This was not only our 9th anniversary weekend of worshiping publicly as a church, but it was also a very powerful baptism service. We did a bit less music, but we still rejoiced greatly in the power of the resurrection, worshiping our God who raises the dead.

Call to Worship from Psalm 95.

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD and make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Oh come, let us worship and bow down and kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
Psalm 95:1-6

Come Thou Fount – this song doubled as both our call to worship and ended in our song of confession:

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

My God, My Father – a simple cry of obedience and asking the Lord’s will be done, no matter what.

If thou should call me to resign
What most I prize never was mine
I only yield thee what is thine
Thy will be done

Renew my will from day to day
Blend it with thine and take away
All that now makes it hard to say
Thy will be done

Darrin spoke on being the church and what Jesus had in mind when he put together this group of ordinary people and gave them the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit, then we took communion and rejoiced as many were baptized. Rejoicing with the words of the song Mystery.

Mystery

Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes proclaim His coming
Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes, lift your eyes

Christ has died and Christ is risen
Christ will come again

This is an excerpt from Steve Timmis & Tim Chester’s excellent book Total Church. It serves as a great reminder for those in teaching pastor positions in their local churches and abroad. The reminder is this: Pastor, if you think you can improve on the word of God… You can’t.

In the church, the risen Christ rules through His word. This is why the only skill required of church leaders is that they can teach, rightly handling and applying he word of God. Their authority is a mediated authority. They have no authority in and of themselves. Instead, they exercise Christ’s authority on His behalf as they teach and apply the Word. This defines the amazing extent of their authority: when they apply the Word, they are exercising the authority of God Himself. But it also defines the limit of their authority: they have authority only as they teach God’s word. They should no exercise an authority that comes because of the position they hold, or the force of their personality. it is through their teaching that leaders exercise the authority of Christ, the Head of the church.

We focused our attention in worship on the attributes of God’s mercy and justice towards us and through us as he sends us out on mission as His church in the city and in the nations.

This is the order of worship:

My God, My Father – A redone hymn that my friends at Mars Hill reworked the melody on. We are recording on our God & Sinner Reconcile record that is coming out this Fall and are really excited about it!

How Great Thou Art

More Than Songs

God & Sinner Reconcile – We have been introducing this song over the past few weeks. Lyrics are:

God and sinner reconcile
The sacred covers the defiled
Your righteousness for ours
We are wounded by Your love
We are mended by Your blood
You are righteousness for us

God Of This City – We added a bridge as a sending portion for the week.

May Your work begin in me
Fill my heart and move my feet
Your Kingdom come
May Your work begin in me
Fill my heart and move my feet
Your will be done