What is the standard best practice for sharing in our gathering when doing a communion, contribution, or welcome? This is a resource for you to reference and share with others who may be new to sharing during our gatherings. We want as many people as possible to learn how to properly share the word and their hearts with one another during our gatherings. While there is a proper order to the worship assembly, we are family and seek to be authentic with one another. For reference we've included some "SOPs" from the Bentons which they put together for the Tri-cities church.
Welcome (5 minutes)
Too often people tune out during the welcome, especially if they expect it to be irrelevant information. A good rule of thumb is to only share an announcement if it applies to more than 50% of the audience. People likely just sang some incredible worship songs, so don't let that energy fade. Set the tone with genuine zeal. Approach the welcome with sincere enthusiasm and energy to inspire and prepare the congregation for worship, recognizing its role in glorifying God.
You could include a relevant scripture, share the church's vision statement, reflect on the previous sermon (looking back), preview the current gathering (looking forward), encourage attendees to ready their hearts, or offer a prayer of praise.
Ensure thorough preparation and maintain respectfulness by going over any announcements with the relevant parties involved. No one wants their name mispronounced, or the event details to be foggy. The way you share our church name and what we are about should inspire confidence. Don't let the first time you view the announcements be when you step onto stage.
Communion (3-10 minutes)
Communion is a central and essential part of the Sunday worship gathering, focusing on Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection as the heart of the gospel.
A communion message should emphasize personal sharing and how Jesus’s sacrifice has impacted one's life.
The message should be centered on one key scripture and one clear point, helping the congregation to focus on the significance of the cross.
It's important to explain the symbolism of the bread and juice, particularly for newcomers, and conclude with a prayer of gratitude for Jesus's sacrifice.
If you are only praying for communion the main theological objective to communicate is that the bread represents the body and the juice represents the blood as we remember Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.
Remember, communion doesn't have to be silent or somber. It is a time of celebrating the resurrection and the wedding supper of the lamb that we look forward to, eating and drinking in his Kingdom with one another.
"Sermunion" may be a fitting substitute where the preacher concludes his sermon with a prayer for communion rather than giving a communion message.
Here are five key scriptures on communion:
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 - "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."
Luke 22:19-20 - "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 - "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf."
Acts 2:42 - "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Luke 24:13-35 "When they arrived in Emmaus, the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them. During the meal, as He broke the bread, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him."
Contribution (3-5 minutes)
Contribution is to the Lord and directly related to our hearts.
We do not tithe, but it is a good standard. The old testament taught to give a tithe, but Jesus asks us to give him everything.
Never compel others to give, but encourage a cheerful and sacrificial heart as the Bible does.
You may want to let guests know that they are not obligated to give and aim your words at the membership.
It's a good idea to tell people how they can give. For example "the big red give button on our church website menu takes you to church center giving".
It is good to share a scripture on giving, but a prayer to focus our hearts on God's love and grace is also appropriate.
Here are five key scriptures on contribution:
2 Corinthians 9:7 - "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Proverbs 3:9-10 - "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
Acts 20:35 - "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
Worship (20 minutes)
Worship leading is about connecting the congregation to God and each other through creative, thoughtful, and inspiring worship, not just leading songs.
Be well-prepared and informed about the order of the assembly, and communicate effectively with tech teams and other participants to ensure a smooth worship experience.
Tech preparation is crucial. Arrive as early as possible as something could go wrong. Ensure all videos, mics, and speakers are ready to avoid disruptions during worship.
Preaching (30 minutes)
"Plan, prep, and pray!" Thoroughly plan, prepare, and pray before delivering a sermon, ensuring that you understand the message, its purpose, and how it fits into the broader gospel narrative.
Incorporate visual aids like PowerPoint slides, images, and videos to enhance engagement and help the audience stay connected with the message.
Properly exegete the scriptures by drawing out the text's true meaning and purpose, rather than imposing personal ideas onto it.
Develop a concise and powerful sentence summarizing your sermon, which should be easily recallable and repeated throughout the sermon. Remember less is more and a shorter sermon can be more powerful. Aim to preach for 30 minutes or less.
Share personal experiences related to the topic and offer clear, practical takeaways for different audience segments, while trimming unnecessary content to keep the sermon focused and impactful.
See more in depth sermon preparation and preaching tips here
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