The GoCo Worship Packet - RiverTree Christian Church

Transcription

HELP!
We don’t have a
guitar player!
30 Worship Ideas for Your Missional
Community that Don’t Require a Musician
1
Foreword
Worship is our response to God for all that He is.
It’s not just singing; ultimately, it’s a lifestyle. In worship, we obey God, adore Him, confess our sins to
Him, sit silently in awe of Him, and express our thanks to Him. In fact, in the Old Testament, the most
common word for worship is shachah, which literally means to “lie prostrate” before God. When the
people of the Bible encountered God, they were typically so filled with fear and awe that all they could do
was lie before Him in worship.
Our culture has made worship into singing songs of praise along with a “U2-sounding” rock band with
great lights behind them. While I love this style of worship and there’s nothing wrong with it, there’s
more to worship than just this.
Missional Communities offer a fantastic opportunity to worship God in different ways from our typical
Sunday worship gatherings.
My goal in compiling this packet is to provide you with some simple ideas to help your community
cultivate a healthy worshipping life out where you live, work, and have friends. Healthy roots lead to
healthy fruits. Coming into God’s presence on a regular basis helps fuel and sustain the mission to which
your community is called.
I realize that not every community will have a musician, so most of these ideas are geared toward coming
into God’s presence without music (keep in mind that a Missional Community is a great place to allow an
up-and-coming worship leader to gain experience, though!). Each idea is broken down into three sections
that make up the abbreviation PMI (not the evil mortgage type!):
•
•
•
Purpose
Materials
Instructions
This means that nearly everything you will need to pull off these ideas is listed. It’s important to keep in
mind that these are just ideas. They weren’t all written to be taken 100% literally—please tweak them and
adjust them to fit to your context. Feel free to add to, subtract from, and branch off of these ideas. In fact,
if you come up with a hybrid idea that is sparked from this packet (or create a new one entirely), please
let me know so I can keep adding to this packet—I’d like to increase the number of ideas here!
My prayer is that many people will engage with God as a result of these ideas and that He will receive all
the glory and honor.
Andrew Berg
Worship Director, RiverTree Christian Church
[email protected]
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Table of Contents
•Adoration (Reverence and Awe)
›Adoration of the Lamb
›Nighttime Adoration
›The Creator of the Creation
•Commission (The Sending Out!)
›Candlelight Commissioning
›Names of God
›Prayer of Commission
•Consummation (Face to Face with God Including Confession)
›Cleansing Confession
›Face to Face—Broken Praise
›Hands Up, Hands Down
›Idol Confession
›Psalm 32 Confession
•Exaltation (Praise & Thanksgiving)
›Amazing Grace
›Balloon Praise
›Eight Expressions of Praise
›Post-it
®
Praise
›Thanksgivings
•Reflection (Who God Is)
›All About the Ebenezer
›Alphabet Attributes
›Holy Communion
›Promises of God
›Turn Your Heart to God
•Holidays
›Christmas: One Solitary Life
›Christmas: The Consolation of Israel
›Easter: Lint Roller Confession
›Good Friday: Carry Your Cross
›Thanksgiving
•Others
›ACTS Prayer Beads
›Press
›Rembrandt’s Storm
›Snickers Satisfies
›Twister Worship
**Please note that some topics might fall into more than one category. J
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Adoration:
Reverence and Awe
›Adoration of the Lamb
›Nighttime Adoration
›The Creator of the Creation
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Adoration of the Passover Lamb
Purpose : To meditate on the idea of Jesus being the lamb who was sacrificed for our sin.
Materials : The teaching/scripture sheet (see next page). Instructions : Have folks silently read and meditate through the teaching/scripture page on
the next page. * Then, instruct them to look at the photo of the lamb as a symbol of the pure,
spotless, innocent sacrifice of Christ. Allow some space for silence. To conclude, sing
“Revelation Song” together (play from an iPod or have a musically inclined individual lead the
song) with an emphasis on adoring Christ as our lamb.
*Or, you could have them break up into small groups and read through the passages and discuss the concepts.
Sometimes a group context allows for greater learning. If you choose the small group route, consider the following
questions for the small group leaders to ask: 1) What does it mean to you that God “passes over” you because of
Jesus’ sacrifice for you? 2) How do you want to respond in reading the Revelation passages?
Written by Andrew Berg
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Our Passover Lamb
Old Testament
Exodus 12 accounts the idea of the “Passover lamb” in which each household was to sacrifice a
lamb, spreading it’s blood on their doorposts in order to be “passed over” by the Lord when He
sent His judgment. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament required an animal without any
blemish or spot to be sacrificed to the Lord as a means of forgiveness of sin or as an offering of
worship or devotion.
