VO: You finally did it! You made plans to attend a worship service in the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). Maybe you’ve been invited many times or maybe you’ve been searching for a Church near you and an Iglesia Ni Cristo congregation popped up. Or perhaps you’ve seen people walking out of the building looking happy and fulfilled, so you wondered to yourself, “I want what they’re experiencing.” With everything going on in our communities, everyone could use a little bit more upliftment and inspiration these days. We totally get that. But now, you’re a bit nervous about this experience and are wondering what to expect when you walk inside. Well, let’s help you with that.
When you walk into a worship service in the Church Of Christ, maybe one of the first things you’ll notice is the peace and solemnity of the gathering. You’ll first step foot in the foyer, where you’ll be greeted by a deacon or a deaconess who will happily show you where the sanctuary is and answer any questions you may have about the service. Let them know it’s your first time. They’ll be excited to help you. After the foyer, they’ll guide you to the main sanctuary, where the seating is arranged with two sides: the male and the female sections. Most people are surprised by this, but this is done to maintain the solemnity and orderliness of the worship services. This is based on the Bible’s instruction written in I Corinthians 14:40.
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Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
1 Corinthians 14:40
Good News Translation
Deacons and deaconesses will then help usher you to your seat. Now, you may not have had a chance yet to look up but when you do, you’ll notice that the sanctuary has a very simple layout. There’s a podium, and behind the podium is where the choir sits. There are no crosses or graven images because in the Church Of Christ, we follow strictly what the Bible says.
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“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—
any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth;
you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Exodus 20:3-5
New King James Version
So, in every worship building in the Church Of Christ, all you will find is simple moldings complementing the simplicity and solemnity of the occasion. Now, you may also have noticed that we’ve said “solemnity” a few times. There’s a reason for that. The Bible teaches us that worship services are very sacred occasions because of who is present. Solemnity is observed because it’s a command of God, after all.
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The Lord is in his holy Temple;
let everyone on earth be silent in his presence.
Habakkuk 2:20
Good News Translation
So, while there is hymn singing, there isn’t clapping or yelling involved. It’s the opportunity to pray to God, but also the chance to hear His teachings, so every detail is aimed to ensure we can give God our complete attention. In fact, every worship service in the Church Of Christ—wherever you are in the world—follows the same simple format: arrival and personal prayer, hymn singing, opening congregational prayer, preaching of a Bible lesson, closing congregational prayer, and benediction. So, wherever you are in the world, you never have to worry about what happens next, or even surprises. This is your time to focus solely on hearing God’s words and offering true and meaningful worship to God.
Well, that about covers it for now. You may still have some questions or you may still be a little nervous.
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GET TO KNOW US
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WORSHIP WITH US!
incmedia.org/find-a-congregation/
If that’s the case, just email us and we’ll walk through your questions and help you get ready for your first in the Church Of Christ. We’re looking forward to meeting you soon.
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