Worship is an attitude of the heart first and foremost. It is when we turn our hearts toward God in thankfulness, awe, wonder, and adoration. While it may be easier to worship in a church building, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, with the right music, and at a particular time on Sunday… none of those things have to happen in order to worship.
Outside of church you may have experienced moments of true worship in unexpected places. We have church members who experience worship in natural spaces like parks, in common places like the car when just the right song comes on, or during an unexpected moment of prayer with a friend. You can worship anywhere, it’s just sometimes easier to do at church.
To make your worship at home most successful, I recommend being intentional. Plan ahead just a little bit and you will most likely find a very special moment with God right at home. The following list has items to help you do just that. You may not need all of them, but each can be very helpful.
A Set Aside Time – Choosing a time for worship does several things for you: It gives you time to plan, it elevates the worship time in importance (on your own personal calendar), and it gives notice to anyone else in the house who might not be participating that you will be busy and would prefer not to be bothered.
A Set Aside Place – You’re looking for quiet and solitude. Look for a spot in your home that is conducive to reflection, a little bit of comfort, and some space to pray and maybe even read aloud or sing if you feel comfortable doing so. The more kids you have at home with you, the more challenging this can become, but hang in there, you can do it!
A Song list – Remember when we said planning ahead was a good idea, this is one of the things I highly suggest you do. Good news here! You get to pick all the songs, and how many, and they can all be your favorites! I suggest at least two: One with a theme of praise and thanksgiving, and another that can serve as a closing song or benediction.
Symbols – In the church service we light candles to symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit, we have a special place for the Bible, we use the cross as a focal point, and more. Choosing a symbol that is meaningful to you (but doesn’t feel out of place at home) can be helpful for worship at home.
Solitude (or full participation) – Everybody in the room during the “worship service” needs to be onboard with the “worship service”. If it’s just you, no problem, but ask your family to help. Ask for 20 minutes or so to yourself (and offer to do the same for them). Put on a cartoon for the kids, let the dog in the back yard. Do whatever you need to do to ensure you get as much uninterrupted time as you can. If you’re lucky enough to have someone who wants to worship with you, then the two of you can plan the moment together.
A Scripture Reading – And by this I specifically mean out loud. Reading scripture out loud marks this as different from a devotional read, different from a Bible Study, and something new. Additionally, many of the passages in the Bible were intended to be read out loud. Read it, listen to the words, and take time to imagine or pray through the passage. You may find a good pattern in reading it twice, with a time of reflection in-between.
A Time of Prayer – Prayer is an essential element of worship. I suggest you use the model of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as your model prayer. There is a section where you pray for your own needs, for God’s plan, and for others.
The Doxology – We sing this every Sunday at Downs UMC and you likely have it memorized. Singing this component of the service could be a powerful connecting point to worship within the church as you’re familiar with it.
A Sample Order of Worship
- Opening Song
- Second Song, or third (optional)
- Time of Prayer
- Scripture Reading
- Read it once out-loud
- Imagine/Meditate on it
- Read it again out-loud
- Doxology
- Closing Song