New Testament
The New Testament portrays the sacrificial system as being fulfilled in one sacrifice for
all – Jesus. He came as our Passover lamb. He was “a lamb without blemish or defect”
(1 Peter 1:19) and is the only sacrifice necessary for a restored relationship with God:
“For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Upon seeing Jesus for the first time, John the Baptist proclaimed: “Look, the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) And finally, the picture John gives in Revelation is
as follows:
“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne.”
(5:6)
He also accounts thousands of angels, and other creatures worshipping the lamb:
“In a loud voice they all sang, "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and
wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (5:11-12)
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Night Time Adoration
Psalm 19:1-2; Psalm 8:3-4
Purpose : To adore God by spending time in amazement of His creation. Materials : A clear night's sky, people.
Instructions : Communicate in advance that you'll be going outside for 5-10 minutes the
next time you gather. * Have someone read the above scriptures and lead everyone outside (or
read the scriptures once you get outside - keeping the whole thing a surprise is good too). While outside, encourage everyone to simply gaze up at the stars in silence and ponder His
greatness. Encourage them to worship Him from their hearts. Once an appropriate amount of
time passes, return inside and have people share what struck them the most about God from this
exercise. ** The experience and sharing will lend themselves to adoration.
*This exercise can be done year round. In fact, a clear winter's night is to be encouraged since
many folks don't venture outside in the winter and miss out on God's beauty during this season.
Tell them to bring coats and boots and suck it up.
**If someone possesses a moderate level of musical inclination, a chorus or two of "How Great
Thou Art" would be a great way to end the time of silence.
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The Creator of the Creation
Romans 1:19-20; Psalm 19:1-4a
Purpose : To worship God as He has revealed Himself through creation.
Materials : A nice day to go outside, a place with lots of “nature,” like a park or a house in the
woods.
Instructions : Have everyone in your group go off by themselves for 5-10 minutes in search
of some object in nature (a leaf, a blade of grass, a flower, an insect, etc.). Have them search for
something that reminds them of God in some way or blows their mind about God in some way.
Then, have them return and have someone read the above passages out loud. Remember, we are
worshipping the God of the creation, not the creation itself (Romans 1:25!). With this in mind,
have them share what they picked and why. The goal is for people to be in awe of God as the
items are described.
Written by Alex Absalom and Andrew Berg
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Commission:
The Sending Out!
›Candlelight Commissioning
›Names of God
›Prayer of Commission
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Candlelight Commissioning
John 8:12
Purpose : To pray for your people of peace and people you are trying to reach in a unique way.
Materials : One big candle, multiple smaller candles (one for each person in your community),
and some method of lighting them.
Instructions : While this exercise could be done at any point in your meeting, it might work
best to close out your time together. Have everyone gather around a table where the candles are.
The leader lights the large candle in the center of the table and reads John 8:12 – “I am the light
of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The
leader talks about Jesus being the light of the world and invites each person to light their candle
representing either a person of peace or someone they are trying to reach. As they light the
candle, they say a prayer for that person out loud (everyone is instructed to do this at the same
time). When the prayers wrap up, the leader prays one prayer for the people represented by the
candles to see and receive the light of Jesus.
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Names of God
Purpose : To call to mind who God is in all His might and power and remember that He goes
before us.
Materials : Paper, pens, Bibles, smart phones.
Instructions : Have your group break out into groups of 3 or so (make sure at least one
person in each group has a smart phone). Give them some pens and paper and tell them to write
down as many names of God as they can think of (they may consult Bibles and phones). When
everyone is finished, have each group read 1-2 of the names they came up with and define it –
this is where the smart phones come in handy. If someone is able to lead the song “Your Name”
or “At Your Name,” they are both good wrap-ups to this activity. * Close with an appropriate
prayer.
This exercise works well to begin your gathering, or to end it – if you use it at the end, remind
your people of this great God that is going with them into the world – it’s a great commissioning!
*Even if nobody is a strong musician, see if someone is able to just lead a chorus of “Your Name” a
cappella.
Written by Sam Hargreaves (engageworship.org). Adapted by Andrew Berg
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Prayer of Commission
Based on Matthew 28:17-20, 10:7-8
Purpose : To end a meeting with your Missional Community by commissioning them to GO!
Materials : Handouts of the prayer (see next page).
Instructions : Read the prayer out loud together to end your gathering with a sense of
commissioning (or sending out).
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Prayer of Commission
Jesus we worship You, and sometimes we doubt.
Yet we know all authority is Yours. So You call us to go:
To all nations,
To make disciples,
To continue Your mission.
You call us to announce Your Kingdom:
To heal the sick,
To raise the dead,
To cast out demons.
You call us to baptize in Your name:
You are Father,
You are Son,
You are Holy Spirit.
We will follow,
We will obey and teach all You have commanded.
For You are with us always,
Day after day,
Year after year,
To the very end of the age.
Amen.
