The Work Of The People

Liturgy; It’s an old word, and possibly a foreign one for many in the Church. It is often associated with High-Church traditions like the Roman Catholic Church and Mainline Protestant denominations (Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans, etc.). In Romans 12:1, we see an original form of this word in Scripture as ‘latreian’. You’re probably familiar with it reading this way: 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (latreian).”  

The Greeks used the word latreian to describe service to their many gods. Christians used it to describe service to the One True God. Latreian has two root words, ‘leito’ meaning ‘public or people,’ and ‘ergon’ meaning ‘work.’ When combining these two definitions, latreian becomes “the work of the people.” Isn’t that cool? Liturgy is the activity that God’s people do together in worship. It is something we work at to bring the highest honor to the highest and holiest God. 

Unfortunately, there are many old terms that we are tempted to throw out, often forgetting the importance of these ancient practices. The modern era lures us to create new words to keep things fresh. “Out with the old, and in with the new!” So, in place of the word “liturgy”, a congregation uses terms such as “the order of worship.” If, however, liturgy means “the work of the people” in worship, then all churches have a liturgy. The word simply summarizes the structure of our worship. No matter how fixed or free our worship may be, liturgy encompasses the worship of the church. 

Over the years, experiencing different orders of worship has grown my faith and my understanding of liturgy. From Baptist “hymn-sings” to Pentacostal prayer meetings, I have found myself enchanted by traditional liturgy that emphasizes structure, order and the participation of ALL of us in the church. It’s a tradition that puts humanity in its rightful place: subjected under God. It is a consistent structure that is designed to point our eyes up to God, to behold all his wonder and beauty and majesty! 

Though liturgy is important, I think it’s best that we establish that it is not ultimate. Bryan Chapell writes in Christ-Centered Worship, “Always we are to be informed by tradition; never are we to be ruled by it.” We are not slaves to our liturgy, but we are to be informed by it. But what does it inform us? The simple answer is the Gospel.  

At Restoration Church, our liturgy is thoroughly informed and controlled by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we believe that the Gospel is “the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16), then the liturgy of the Church should only re-present the Gospel to our people week in and week out. The church’s liturgy should be gospel-saturated to its core. 

We do not have a truly traditional liturgy that looks exactly like historic high-churches, but here is how our gospel-shaped liturgy looks each week: 

Adoration 

• Call to worship (through Scripture, exhortation, and/or prayer) 

• Singing 

Confession 

• Corporate confession 

• Personal confession 

• Communion 

• The Apostles Creed or Nicene Creed 

Celebration 

• Scripture Reading 

• Singing 

Proclamation 

• Prayer of Illumination 

• Sermon & Pastoral Prayer 

Commission 

• Prayer of commission  

• Singing 

• Commissioning verse followed by a verbal “You are sent to live on mission” 

As you approach Sunday morning worship, I hope you catch the beauty of liturgy. It’s my prayer that our hearts feel set free as we are led in the forms and rhythms of worship that faithful Christians before us have practiced. Let’s ask the Lord to cause his Spirit to rest on us so that all who come to worship the living God may truly feel his grace and mercy.