Question: What is the purpose of the Offering?

  13. The Tithe and Offering
      In the early church, this was a high point of their worship. A time of thanksgiving to God for all He had provided. It is an act that all can participate in. It is a symbol of obedience to God. Paul understood the Offering as one of the most joyful and demanding expressions of our ministry to God in worship.

      In the OT a tithe was 10% of your income/produce/livestock.
      In Lev. 27:30-32 the holiness of the tithe is expressed.
      In the NT a tithe is not required/prescribed but it is not prohibited either. Instead one is to give generously, spontaneously
        and cheerfully.
          -1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:1-15

Question: What is the purpose of the Doxology?

  14. The Doxology
      This doxology strikes the scriptural note of universal praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Doxologies are a regular part of Scripture.

      The word doxology comes from the Greek doxa, "praise, honor, glory," and logos, "a speaking, a saying, a word"; hence, it means "a praising, ascription of glory." In the general sense, the term describes any act of Christian worship that is a verbal declaration of the glory and majesty of God.1

      In the Old Testament, for example, each of the first four books of the Psalter ends with a doxology (Pss. 41:13; 72:18–20; 89:52; 106:48); Psalm 150, in which the expression praise appears thirteen times, is the concluding doxology for the entire collection of Psalms.2

      Doxologies occur elsewhere in the New Testament  (Luke 2:14; Luke 19:37–38; Rom. 11:36; 16:27; Eph. 3:21;
1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 24-253

Question: What is the purpose of the Lord's Prayer?

  15. The Lord's Prayer
   This prayer, really the disciples prayer, gives us a pattern for our prayers both public and private.
       -Matt. 6:9-13

Question: What is the purpose of the Creeds?

  16. The Creeds
      Certain non-creedal churches object to reciting creeds or confessions of faith yet they ask baptismal candidates, parents of infant dedication and new members to declare their faith that Jesus is Lord, which is the basis of the creed in 1 Timothy.

      The purpose of a creed or confession is to compact historical/theological truths into a summary statement.

          - Deut. 26:5-9; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 Tim. 6:12; Deut. 6:4-9; 11:18-23; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-20; 2 Tim. 3:16
            all have a creedal sound.

Question: What is the purpose of the Choruses?

  17. The Choruses
      Writing to the churches in Ephesus and Colossae, Paul assumed that Christians would use a variety of expression in church music. Although we will look at this in greater depth later, the variety is given in Scripture: Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs and new songs.

    The singing of a Psalm was used to close the time of Temple worship. Those used were Ps. 24,48,82,94,81,93,92. The Temple worship ended as it began, with praise.

    As Luther brought hymns in German to the people to make singing understandable to his contemporaries, so choruses help to bring the truths of God to the people today in a more accessible language.

            -Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Ps. 33:3