Written by Sam Hargreaves (engageworship.org). Adapted by Andrew Berg
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Consummation:
Face to Face
with God
Including Confession
›Cleansing Confession
›Face to Face—Broken Praise
›Hands Up, Hands Down
›Idol Confession
›Psalm 32 Confession
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Cleansing Confession
Psalm 103:8:12
Purpose : To confess our sins to God and be reminded of the depth of His love for us
(particularly His forgiveness).
Materials : Index cards, pens, a campfire (can be done year-round if you’re not a wuss!) J
Instructions : Have everyone write down a few things they need to confess to God (maybe
pray beforehand and allow some space for silence). Gather around a campfire and have someone
read Psalm 103:8-12 aloud. Instruct everyone to throw their list into the fire and as it burns,
remind them that God is faithful and just to forgive them and remembers their sin no more.
Adapted by Andrew Berg from Clover Small Group Ideas.
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Face to Face—Broken Praise Isaiah 29:15-16; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 64:8; Romans 9:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
Purpose : To realize the sovereignty of God as our maker, be moldable before Him, and realize He is in and
glorified in our brokenness.
Materials :
•
•
•
•
•
A clay pot broken into pieces the size of silver dollars. You can find clay pots at Wal-Mart or any nursery.
Pieces of pottery: a coffee cup, a vase, etc. Set these items up in the area where you will worship.
A small wooden cross
Superglue or wood glue
Sharpies or other permanent markers
Instructions :
Leader says something like: “As we prepare to worship, let us look at several passages of scripture together.
While reading these passages, look for the common theme”:
Isaiah 29:15-16; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 64:8; Romans 9:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10.
Ask: “What is the common thread that runs through these passages? Who is the potter? Who is the clay?
What roles do each of these play? Why do you suppose the scripture writers use the imagery of clay to describe
us?”
We are like pieces of clay shaped and molded for God's purposes. Each of us is used differently according to
how God has formed us. We should give praise to God for how He has designed us and uses us.
Hand each person a piece of the broken pottery.
We should also give praise in our brokenness. Even in our brokenness, we can bring beauty and we can point
the way to Christ. What I would like you to do is to think for a minute about the ways you have been broken.
Perhaps you will think of relationships, financial issues, physical ailments, emotional struggles, or an addiction.
Write one word on your broken shard of clay that would represent your brokenness.
Take a few minutes to pray and think about your own brokenness.
After five minutes or so, say something like: “Now what I would like you to do is to take your broken piece of
clay and glue it to the cross (word down so no one else can read it).”
After everyone is finished, pray a prayer like this: “Lord, you are the potter and we are the clay. You have made
us perfectly for your plans. Let us see your purpose and your way. Let us praise you for your love that leads us
through life. Lord, we even want to thank you for the way you use our brokenness. We praise you that you
can, and do, take all the broken pieces of our lives and make something beautiful. Only you could do such a
thing. We love you. Amen.”
Written by Tami Rudkin (smallgroups.com) and Andrew Berg.
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Hands Up, Hands Down
1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6-7
Purpose : So often, many of us (and our community) are walking through life filled with
anxiety, sometimes without even realizing it. The Lord offers peace to those in this state and the
purpose of this exercise is to cast our worries and anxieties on God and go forth in peace!
Materials : A way to play some quiet music in the background.
Instructions : Have some ambient or quiet music playing in the background. Instruct your
community to close their eyes and open their hands palms up towards the ceiling. Offer a prayer
inviting God to come and work in this time. Have your community picture the “things” or
“anxieties” which are weighing them down in their hands. After giving them time to mentally
picture all of these things, read 1 Peter 5:7 aloud and have them turn their hands over as a sign
of “casting” or “handing” these things over to God. Offer a closing prayer of walking in freedom
and peace (maybe even include some thoughts from the Philippians passage) as the Spirit leads.
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Idol Confession
1 John 5:21; Matthew 22:36-40
Purpose : To seek God regarding what we are placing before Him in order to lay it down
before Him and make Him first in our lives.
Materials : Paper, pens, the questions on the next page.
Instructions : Give your group a copy of the next page with the questions on it. Encourage
them to spread out in the room and spend some time reflecting on the questions. They can
journal, pray silently, etc. When the appropriate amount of time has been spent, call them back
and as the leader, pray out loud – pray a prayer that casts their idols down and leaves them feeling
encouraged and uplifted that God forgives them and is reclaimed as the Lord of their life. *
*If you would like to conclude with some singing, that is a good idea too. “Give Us Clean Hands” is a good fit.
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Idol Confession Questions
How do I know what I love the most? By looking at my everyday life.
•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
What do I enjoy the most?
What do I spend the most time doing?
Where does my mind drift to when I don’t have anything to do?
What am I passionate about?
What do I spend my money on?
What makes me angry when I don’t get it?
What do I feel depressed without?
What do I fear losing the most?
