In his incredibly helpful book Christ-Centered Worship, Dr. Byran Chapell writes, “Our worship should show the face of Jesus to those who have gathered and to those who need to gather to worship him.”

Chapell suggests that kind of worship honors God in its “re-presentation” of the gospel. It is the proper response to the grace he lavished upon us, the grace that allows us to worship him rightly.

As Chapell points out later in his book, many pastors rightly attempt to do “re-present” the gospel story in the sermons they preach and in the sacraments they administer, worship leaders rightly attempt to do that in the songs they sing, other participants in the service try to do that in the prayers they pray and the testimonies they give.

Chapell argues that this gospel representation should not only take place in each element, but also in the whole service itself.

I remember one of my seminary preaching professors encouraging us to do more than “just add Christ” to our sermons, like we might add salt to our dinner. Instead of making Christ an optional add-on to our sermons, he encouraged us to preach Christ-saturated sermons.

As pastors and worship leaders plan their worship services, they should plan Christ-saturated worship services. Those types of services require not only Christ-centered elements, but also a Christ-centered service. Christ-centered worship is aided by a Christ-centered liturgy.

Every worship service has some kind of liturgy, even if its leaders wouldn’t dare use that word. It’s the way they structure their worship service. Each liturgy tells a story—either intentionally or unintentionally. I think each liturgy should be planned to intentionally tell the gospel story.

Through that liturgy, you are telling those gathered something about God, their relationship to him, and how they should worship him. Through that liturgy, you have an opportunity to re-present the gospel story with the liturgy as a whole, not just through some of the elements of that liturgy. Use the pieces of your liturgy to tell the story of the gospel to those gathered to worship Jesus, and those who have joined you who need to worship him.

Here are some helpful resources for creating a Christ-centered liturgy:

http://www.cardiphonia.org

http://www.theopensourcebook.org

Christ-Centered Worship, Bryan Chapell

The Worship Sourcebook, John D. Witvliet and Emily Brink (eds.)

Leading in Prayer, Hughes Oliphant Old

Ancient-Future Worship, Robert Webber

Elliot Grudem is the network coordinator for the Acts 29 Network and a pastor    at Mars Hill Church. Prior to his work with Acts 29, Elliot served as the senior  minister at Christ the King Presbyterian Church, a church he replanted in  Raleigh, NC. He has worked for an urban ministry in New Orleans. He worked  for a Fortune 100 company prior to seminary. He is the editor of Christian Beliefs,  a book he completed with his father Wayne. Elliot holds degrees from Miami  Univeristy (BA, History and English) and Reformed Theological Seminary (M.Div.).