Posts with the tag “worship-aids”

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This year we will follow the same basic calendar of hymns as we have in previous years. This is the second year of the “learn the psalms” format. Last year we sang our favorite 26 psalms (list “A”) four times throughout the year. This year we will sing those 26 psalms once, and add to them 26 new psalms (list “B”), which we will sing three times, once in the morning and twice in the evening. Other...  Read More

For many years I have sensed that our Sundays feel rushed. When years ago the evening service was at 6:30 PM, the time between services was more restful. The extra hour turn-around time made a significant difference. During the pandemic we experienced a few Sundays with a 10:00 AM service (to avoid the on-line congestion at 11:00 AM, you may recall). Many of our members loved it. They thought it w...  Read More

All of our new members are expected to take our Inquirers’ Class. It consists of seven sessions in which we move progressively, pyramid-like from the church catholic (a mini-history of the Christian church), to the church Protestant (the five so-called “Solas”), to the church Reformed. We call it an Inquirers’ Class because it genuinely is for those who are inquiring, who are searching, who are in...  Read More

Originally taught as a Sunday school series at the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, GA. I. Theological principles God—centered Bible—filled Gospel—driven Historically—rooted Spirit—dependent II. Criteria for song selection Is it singable? Is it biblically and theologically sound? Is it biblically and theologically mature? Is it musically appropriate? Is it emotionally balanced? Is it a...  Read More

Reformed churches not only have the regulative principle worship (RPW) to guide them regarding elements and forms, but they also, throughout their history, have had liturgies and directories. The liturgies were the more restrictive (e.g. Strasburg, Geneva, Amsterdam), the directories (Westminster Directory of Public Worship and the family of directories it spawned) less so, allowing more freedom, ...  Read More

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The breakdown of ecclesiastical discipline in the 1960’s, combined with the unrestrained energy and enthusiasm of the Jesus movement, resulted in an anarchy of baptismal practices that is still with us today. Spontaneous baptisms in backyard swimming pools, at lakes, and at beaches are not uncommon. “Believers” baptisms accompanied by clapping, cheering, and high-fives are widespread. Paedobaptism...  Read More

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This is a classic worship service in the tradition of Reformed (or Presbyterian) Protestantism and has been used at the historic Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, GA. Given the diversity of styles of worship today, what we do is unfamiliar to many of our visitors. We offer the following booklet as an aid in understanding the meaning of each part of the service....  Read More

What was it like to be a member of the OT church? What did they believe? What was their experience of God, personally and corporately? Did their religion make them happy or was it a burden? Were they aliens in another age or our brothers and sisters of long ago? As we look through the window of the Psalms we discover that here indeed is the same God, now disclosed to us in Christ, and here are peo...  Read More

Might it possibly be the case that some ministers fail to read Scripture in public worship because they feel inadequately acquainted with the text? Might it also be the case that the effectiveness of the public reading of Scripture might be enhanced by succinct introductions to the chapters to be read? Behind the following work is the hunch that both of these questions ought to be answered in the ...  Read More

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