Baptist Worship

Baptists do not "own" a liturgy; rather, they share broadly with other denominations. The order of worship in most Baptist churches normally will not differ significantly from free church congregations. Those Baptists following a more formal order often borrow from Episcopal or Lutheran resources-or from the recently published resources developed by the United Methodists and Presbyterians PC (USA). The service outlined here is the result of post-Vatican II scholarship and practice. Within the structure described, unlimitable possibilities are present. Nearly any worship style found in modern Western Christianity can be accommodated within this structure. Our test for validity of structure and style is twofold: whether the story-the gospel of Christ-is faithfully proclaimed, and whether the body of Christ, the church, is nurtured by the liturgy we follow as we offer worship to God. The service outlined here is both responsive to the ancient practice of the church (of Justin and Hippol…