Our answers to these questions will lead us straight to the God or gods we love and worship.1
______________________________
1 From Worship Matters Chapter 2
Adapted by Andrew Berg from “Worship Matters” by Bob Kauflin © 2008.
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Psalm 32 Confession
Psalm 32:3-5
(Where else did you expect it to come from, based on the title?)
Purpose : To confess our sins before the Lord and walk in forgiveness.
Materials : Nothing.
Instructions : Read Psalm 32:3-5. Ask your community what they’ve been “keeping silent”
from the Lord. Give them space to spread out and pray alone for 5-10 minutes (background
music is helpful!). When you come back together encourage them that they are forgiven (as verse
5 states, as well as 1 John 1:9), and close with a word of prayer or a song such as “Amazing
Grace.”
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Exaltation:
Praise & Thanksgiving
›Amazing Grace
›Balloon Praise
›Eight Expressions of Praise
›Post-it® Praise
›Thanksgivings
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Amazing Grace
Purpose : To think about the words of a classic hymn, allowing them to draw you into God’s
presence.
Materials : The lyrics sheet of “Amazing Grace” on the next page.
Instructions : Pass out the lyrics to “Amazing Grace.” If you’re especially bold, sing it a
capella. If not, just read it aloud. Then, have people go around and share which verse is the most
meaningful to them, and why. The song itself and explanations will edify your GoCo.
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“Amazing Grace” Lyrics
Verse 1:
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
Verse 2:
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Verse 3:
The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
Verse 4:
Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
Verse 5:
Yea when this flesh and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace
Verse 6:
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun
“Amazing Grace” Words and Music by Edwin Othello Excell, John Newton, John P. Reese
 Public Domain, CCLI License # 22025
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Balloon Praise
Psalm 9:1
Purpose : To praise our Almighty God in a fun & serious kind of way.
Materials : Copies of the worship phrases, scissors, balloons, sticky tape or string, and maybe
some helium.
Instructions : Print the next page containing 24 worship phrases from the Psalms, and cut
them out. * Fold the phrases up and stick in balloons, which you inflate (for best result with
helium). Attach the balloons to different places in your worship space (creates a great celebration
atmosphere as people arrive). In the midst of a time of sung praise, ** encourage people to pop
their balloons and read out their prayers of praise with a loud voice. (Don’t do this activity if it’s
likely that you will have babies and/or small children present who might get scared—their parents
won’t thank you!)
*We think 6-10 balloons is an appropriate number for a GoCo sized group.
**Or have worship music playing in the background if there is no one with stellar musical skills in your community.J
Written by Sara Hargreaves (engageworship.org). Additions (*) by Andrew Berg.
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I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most
High. Psalm 7:17
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. Psalm 9:1
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:2
I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:6
I love you, O Lord, my strength. Psalm 18
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. Psalm 18:2
Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might. Psalm 21:13
Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory. Psalm 24:10
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1
Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. Psalm 28:6
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may
sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:12
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. Psalm 34:1
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. Psalm 41:13
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise. Psalm 48:1
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nation; I will sing of you among the peoples. Psalm 57:9
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:11
O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. Psalm 59:17
Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:20
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I, whom you have redeemed. Psalm 71:23
Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his marvelous
name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Psalm 72:19
We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 75:1
O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
Psalm 89:8
The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. Psalm 93:1
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Eight Expressions of Praise
The Bible
Purpose : To express praise to God in a Biblical way that you’ve maybe never experienced
before.
Materials : The eight expressions of praise, space for people to spread out—a large outdoor
space is preferred.
Instructions : Hand out sheets of paper with these eight expressions of praise on them (or
project them somewhere in your space). Explain to people how there are numerous ways people
physically responded to God in the Bible, and we rarely tap into all of them. Here are just eight
of them. Pick one you’ve never tried before and worship God through it.
______________________________________________________________________________
Visible Types:
• Kneeling (1 Chronicles 16:29—The word “worship” in that verse is translated to
“shachah” in the original Hebrew language, also meaning “to bow down”.)
• Dancing (Psalm 149:3)
• Raising Hands (Psalm 63:4)
Vocal
•
•
•
Types:
Shouting (Psalm 100:1)
Singing (Isaiah 54:1-3)
Speaking (Psalm 107:2)
Audible Types:
• Playing an instrument (Psalm 150)
• Clapping (Psalm 47:1)
Written by Jack Taylor (The Hallelujah Factor), also see Dwayne Moore (Pure Praise), adapted by Andrew Berg.
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Post-it ® Praise
Psalm 105
Purpose : To give thanks to God in a unique way that engages multiple senses.
Materials : A large poster board and Post-it® notes of varying colors and sizes.
Instructions :
1. Read, or have someone else read Psalm 105:1-5.
2. Give each of your GoCo members 5 (or so) Post-it® notes. Place the poster board in the
middle of the room on the floor or with the permission of your host, hang it on a wall.
