Worship

Definition and Meaning

Worship is an act of faith that exalts and serves God. In the narrower sense, it refers to the public gathering in which the church assembles at an appointed time for hymns, prayer, the Word, offerings, and other elements. In Protestantism it is regarded as a communal expression of the Christian faith, and of all its services, the Sunday service held each week on the Lord's Day is considered the most important. The New Testament words "they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24) are frequently cited to explain the nature of worship.

Biblical and Historical Background

In the Old Testament period, worship centered on the sacrifices of the tabernacle and the temple, and the Psalms contain many songs of praise and prayers. The early church gathered "upon the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7) in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus to break bread and hear the Word, and this practice is regarded as the origin of Sunday worship.

Worship in the medieval Western church centered on the Mass. After the Reformation, Protestants worshiped in the vernacular understood by the congregation and placed the sermon at the center of worship. The Lutheran and Anglican traditions retained a comparatively large share of traditional liturgy (fixed forms of worship), while the Reformed churches (the Presbyterian tradition) emphasized simple worship grounded in Scripture.

Practice in the Korean Church

Sunday worship in Korean Protestant churches generally follows this order:

• Call to worship or silent prayer
• Singing of hymns and responsive reading
• Confession of faith using the Apostles' Creed
• Representative prayer by an elder or deacon
• Scripture reading and sermon
• Offering and church announcements
• The pastor's benediction (a prayer of blessing)

The order and emphases vary by denomination. Presbyterian and Baptist churches place the sermon at the center and usually celebrate Holy Communion a few times a year. The Korean Methodist Church has a book of worship that follows the church year. The Anglican Church of Korea worships every Sunday with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, in which Communion is administered. Pentecostal churches such as the Korea Assemblies of God give considerable weight to praise and simultaneous audible prayer.

Larger churches divide Sunday worship into multiple services, such as a first and a second service, and many churches also hold Sunday afternoon or evening services, Wednesday services, and early morning prayer meetings. Seeker-friendly ("open") services are also held for younger generations. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, online worship has come into wide use, and churches differ in their understanding of the relationship between in-person and online worship.