About Worship
Worship is central to being human. In Sunday morning worship we gather together to be reminded that Jesus has first gathered us to Himself in the message of the gospel, that we might worship as we were created to worship.
Worship is Renewing
For thousands of years God’s people have come together on Sunday to remember and receive again the promise of God’s grace. Each Sunday we are called (invited) by God’s word to worship, consecrated through the preaching of the word, confess our sins according to His word, receive nourishment as we commune at the Lord’s Table, and receive a biblical commission as we are sent back into the week.
Worship is Deliberate
Sunday morning worship is not primarily a creative and innovative endeavor. The Bible provides a guide for our time of worship and provides appropriate elements of worship that are pleasing to God: prayer, music, Bible reading, confession, preaching, offering ourselves and our resources, and fellowship.
Worship is Human
Every person was created by God to be in a worshipful relationship with Him. When we refuse to worship Him, we inevitably worship something or someone else, which is always some flavor of self-worship. Everyone worships.
Old and New
Worship happens in the stream of Christian history when we sing songs, recite prayers, and confess statements with Christians who have gone before us. But worship is also contextual and relevant, so also sing new songs and pray new prayers and hear applicable sermons that interact with our life today.
Corporate and Individual
We look forward to coming together as a family, reuniting after sometimes difficult weeks so we can worship together, again. But worship is also deeply personal. We expect to be nourished and renewed individually through time of silent prayer and reflection.
Reverent and Joyful
Worship is centered on the One True Triune God. He is beyond worthy. Worship must be reverent and full of awe. But He is also our loving Father who takes delight in us, and we take delight in Him with great joy and happy hospitality.
About Music
Music is an important component to Sunday morning worship at King’s Cross. We thoughtfully select hymns and songs for a worship liturgy according to these qualities.
Is It Biblical?
Do the lyrics teach sound, biblical theology? Do the lyrics communicate truth about God and encapsulate the full story of the Gospel, emphasizing His cosmic story of redemption? Are the lyrics directed in worship to God, or are they self-serving and focused on the individual?
Is It Trinitarian?
Do the lyrics reflect all persons of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? If one song is directed toward a specific person of the Trinity, do other songs in the service recognize the other persons and thus work together to create a Trinitarian mindset?
Is It Beautiful?
Does the song reflect the beauty of Christ and His Church? Can the lyrics and the tune stand alone as separate entities (poetry, or an instrumental) and still create beauty and communicate an intentional message?
Is It Well-Rounded?
Does the song reflect a variety of God’s attributes? Do several songs in conjunction portray a full picture of the Lord’s nature? Does the service tell the story of the Gospel from Genesis to Revelation? Does the service address a broad scope of emotions, praise, spiritual preparation, reflection, joy, mourning, confession, assurance, and commission?
Is It Acessible?
Is the song congregational as to participation? Can the words be easily understood, explained, and remembered? Is the music learnable and memorable – does the melody catch? Does the style make sense contextually? Does the song work appropriately with the church’s current instrumentation? Is it repeatable?
Is It Congregational?
Are the lyrics congregational and apt to minister to the body of Christ as a whole, or are they individualized, segregating members from one another? Is the song something that could better serve private enjoyment at home and on the go, or is it truly appropriate for corporate worship?
Is It Liturgical?
Do the songs reflect the overall theme of the worship service? Do the songs align with the Scripture passage and support the additional pieces of liturgy interspersed throughout? Can certain songs replace and emphasize spoken liturgy for a given service?
Is It Historical?
Is the song rooted in Church history? Does it honor ancestors of the faith as we join our voices together in worship with the saints throughout history? Are hymns respected and sung with intention?
Is It Contextual?
While remaining biblically grounded, does the song address the culture of the congregation and the culture of the world? Like the works and wonders of God, does the song have something to say to both believers and non-believers? Does the song reflect the global church by acknowledging the connection of Christ’s people throughout the world?
Is It Seasonal?
Does the song belong to one season in the church year calendar exclusively, or can it be used at any time? Does the song speak to a season in the life of the church? Can the song remind the church of an often forgotten theme in the life of Christ?
The church year
From one day out of seven, to 52 Sundays per year, centuries of Christian worship have modeled an annual pattern of worship. King’s Cross joins this stream of church history in celebrating these yearly events.
Christmastide
The three weeks of Christmastide follow the four Sundays of Advent, from Christmas Eve to Epiphany. This is when King’s Cross wholeheartedly celebrates the birth of Jesus. We are full of joy because His incarnation inaugurates the kingdom of God. And because His coming fulfills every anticipation of the Old Testament. And also because, as the magi illustrate, He brings Good News to the entire world.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve marks the end of Advent and the beginning of Christmastide. At King’s Cross we celebrate this with a Service of Lessons and Carols where we gather together to read the biblical story of the birth of Jesus and sing hymns and carols that have been sung for centuries.
Season of Lent
Like Advent, Lent is a season of reflection. The 40 days of Lent reflect backward to the world’s need for the cross of Jesus, and inward to our own need for His substitutionary death. At King’s Cross we recognize Lent with a sermon and songs related to repentance, in anticipation of Easter.
Palm Sunday
All of the biblical accounts of the life of Jesus have one great climax: His final week in Jerusalem, known as Holy Week. At King’s Cross we celebrate His entrance into the city where He would both proclaim the gospel and be the gospel, be received with praise, and be crucified.
Good Friday
Also called Great Friday and Holy Friday, this day marks the death of Jesus on the cross. At King’s Cross we gather together to read the biblical story of the crucifixion of Jesus and His burial in a borrowed tomb, and to sing fittingly reflective hymns in anticipation of His resurrection.
Easter Sunday
This is the highmark in the year-long commemorations of events in the life of Jesus. The Day of Resurrection is the wholehearted celebration of His resurrection as the firstfruit of our own, blazing a trail for the resurrected life of all those who follow Jesus.
Day of Pentecost
Ten days after the ascension of Jesus into the clouds, the Holy Spirit descended with tongues of fire in the city of Jerusalem. These recipients were empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, which we celebrate at King’s Cross by studying the work of the Holy Spirit.
Reformation Day
At King’s Cross we look backward on this day to commemorate the so-called launch of the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth century Wittenberg. We do this by studying the fabric of the reformation: Scripture alone, Christ alone, faith alone, grace alone, and glory to God alone.
Season of Advent
Like Lent, Advent is a season of reflection. The four weeks of Advent reflect backward to the world’s need for a Savior, and inward to our own need for the incarnation. At King’s Cross we recognize Advent with sermons and songs anticipating the first and second coming of Jesus.