3. Have your group members think back on the last month or so. For what are they thankful?
4. Ask them to write one praise on each Post-it® note, and then place them on the poster board.
5. In closing, refer back to the scripture, Psalm 105. What are the instructions of this passage?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Give thanks
Call on His name
Tell of His wonderful acts
Sing to Him
Rejoice
Seek His face always
Remember what He has done
6. Take a moment to read the Post-it® praises as a prayer.
7. Lastly, challenge your group to buy (or give them some) more Post-it® notes, and every time
God does something wonderful in their lives, have them write on a Post-it® note and put it on
their desk, bathroom mirror, or refrigerator. It will be a reminder to always praise God.
Written by Tami Rudkin. Adapted by Andrew Berg.
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Thanksgivings
1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 136
Purpose : To give thanks to God as a community (which in turn can turn a bitter spirit into one
of gratitude and make the already grateful person even more so!).
Materials : None!
Instructions : This simple exercise ought not be overlooked. It’s become so impactful at
our GoCo that we now share thanksgivings at every meal around the tables we’re eating at.
Simply have everyone share one thing they are thankful to God for since your GoCo last met. It
can be simple or profound. This is a great way to thank the Lord and encourage the body. You
can read the above scriptures beforehand (or other “thanks” scriptures), or not.
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Reflection:
Who God Is
›All About the Ebenezer
›Alphabet Attributes
›Holy Communion
›Promises of God
›Turn Your Heart to God
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All About the Ebenezer
1 Samuel 7:12
Purpose : To resurrect our “stones of help” while thanking God for His faithfulness and
reminding us of His trustworthiness in the present and future.
Materials : Paper, pens, copies of the lyrics from the next page.
Instructions : Share the following information: In the song “Come Thou Fount of Every
Blessing” we sing a line that says, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’m come.” Yet,
do we really know what an Ebenezer is? I don’t think the song is referring to Scrooge.
The Hebrew word for “Ebenezer” is translated as “stone of help.” When Israel finally defeated the
Philistines under Samuel’s leadership, he resurrects an Ebenezer as a visual reminder to all who
would pass by of God’s help and that God was their help in battle (1 Samuel 7:12).
Do you have any Ebenezer’s? If not, you should. They remind us of God’s help in the past and
encourage us of His help in the present and future. Take some time to pray and reflect on key
moments in your life when you know God helped you. Now you can journal about that for a
while.
Conclude with something like this: “Consider finding an object that represents God’s faithfulness
in these key moments you wrote about. Place the object somewhere in your everyday path as a
reminder of God’s help and faithfulness.” *
*If someone in your community is musically inclined, it would be great to close by singing “Come Thou Fount of
Every Blessing.”
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Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Verse 1:
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount; I’m fixed upon it
Mount of God’s redeeming love
Verse 2:
Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I'm come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wand’ring from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
Verse 3:
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Music and Words by John Wyeth and Robert Robinson
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Alphabet Attributes
Purpose : To reflect on who God is, and then respond to Him (worship) based on who we
know Him to be.
Materials : 26 pieces of paper with the alphabet written on them (one letter per paper), bibles,
smartphones.
Instructions : Pass out the letters to your group. If you have less than 26 people, each
person will get more than one letter. If you have more than 26 people, a letter can be shared by
two or more people.
Once the letters are passed out, have each person or team come up with a word that describes
God beginning with the letter they have. They can use their brains, bibles, smartphones, etc.
Once everyone is done, go around the room and have the attributes read allowed one after
another. Encourage your group to soak in who God is and worship Him in their heart as they
hear these descriptions. If you have a whiteboard or something, you could also write them all
down for everyone to see.
32
Holy Communion
Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Purpose : To remember the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for each of us.
Materials : A form of bread and grape juice or wine.
Instructions : Have a leader read the above passages of scripture. To keep the image of the
bread and cup as pure as possible, it is powerful to have fresh bread that you can break. As
everyone watches, they are reminded of Jesus’ body being broken for them. Likewise, having a
goblet for the juice or wine is powerful. Passing the elements (dip or sip for the juice) works well
(and receiving them all at once at the end or individually as they are passed), or forming “lines”
with a couple leaders serving it to your community. They can say to each person as they come
through, “The body of Christ broken for you and the blood of Christ shed for you.” Soft music in
the background always helps.
