Recognize together that Jesus is with us – when 2 or 3 gather in his name this ushers in the presence of God by the Holy Spirit. We can expect to experience God with us in our meeting.
It's sometimes helpful to focus on why we worship God, and to discover what difficulties we are experiencing in worship. That can give us helpful insights into our relationship with God
This part needs some prior preparation to get the most out of it - there is potential for this part to be an extremely powerful time as we really meet with God. Be creative in ways we can worship outside of the corporate singing experience, but make sure that your ideas are valid ways that you yourself can worship God in order to successfully lead everyone else in that form of worship. Check with group leaders if you are unsure if something will work.
As you get into worship, some may bring verses from Scripture which can lead to prayer or ministry. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, expecting God to speak to you and be ready for the group to respond.
At times it may be appropriate after a time of worship to ask if anyone has got anything from God they want to share?” eg. pictures, scriptures, encouragement.
Don’t compromise if there are not-yet Christians in the group. The very fact they are there means they are open to explore a spiritual side to life. Worship is very attractive and Jesus doesn’t want to be hidden!
Alexa Purdy-Valentine,Sidcup writes:-
- Take some old magazines/catalogues and a few pairs of scissors to your group, along with a small box or basket. Get the members of the group to cut out images that are appealing to them, something that gives them pleasure,. (i.e. clothes/cars/jewelry/holiday etc.) Get the group to discuss what enjoyment they receive from their chosen cuttings. After this, redirect their focus upon the Lord by reading some scripture.( Romans 1 vs. 25- "...and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator- who is forever praised, Amen.") Remind the group that God has provided for us and that we can enjoy these material things as they have been given to us as a gift. However, there is a danger of becoming too caught up in a material world and that we must acknowledge where these pleasures come from. Following this, get the group to place their images into the box/basket as a symbol that these things are insignificant in comparison to the ultimate gift that God has lavished upon us. End in a prayer of thanks giving.
- Prepare a "Creative worship" evening by providing lots of different mediums to use. For example, poster paints, felt pens, modeling clay, scissors, sticky tape etc. You could have a writing corner and somewhere with musical instruments/ CD player. Encourage the group to lose their inhibitions and come before God as they are, free and able to worship him in whatever they do. Get them to try and do something that they wouldn't usually try. Put the emphasis on having fun and being joyful in praising the Lord. Provide a Bible for inspiration and make suggestions for those who may find this challenging. i.e. make something from clay to represent a favorite verse of scripture; use your hands in the paint to create a powerful image; write a love letter to God; sing a worship song, either individually or together; simply sit down and pray. There are endless ways to reciprocate God's love.
Martyn from HCC Church, Darlington UK writes
- "Get a short fat candle. Turn the lights in the room off and then strike a match, light the candle and think of how the candle resembles Jesus:"Perfect shape - It flickers, but reforms. You can't physically touch it, but you know it's there because you can see its effects. It gives light, heat/warmth, destroys/powerful... (There are many things you can think of.) Then light some more candles from the main one…. Explain how the light spreads to people... Pray that you will be a light, resembling God and pray that you will spread the light to other people."
- For this you will need a staff (a broom handle will do); a red or purple robe (we used a red door curtain); a crown of thorns (use any blackberry bush for this, but be careful when winding them together); three large nails (the rougher and rustier the better); a large hammer or mallet; a glass of red wine; broken bread. The above are to be hidden in another room - out of the sight of the rest of the group. Play a worship song about Jesus suffering and going to the cross and have people listen to the song with their eyes open. After a while leave the room and bring in the rod, place it in the middle of the group and then sit down. A few seconds later, go and get the robe, place it with the rod and then sit down. Do this until everything is on display. Then have a few moments of silence and praise God for what He did on the cross.
- Choose a Psalm i.e. 103. Read it aloud and then ask the cell group to imagine they are going on a desert island and they are only to take a verse or a few words of the Psalm with them for the rest of their lives for their encouragement or to remind them of one aspect of God etc. Write it down on a piece of paper and place on the floor in the centre of the room. Take some time out (perhaps with background music) to look at all the contributions. When everyone is finished, thank God for all those things on the paper.
