“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

This term we are exploring worship. We will begin our journey by exploring who God is and why worship is our right response toward him. As our journey continues we will explore how we worship, especially when gathered in corporate worship.
 

Week 1, 4th January	God who is Alpha and Omega	Revelation 1:1–8
Week 2, 11th January	God who is Holy	Revelation 4
Week 3, 18th January	The Lamb who is Worthy	Revelation 5:1–10
Week 4, 25th January	Worship Together	Revelation 5:7–14 Psalm 95
Week 5, 1st February	Worship Demonstratively	Revelation 4 2 Samuel 6:10–22
Week 6, 8th February	Worship Obediently	Revelation 1:1–19 Colossians 3:12–17
Week 7, 15th February	Worship All Together Praise Party

 

To assist with leading small community sessions on these topics, prompting conversation with others, and preparing for gathering together on Sundays and Midweek, please explore the questons below.

Format for running a Small Community Session

1. Pray, asking the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth (bible ref)
2. Read the passage for the week, pause to give space for people to reflect on the passage and listen to the Holy Spirit. Repeat several times.
3. Use some of the following questions for direct your conversation
   1. What is the Bible passage saying about God? Think about God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For example, in Revelation 1:1–8 we see something of the relationship between Jesus and the Father and our relationship to God as Father and Son. Read on a couple of verses and we find the Spirit mentioned.
   2. What feels important to you in the passage in relation to your relationship with Jesus?
   3. What do you find encouraging?
   4. What do you find challenging?
   5. How will your worship of Jesus be shaped in light of this passage?
4. Pray together, asking the Holy Spirit to lead you in your worship of Jesus in the coming week

 

Conversation starters

• How have you been expressing your love for Jesus recently?
• How has the Holy Spirit been leading you in your worship?
• Have you had any surprising, encouraging, challenging moments of encounter with the Holy Spirit recently? What happened and what was it like?

 

Preparation for attending a Sunday or Midweek Gathering

Take time ‘in the Spirit’ (Revelation 1:10), asking the Holy Spirit to prepare your heart for gathering with your church family for worship.

Is there anything the Holy Spirit is asking you to bring to the gathering or to receive during the gathering?

How do you need equipping by the Holy Spirit for the week ahead?

Would you like someone to stand alongside you in prayer at the gathering and pray God’s blessing over you?

What will  it look like for you to give your all during worship at the gathering?

It can be helpful to reflect on where we are with God at the moment and how we might show up in corporate worship. There may be times when we are quiet in corporate worship, perhaps observing how others are encountering the Holy Spirit around us. There may be times when giving our all is most honestly expressed by kneeling, or raising our arms, or dancing, by singing loudly, or quietly. Taking time to reflect on these things before we arrive at a Sunday or Midweek gathering can enable us to give  and receive more during the gathering.