The Reformation doctrine least in evidence today is ‘the sufficiency of Scripture.’ An examination of the creeds of the Reformers will show that they all adhered to the authority of Scripture over the authority of ecclesiastical officials and tradition. In the Reformed or Calvinist stream, in contrast to later developments among Lutherans, Scripture was viewed [...]
Worship
Justin Martyr on Congregational Worship in the Ancient Church
This excerpt from Justin Martyr’s First Apology is the oldest record outside of the Bible of the ancient Christian order and time of congregational worship. Justin Martyr (110-165 A.D.) wrote the First Apology as part of the defense of his faith in a Roman court. It may be found in Volume I of the collection [...]
John Knox on Discussion in the Assembly by John Knox
The passage below is excerpted from a letter written by John Knox in 1557 before leaving Scotland for exile in Geneva. Knox addressed the letter to ‘His Brethren in Scotland,’ that is, Christ’s brethren, the Church. The complete letter appears in the new edition of the Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises, and [...]
Worship by Arthur Allen
So many accessories have been introduced into Church services over recent years that it seems abundantly clear that the object is no longer to worship God, but to entertain the congregation. Quite often we hear criticisms of the simple form of worship practised by our Church.We are constantly assured, by self appointed prophets who commend [...]
The Worship Service: A Hindrance Or A Highway For Revival by Ron Owens
The uniting of God’s people in corporate worship is of crucial importance to the life of the church. What takes place during this time should prepare the way for God to visit His people in revival. It is possible, however, for what occurs in the ‘worship service’ of the church to actually be a hindrance [...]
The Contemporary Church by John H. Armstrong
The rush is on. How contemporary can we really be? How in the world will we ever get the unchurched to come when virtually all they know comes through 30 second sound bytes? We all know they will not listen to sustained discourse for more than 15 minutes! The contemporary plan is plain for all [...]
Church Worship by John MacKenzie
‘But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.‘ John 4:23-4. ‘For they that are after the flesh do [...]
The Puritan Approach to Worship by J.I. Packer
It is sometimes said that evangelicals are not interested in worship. If by worship one means the technicalities of liturgical study, this may be true. But I do not suppose that I am the only evangelical who finds that the actual exercise of worship, the deliberate lifting of one’s eyes from man and his mistakes [...]