There are numerous ways to receive communion together. These are just some suggestions, but
certainly you should do it how you think it’d be best in your specific community. If you have a
fairly intellectual group, a Google search on “communion quotes” may provide you with some
good additional text to supplement the Bible passages with. Below are some examples:
“Every day He humbles Himself just as He did when from His heavenly throne into the Virgin's
womb; every day He comes to us and lets us see Him in lowliness, when He descends from the
bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar.” -St. Francis of Assisi
“I would celebrate the Holy Communion service in my pajamas if I thought it would help
someone to find faith.” - Nicholas Stacey
“In each of our lives Jesus comes as the Bread of Life—to be eaten, to be consumed by us. This is
how He loves us. Then Jesus comes in our human life as the hungry one, the other, hoping to be
fed with the Bread of our life, our hearts by loving, and our hands by serving. In loving and
serving, we prove that we have been created in the likeness of God, for God is Love and when we
love we are like God. This is what Jesus meant when He said, ‘Be perfect as your Father in
heaven is perfect.’”
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta
33
Promises of God
2 Corinthians 1:20
Purpose : To remember and meditate on the promises of God as a body.
Materials : Enough copies of the responsive reading on the next page for your community.
Instructions : Have the leader read 2 Corinthians 1:20, and explain how this verse is a
good response to any promise of God. There is power in saying this verse in response to God’s
promises. Then, divide your community into three groups. Read through the responsive
reading together as it reads on the next page.
Copyright Sara Hargreaves 2013 (engageworship.org)
34
“ Promises of God” Responsive Reading
2 Corinthians 1:20
Group 1: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)
Leader: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
ALL: And we say ‘Amen’ through Christ and to the glory of God!
Group 2: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify
us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Group 3: Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Group 1: “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the
future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)
Group 2: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8)
Group 3: Jesus said: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)
35
Turn Your Heart to God
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Purpose : To reflect on what’s in our hearts and turn it over to God.
Materials : Paper or cardboard hearts, pens.
Instructions : Pass out the hearts and pens. Provide space for reflection and have people
search their hearts. Have them consider the following questions to get them started:
• What do you love most at the moment?
• Fear most?
• Worry about? Care about? Think about?
Have them write these things on their hearts.
Next, read Jeremiah 17:5-10.
Have your group place their cardboard hearts in front of them, with the writing facing down.
Pray (something like this):
“Gracious Father God, so often we turn our hearts away from you. Perhaps not willingly, but
more by chance: we fill our hearts with concerns and keep them close to ourselves. We are sorry
for the times we have not turned our hearts towards you to let you search us. We are sorry for the
times we have turned our hearts away from you because we fear your judgment, or because we
are selfish with the things of our hearts and worry about what you will do if we share with you.
We are sorry and we repent, because we know that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to
anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.”
(leave space for personal confession)
“Thank you for forgiving us Father God, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, making a way for
us to come to you. Now, we turn our hearts to you. (signal to your group to turn their cardboard
hearts over) Lord, search our hearts, we lay them before you. Carry our burdens, share our joys
and show us where we are not walking your way. We turn our hearts to you. In Jesus name,
Amen.”
36
Holidays:
›Christmas: One Solitary Life
›Christmas: The Consolation of Israel
›Easter: Lint Roller Confession
›Good Friday: Carry Your Cross
›Thanksgiving
37
Christmas: One Solitary Life
Purpose : To reflect on what Jesus truly did in coming to earth.
Materials : A Bible.
Instructions : Have a leader walk through the following exercise:
Leader: Ask your group: “In one word, what would your life be like without Jesus?” Give
everyone a chance to share his or her one word. Then ask, “In what ways has Jesus changed your
life?”
Take a moment and read these “Christmas” passages as a way of worship.
Luke 1:26-33; Luke 2:26-32; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:14 Leader Read: One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village
where He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years He was an
itinerant preacher. He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never had a family of
his own. He never held an office. He never went to college. He never visited a big city. He
never traveled more than two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He did none of
the things that are usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He
was only thirty-three, when the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends ran
away; one of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies and went through the
mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His
executioners gambled for the only property He had on earth—His coat. When He was dead, He
was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Twenty centuries have come and gone.
Today Jesus is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the
armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever sailed, all the parliaments that have
ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned put together, have not affected the life of mankind on
earth as powerfully as that one solitary life
Leader: Take a few minutes for your group to pray praise for the beauty and awesomeness of that
One Solitary Life.
Written by Tami Rudkin, 2005.
38
Christmas: The Consolation of Israel
Luke 2:25-32
Purpose : To give thanks and praise to Jesus, who came to bring comfort and healing to a
broken people.
Materials : These instructions, a Bible, and the chord chart with lyrics on the next page to
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.”
Instructions : Gather your community together and have a leader read Luke 2:25-32 out
loud. Have the leader highlight two phrases in the passage:
•Verse 25 where it says that Simeon was “waiting for the consolation of Israel.”
•Verse 30 where Simeon says, “my eyes have seen your salvation.”
Have the leader teach your group about the idea that when this passage was written, Israel had
been waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah to come. Simeon was among those “waiting”
for this “consolation,” this “comfort,” this “Messiah,” this “salvation.” Jesus brought comfort and
healing to a world that had been long awaiting just that.
Have members of your community share how the arrival of Jesus in their life brought comfort to
them.