- Gather a random collection of objects from around the house, it can literally be anything. One for each member of the group (and a couple more just in case!). Give them out and get everyone to meditate on them and allow God to speak to through the objects. Then get everyone to share what they have got from God, this may be revelation into Gods character an understanding of some scripture or a hundred other things!
- The leader must produce stickers for each member giving reasons why worship is difficult today ("I've had a bad day", "so and so has upset me", "those curtains are interesting!"). Peel off the reasons and place them in a waste bin. Then distribute new stickers with Bible verses printed on them, affirming our status as God's children, declaring God's unconditional love for us, and so on. Take turns to read them out and to thank God.
- Go through the alphabet from A to Z and ask the group to come up with an attribute of God to fit each letter! (Humour and worship together!)
- Or try the same with things for which we can thank God.
- Spend five minutes in silence listening to God then share the results. Perhaps give a few verses from a Psalm as a seed thought before the silence begins.
- Go into the garden and spend ten minutes individually contemplating a weed or a flower or a leaf that you find there. People could bring back the object they selected and talk about it.
- Or lie on the ground gazing up at the sky, chatting to God in silence.
- Use worship CD's and sing along. The louder they're played, the more confident people will be to join in.
- Read a short passage of Scripture about Jesus and ask each person to write their own short psalm inspired by that passage. Then let each one read their psalm and allow people to pray in response to each reading...
- Read Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Spend time individually writing out a declaration of Jesus' worthiness. Then read them out with others praying short prayers inspired by what has been written.
- Clear as much space as possible from the room. Get everyone to stand against one wall with clear ground in front. Read Revelation 4:1-11 through once and ask people to visualize the scene, with eyes closed. Get them to picture the door of heaven and then to "knock" on it; wait until it is opened and then move forward and in through the door. Allow time and silence (and space!) to picture the throne room of heaven and then to approach the one who sits on the throne. Many will want to kneel and will find this a powerful encounter with Jesus.
- There's a wealth of liturgy available: some from your denomination, alternative pieces from other denominations or published resource books.
- Write a psalm, hymn or spiritual song together. You'd probably want to go for words only and then you could find a musical genius to write a tune and teach it at the next meeting!
- Pray together about one aspect of God's character (His faithfulness, love, mercy, grace, &c.).
- Read a Psalm together.
- Prepare a meditation (e.g. Get the group to close eyes and to imagine they are a character in the Bible. Talk the members through the particular Bible story and how they might feel. Allow time and periods of quiet for this. See the Revelation 4:1-11 example above.)
- Everyone pray only Thank You prayers. This is good to do because most people will find it hard to pray without eventually turning it into an asking prayer and it's quite a challenge to keep the prayer thankful only.
- Use an object to focus on one aspect of God. Examples might be a lump of clay alongside a pottery vase, reading Jeremiah 18:4f. or Isaiah 64:8. Or you could use garden flowers and a passage about Creator God.
- Modernize an old hymn (or re-write some old liturgy).
- Read the Gospel of Mark, or another short Bible book, one chapter each around the group.
- Prepare by taking a magazine(s) and cut out very many small squares of different shades of color from the photographs. Place the "confetti" in a basket and at the meeting have each person select a color that appeals to them. Then get the group to arrange themselves in a line with the colors in the order of the spectrum. Join the ends of the line so that the group forms a circle and then get the different color groups to use their imagination and make the noise of their color!! Mention that, together, all of the colors of the rainbow make pure white light. Read Genesis 1 and have the group make their sound and wave their color swatch whenever the word "light" is mentioned.
- Be creative with clay, paints or crayons. e.g. Give each person a small piece of modeling clay. Ask them to pray silently and to meditate as the leader reads a passage of Scripture. Encourage them to play with the clay in silence and see what is formed as the meditation progresses.
