to pray, but nothing you have said that you do is necessarily wrong (we recommend you read “Whose Prayers Count?” for further details).  David mentions remembering the Lord while in his bed during the late night hours (Ps 63:6).  David said that men should pray to God continually (Ps 72:15).  Paul said to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17).  There is no such thing as a prayer that is too short (Jesus’ model prayer took only seconds to say – Lk 11:1-4).  Likewise, there is also no such thing as a prayer that is too long… as long as it is heartfelt, sincere, and reverent.  Never forget that it is God you are talking to.  He deserves respect and reverence (Heb 12:28).  We can, and should, approach Him as our Father (Rom 8:15).  We can entreat Him as often as we’d like (Lk 18:1).

I have been struggling with the question of whether or not it is more effective to pray out loud or to pray silently.  I have heard that when you pray out loud, it goes out into the spiritual realm and that your words come back to you, etc.  I also heard that God spoke and things were done and that there is definitely power in our words.  I know that only God knows our thoughts, but are there any instructions on how to pray?

Sincerely,
Whisper Quiet

Dear Whisper Quiet,

God never emphasizes silent prayer above vocal prayer or vice-versa.  We have examples of both in the Bible.  Nehemiah prayed silently before the king, and his prayer was answered (Neh 2:4).  Hannah also prayed silently, but with fervor, and her prayer was answered (1 Sam. 1:13).  On the other hand, righteous Stephen prayed with a loud voice (Acts 7:60).  There is no specific instruction given by God in regard to volume.  What you have heard about “it goes out into the spiritual realm…” is a great example of a manmade tradition being passed down – the Bible never says that.

We are told to pray to God and not for attention (Matt 6:5).  We are also told that if we mistreat our spouse, our prayers will be hindered (1 Pet 3:7).  We are also told that God doesn’t hear the prayers of the wicked, only the righteous (Pr 15:29).  James says that a righteous man’s prayer does much good (Jas 5:16).  God teaches that it is our character that determines the effectiveness of our prayers, not the volume.

Sometimes I feel like asking for forgiveness is too easy.  When I think about all the sins I commit in a week, I feel awful and can't comprehend that if I just ask for them to be forgiven, they will be, and then I'm stuck with this feeling that I'm not really forgiven.  I do truly feel sorry for what I've done, but is it supposed to be this easy?

 

Sincerely,
Apology Accepted?

Dear Apology Accepted?,

Trusting in the Lord is hardest when He offers something more spectacular than we deserve.  Heaven is hard to visualize because it is so wonderful, and forgiveness is hard to appreciate because it is so gracious.  You must remember that God provides forgiveness as a gift (Rom 6:23); it has nothing to do with whether you deserve it.  God tells us that He is eager to forgive us (Ps 86:5).  Forgiveness is His gift to give, and He may give it as freely as He wishes.

God’s forgiveness can be compared to the forgiveness a parent offers their children (after all He is called our Father for a reason – Matt 5:45).  How often do young children make mistakes as they learn and grow?  No matter how often a child fails, parents are quick to forgive them as soon as they show sorrow.  God is no different (1 Jn 1:9).  Your Father loves you so much that He gave His very own Son (Jhn 3:16).  Sometimes God’s forgiveness seems too easy because God loves us with such ease.

John 6:44 – “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” I pray for people who are lost. Does not this verse clearly tell us we must pray for God to draw them to Jesus? Do we think we're special? “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.” - (2 Cor 4:4). What are your thoughts?

Sincerely, Praying For The Lost

Dear Praying For The Lost,

It is true that we should pray for the lost, but you misunderstand Jhn 6:44. When Jesus says, “No one can come unless the Father draws him,” you are assuming He means that the Father draws people through some direct miraculous intervention. In the very next verse, Jesus explains that God draws people to Him through teaching and learning. God’s chosen tool to bring salvation to mankind is His Word (Rom 1:16). It is true that the devil has blinded people (2 Cor. 4:4), but he blinds them through deceiving and lying to them (Rev 12:9).

There is an immense need for more prayer among God’s people. We should pray that the Word of God finds good soil in honest and good hearts (Lk 8:11-15)… hearts that are open to God’s Word, so that when they hear it, they will believe and obey (Rom 10:17).