Participating in Worship Service I. The Essence of Corporate Worship A. The focus of true worship is God B. The participants in true worship actively respond to God with their whole being II. The Elements of Corporate Worship A. Preparing for Public Worship B. Learning from the teaching of God’s Word C. Praying with and for the body D. Singing to each other and the Lord E. Observing the ordinances of the Church 1. Baptism 2. Lord’s Supper F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful G. Serving One Another in Services 1. We can exercise the gift of helps 2. We can exercise the gift of administration 3. We can show friendliness and hospitality to others

How has God been working in your life?

Here are some questions to ask yourself during your Quiet Time with God each morning: 1.What does the passage say? 2.What does the passage mean? 3. What does the passage mean to me? 4. So what am I going to do about it?

January Memory Verses Ephesians 2:19-20 (ESV) “ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. ”

01/11/09 ~ Prayer requests the class can join you in praying for … -Cindy Barton- pray for decision to go to counseling conference -Davidsons- pray for patience as they wait for a referral of a little girl from Ethiopia -Lawsons- starting a Bible Overview next week, pray for those who are not saved

Opportunities abound for us to be a part of God’s heart for the nations. Pick up a short term missions brochure titled: at the Welcome Center and begin praying about how you can pray, give and go with Bethany Community Church. Also, sign up for the missions list at Reaching the Unreached

Ways to Serve at BCC: 1.Through our SS Class: Class Secretary Casey Davidson Meal Coordinator Staci Aberle Missions Coordinator Alissa Hawkinson Shower Coordinator Events Coordinator Carol Harkins Other ideas for serving? Committees vs. “Grass Roots” Communicate your idea to teacher/moderator and we’ll help see how it could fit into the church calendar. ie. women’s/men’s Bible study, church wide event or outreach, etc. 2. Other areas to highlight: · Children’s Ministry: Members or those moving toward membership to teach. · Nursery Care Giving: We have opportunities to help with caring for kids birth to 2 years. Membership not required. · Sound workers are needed to serve once a month on Sunday mornings. Training provided! Other ideas for serving? Committees vs. “Grass Roots” Communicate your idea and we’ll help see how it could fit into the church calendar. ie. women’s/men’s Bible study, church wide event or outreach, etc. January’s focus: care groups

There is a care group for you ! Davidson Class Care Groups Are: Frank & Rachele Ackerman Sundays at 6 p.m Darren & Denise Collings Sundays after church Keith & Linda Martin Sundays at 12:30 p.m Gary & Cindy Lawson Sundays at 12:30 p.m Jeremy & Jennifer Bencher Sundays at 6 p.m

“ I don ’ t need a church to worship God. I worship God all the time. ” “ Okay, so I need to be in a church but why do I need to go to the worship service? ”

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship A. Preparing for Public Worship Hebrews 10: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Has something during the week caused you to be ill-prepared for worship?

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship B. Learning from the teaching of God ’ s Word Acts 2:42 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching… 1 Tim 4: Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching… 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship C. Praying with and for the body Acts 1:14 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship D. Singing to each other and the Lord “Sing to the Lord” appears 33 times in the Psalms Ephesians 5: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, Colossians 3: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship E. Observing the ordinances of the Church 1. Baptism 2. Lord ’ s Supper There were many Old Testament ordinances There are two New Testament ordinances--Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism Matt 28:19 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Acts 2:41 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship E. Observing the ordinances of the Church 1. Baptism 2. Lord ’ s Supper Lord’s Supper Acts 2:42 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 1 Cor 11: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful 2 Cor 9:7 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful % is good

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful 2 Cor 8:1-4 1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship F. Giving to the Lord and His Church 1. Giving should be Regular 2. Giving should be Individual 3. Giving should be Planned 4. Giving should be Proportional 5. Giving should be Sacrificial 6. Giving should be Cheerful 2 Cor 9:7 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship G. Serving One Another in Services 1. We can exercise the gift of helps 2. We can exercise the gift of administration 3. We can show friendliness and hospitality to others 1 Cor 12:28 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. What are some ways in which your services can help worship here at Bethany Community Church? Bulletin preparation, Sound system, helping with nursery care/children’s church during the service, greeting, ushers, setting up communion

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship G. Serving One Another in Services 1. We can exercise the gift of helps 2. We can exercise the gift of administration 3. We can show friendliness and hospitality to others Acts 6:1-6 1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. What are some ways in which your planning and administration can help the worship service at Bethany Community Church?

II. The Elements of Corporate Worship G. Serving One Another in Services 1. We can exercise the gift of helps 2. We can exercise the gift of administration 3. We can show friendliness and hospitality to others James 2:1-9 1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. How have you been hospitable this month?

10 Steps of Growth in Love 1. Born selfish (I-me-mine attitude) 2. Love for family (me and my children) 3. Love for friends (school, work,etc [Pharisee love]) You love b/c of what you receive back from them 4. Love for Church folks (love for the brethren) 5. Love for the poor, destitute, ill, etc (philanthropic love) 6. Love for the lost & perishing (evangelistic) 7. Love for your enemies 8. Love to be willing to die for your friend Human love ends here 9. Love to be willing to die for your enemies 10. Love to the extent to be made a curse for your enemies So where am I? Revealed in my private prayer life.