Sing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” together if possible (see Christy Nockels’ a capella
version on Chris Tomlin’s “Glory in the Highest” album for a simple way to do this). If no one is
comfortable getting this started, just read the lyrics together.
End by having your community share what they are most looking forward to regarding Jesus’
second return.
Close in prayer.
Written by Andrew Berg, 2013.
39
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
VERSE 1:
G
Em
C
D
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
G
Em C D G
Born to set thy people free;
G
Em
C
D
From our fears and sins release us,
G
Em
C D G
Let us find our rest in Thee.
G
Em
C
D
Israel's strength and consolation,
G
Em C
D
Hope of all the earth thou art;
G
C
G
D
Dear desire of every nation,
G G/B C Dsus D G
Joy of every longing heart.
VERSE 2:
G
Em C D
Born thy people to deliver,
G
Em
CDG
Born a child and yet a King,
G
Em
C
D
Born to reign in us forever,
G
Em
C D G
Now thy gracious Kingdom bring.
G
Em C
D
By Thine own eternal spirit
G
Em C
D
Rule in all our hearts alone;
G
C
G
D
By Thine all sufficient merit,
G G/B C Dsus D
G
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” Music and Words by Charles Wesley, Johann Sebastian Bach
40
Easter: Lint Roller Confession
Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:9
Purpose : To confess our sins knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive us.
Materials : A couple of lint rollers.
Instructions : Begin by reading the above two passages. Then, pass a lint roller (or more
than one depending on the size of your community) around encouraging people to use it. Just as
it removes the junk that our clothes have collected, Jesus removes the junk that we collect from
our sins. Lent & Easter are great times to remember the cross and what it means for us. Lead
your people in a time of confession and prayer (you choose the method – confess silently, write
your confessions on paper and nail them to a cross, etc.).
Written by Lilly Lewin, 2011. Adapted by Andrew Berg, 2013.
41
Good Friday: Carry Your Cross
Luke 9:22-24
Purpose : To think about the magnitude of what Jesus did on the cross, and thus the
magnitude of what it means to carry your cross daily.
Materials : Popsicle sticks, yarn, sharpies, a big cross.
Instructions : This is a great activity to do with kids and adults combined (one or the other
will work too). Read Luke 9:22-24 together. Have everyone make crosses out of Popsicle
sticks. Use the yarn to tie the crosses together. Have someone read Jesus words aloud: “You
must take up your cross and follow Me. If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn
from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.” Instruct your community to
write down the things on their cross which make it difficult for them to carry their cross daily (for
kids, consider something more simple like sins they struggle with or things they do, even though
they know they shouldn’t). End the exercise by placing your crosses at the foot of a larger cross as
a symbol of surrendering the things to Jesus that make it difficult to carry your cross.
Another adaptation of this exercise would be to make the crosses on the first Sunday of Lent and
instruct your community to place the cross somewhere where they will see it often. Then, gather
back together on Good Friday (instruct them to bring their crosses back!) and lay them at the
foot cross as a symbol of commitment to carry your cross as Jesus carried His.
Written by Lilly Lewin, 2011. Adapted by Andrew Berg, 2013.
42
THANKSGIVING!
See the “Exaltation” section
for Thanksgiving Ideas!
J
43
Others:
›ACTS Prayer Beads
›Press
›Rembrandt’s Storm
›Snickers Satisfies
›Twister Worship
44
ACTS Prayer Beads
Purpose : To teach, remind, and practice a simple, yet profound prayer method. This is
especially great if your GoCo has a lot of kids.
Materials : Four different kinds of beads (and enough for everyone), string or wire, scissors,
and the explanation sheet on the next page printed out for handouts.
Instructions : Assemble the beads into key chains (below) or bracelets. Chat about what
the beads represent as you assemble them (some nice worship music playing in the background is
a good idea). Upon completion, as a group, use the ACTS method as a guided prayer time for
your GoCo’s current state, needs, etc. Then, encourage everyone to use their key chain or
bracelet as a reminder to pray on their own.
A doration
= Revelation 5:13
C onfession
T hanks
= Psalm 100:4
S upplication
= 1 John 1:9
= Luke 18:1-8
Written by Sara Hargreaves (engageworship.org).
45
ACTS Prayer Beads
Thread these beads to remind you of a way to pray.
Written by Sara Hargreaves (engageworship.org).
46
Press:
A Simple Worship Experience
Purpose : This is a simple worship experience designed to help your community worship God
and “press” into His presence. You may find it particularly helpful if you do not have any
musicians in your group, or would like to worship God through different means.
Materials : Enough copies of the document on the next page for everyone in your group: pens,
pencils, markers, colored pencils, etc., and a Bible passage of your choice.
