SERVICES | parksidechurch

Worship

"...the joyful expression of reverence and adoration for God."

Every Sunday we meet together to worship, this may be a term you are unfamiliar with.

But simply true worship is a valuing or treasuring of God above all things

- John Piper

The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.

Serve

"...perform duties or services for (another person or an organization)."

During the church service, there are many ways in which we serve God and each other. For example we have people serving the communion, reading the Bible passage, playing in the band, working on the PA, making teas and coffee the list goes on.

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

There are many verses in the Bible that call for us to serve, but what does it mean?

It means to do what God says in a way that makes him look supremely valuable in himself.

It means to submit to Him in a way that makes Him look thrilling.

“Whoever serves, [let it be] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:11)

God is seen as glorious when all our serving is moment-by-moment receiving from God’s supply.

We receive this supply by faith. That is, we trust moment by moment that what we need, in serving Him, He will supply (“life, breath, and everything”). This is the opposite of being anxious. Such serving is happy. And it makes God look no less authoritative, but infinitely more desirable. This is the glory He means to have. The giver gets the glory.

- John Piper

Prayer

"...a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God."

At the end of each service you are welcome to come forward and ask for one to one prayer.

Why do we pray?

For one thing, prayer is a form of serving God and obeying Him. We pray because God commands us to pray:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."(Philippians 4:6–7 )

Prayer is our way of being able to communicate with God our Father, we have the privilege of being able to pour out our hearts to Him with the promise that He will listen to us and answer according to His will.

We may not always see His answers, but we can rest in the knowledge that He hears us. Prayer is our primary means of seeing God work in others' lives. Because it is our means of “plugging into” God's power, it is our means of defeating Satan and his army that we are powerless to overcome by ourselves.