What happens in the service in church?

Answer 1

services vary between denominations of the church. my church is prodestant so i will give you an average Sunday morning at mine.

Before church, people will gather in the foyer, maybe get a coffee or tea at the church cafe'. in some churches, a prayer meeting will run before the service, this is usually for members of the church who are doing something that morning (such as musicians, kids church volunteers, hosts, bookshop volunteers, people at the information desk or just anyone who does anything in the church). in the prayer meeting, the members will pray, just for the service, for any needs in the church and just for God's guidance and presence for the service, this is nothing major, just a 5-15 min thing.

then the service will start. usually the start of the service consists of 4 - 6 worship songs, half fast, half slow. these aren't like old hymns or anything. there is a band on stage (drums, keyboard, Guitars, bass, and singers) and they'll lead the church in worship. the songs we play are usually modern planetshakers or hillsong songs or various other christian artists.

after the worship bracket, usually the offering is taken up, a member of the church may share a short message on offering. (offering is just members of the church giving to God/the church. a little bucket will come round the seats and you just put in whatever you feel. there is no designated amount you should put in, you don't have to put anything. offering is a personal thing between you and God, no one sees how much you put in either, its more an anonymous thing).

the pastor/preacher (who doesn't wear a robe or anything, just slacks and a shirt) will then come up and give the announcements (usually just events happening in the church, prayer requests etc.) and then begin his/her sermon. the sermon is just a message from the preacher, prepared during the week. of course the sermon varies from week to week, but usual sermons consist of messages that will help Christians become more Christ-like. for instance, becoming more faithful, putting your life in God's hands. The sermon can be anything though, whatever God places on the preacher's heart.

after, the preacher may close in prayer, just a short and simple prayer. and that's it. the band may come up and sing another fast song here. after the service, people will just talk in the foyer grab a coffee or tea, talk with each other and that's about it.

i know that in movies and the media, church looks like a boring place where the ceiling is 1000ft off the ground and there are statues of Jesus and Mary looking down on you. and there is a priest in a robe at the front telling you how God is angry at you because you have sinned and all that. but church is nothing like that. its the most welcoming place. my church is a modern building, the pastor doesn't wear a robe, there are no statues, no candle's and no pews (we actually have cinema seats) and our God is a loving God who is quick to forgive and slow to get angry.

God bless.