Instructions : Pass out the materials and walk through the exercise (you will need a point
person to begin it and wrap it up)—it’s pretty self-explanatory. Psalm 8 is a great scripture to use
for this exercise, but feel free to select any scripture (and make sure you write it in the master copy
before you print!). Depending on time and how many people are in your group, you may not all
share—that’s ok—just allow some time for sharing as it admonishes everyone else. Some soft
music in the background is not a bad idea.
47
PRESS
P ray: Begin by asking God to reveal Himself to you through His Word. Pray for His Holy Spirit to
guide you and to be present during this time of worship.
R ead: Read through ________________ prayerfully and with a listening heart.
E xpress: Worship is our response to God for all that He is. This is your time to respond to Him. In light
of the scripture you just read, express yourself to God on the back of this paper. Write a letter to
God, re-write the scripture in your own worshipful language, draw a picture, write a poem, etc.
Let it be an expression of adoration to Him.
S hare: When you are finished, share your expressions with one another. Let it admonish one another
and also be a corporate expression of praise to God.
S end: Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. Finish with one or more
people praying out loud that this small time of worship would carry on throughout the coming
days—that your lifestyle would be one of worship.
48
Rembrandt’s
Storm on the Sea of Galilee
Mark 4:35-41
Purpose : To gain faith in Jesus as the ultimate calmer of our storms, and to worship Him in
response.
Materials : A picture (on a screen or hardcopies) of Rembrandt’s famous painting from 1633
(see the next page).
Instructions : Pray, asking for God’s presence in this exercise. Read the above scripture,
then have your community look at the painting and find a few things that are striking to them.
Consider sharing some of the below information on the painting. * Open up a time of discussion.
Consider the following questions or write your own:
•What was Jesus trying to teach his disciples (and us) in this story?
•Why do you think Rembrandt painted himself into the boat?
•What storms are you facing right now?
•Do you believe Jesus has the power to calm them?
Close with singing or reading the lyrics to “It is Well with My Soul,” “You Never Let Go,” “Praise
You in the Storm,” or another such song might be powerful.
*The Storm on the Sea of Galilee is a painting from 1633 by the Dutch Golden Age
painter Rembrandt van Rijn that was in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States, prior to being stolen on March 18, 1990. The painting depicts
the miracle of Jesus calming the waves on the Sea of Galilee, as depicted in the fourth chapter of
the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is Rembrandt's only
seascape. It is widely believed, because of the fourteen people in the boat, that Rembrandt
painted himself in the boat along with the twelve disciples and Jesus. [1] The crewmember
looking out toward the viewer of the painting has been suggested as being a self-portrait of
Rembrandt.[1]
49
50
Snickers ® Satisfies
Ecclesiastes 5:10, John 4:14
Purpose : To remind our community that only Jesus can satisfy.
Materials : A Snickers® bar, paper, pens.
Instructions : Hold up the Snickers® bar and ask everyone what word is on the back of it.
Someone will say “satisfies.” Continue on by talking about how our culture tells us we’ll be
satisfied with all the “stuff” money can buy. Deep down, we all know this is untrue. Read
Ecclesiastes 5:10 to reiterate this. Then, read John 4:14 and remind everyone of the promise
that only Jesus can satisfy us in this life and in the life to come. Have your community spend
some time journaling about what things they are prone to fill their lives with that will not satisfy
them. Close with a word of prayer renouncing those things and asking Jesus to be the center of
our lives. *
*Giving everyone full-size or mini (depending on your budget!) Snickers® for a snack might be a good idea. J
51
Twister ® Worship
Purpose : To worship God and share with one another what He’s doing in us (in a fun way).
Materials : A game (or multiple games) of Twister®.
Instructions : It might be fun (whether your community is comprised of kids or adults or
both) to begin your time together by playing Twister®. Maybe have several games going at once.
As your meeting continues, gather everyone into the same room. Have a leader spin the spinner
and ask people to respond to the correlating questions below (you may alter or change these
questions if you’d like). You can either go around the circle and spin once for each person, or do
it more like “popcorn.” It’d be cool for everyone to respond to one color if possible (don’t have
everyone answer all 4 colors—that would take forever! Just try to get as many people and colors
responded to as you have time for).
Red : Red is the color of fire and blood and is an emotionally intense color.
Part of what it
represents is passion. What are you passionate about right now related to the Kingdom of God
(something He’s doing in or around you).
Yellow : Yellow is the color of sunshine and is related to joy and happiness.
What is
something right now that brings you joy?
Green : Green is the color of nature and symbolizes growth and freshness.
In what ways is
God growing you lately? How are your roots deepening in Him?
Blue : Blue is the color of the sky and sea.
It represents trust, loyalty, confidence, etc. In what
ways have you found God to be trustworthy lately, and how has it changed your outlook in a
given situation?
Written by Andrew Berg and Alex Absalom.
52
53

The GoCo Worship Packet - RiverTree Christian Church

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