Develop Worship Ministry

Through effective marketing and relationship building in the community, people will learn about your ministry and perhaps visit a worship service. The worship experience is the product of our best efforts, first and foremost because our best is always fitting for the worship of the Triune God, but also in order that those visiting the mission will feel welcomed by the people of God and meet God in Word and Sacrament. The worship service is the central entry point to the church. While other ministries, such as small groups and the like, may introduce and even nourish new believers in God’s Word, there is no substitute for being a part of God’s people in worship (Hebrews 10:25).

It is critical that worshippers at your new mission have a positive experience. In fact, for first-time visitors, the worship IS the mission. Many visitors will evaluate the ministry based entirely upon their worship experience, and make their decision if they are going to return. Established ministries have the advantage of facility and a track record in the community, which help the visitor feel that the ministry is stable and credible.

Determine Ministry Philosophy and Style

Lutherans believe that the service of God is a two-way street. God is meeting His people with His blessings descending; the people of God are responding with their praises and prayers ascending. God comes to meet us at worship in Word and Sacrament. Through the Word, God is acting powerfully (Hebrews 4:12, etc.). Through the Sacraments, where the promise of the Word of God is attached to a visible element, God is acting to forgive and strengthen. How can God’s people not respond with joyful praise to these wonderful blessings? The goal of Lutheran worship is to maintain traffic in both directions.

Worship in a mission setting is not all that different from any other place where God is worshipped. God comes to us in Word and Sacrament. God’s people raise to Him their heartfelt praise. In a mission setting, the planter has the additional challenge of offering the best worship experience possible with fewer resources. As in any church, worship is:

	CHRISTOCENTRIC	The reason that Christians are gathering in worship is to praise the Triune God through Jesus Christ. It’s about Him, not about us. All that is done centers on Christ, whether hymnody, liturgy, or preaching. It is good for us to lift our praise to God in worship; it is even more important to know from the Scripture how God feels about us.
	GOSPEL ORIENTED	The proclamation of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament is the way of salvation. People wounded from their sin and the sin of others find forgiveness and grace in the worship of God.
	BIBLICALLY BASED	The Lutheran tradition of worship is that much of our liturgies are direct quotes from Scripture. At the very least worship must accurately proclaim what the truth of Scripture is.
	RELEVENT	Worship does not happen in a vacuum. Both the order of worship and the preaching must relate to the people, in terms of language and culture. Worship is enriched by people incorporating elements of their culture that are meaningful to them and not contrary to the Scripture.
	JOYFUL, YE REVERENT	Each Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. He is risen, indeed! Our joy is great as we celebrate the love of our victorious God. At the same time, worship is reverent as we realize that we are in the presence o the King of the universe.
	IN GOOD ORDER	By inspiration, Paul writes that worship should be “in a fitting and orderly way. . .“ (1 Cor 14:39). A worship service in its plan and execution reflects the orderliness of our orderly God.

Determining worship style may be one of the most contentious issues with which to deal. This may well challenge boththe Lanuch Team and the planter himself. Team members may hold various views on this issue. Both the team and the planter need to wrestle with the question if the style of worship will be determined by their preferences or by the needs of the community. While, strictly speaking, we know that liturgical worship with traditional hymnody is not the third mark of the church in addition to the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments, there will be strong feelings about this issue rooted in the centuries old practice of the Lutheran Church. While being completely faithful to the Word of God, the style of worship should be appropriate for the targeted community so as not to place unnecessary barriers to their hearing the Word.

Determining worship style can be a complicated issue. While we can recognize what is generally called "contemporary" and "liturgical," it is entire possble that a worship services can be both at the same time. Likwise it is possible for the words of a centuries old hymn to be set to contemporary music with modern instruments.

Plan Music

Once you have articulated your philosophy of worship, you may begin the planning process to insure that the worship experince is the best that it can be.

Recruit Musicians

Having determined the philosophy and style of worship, it is necessary that the mission find the appropriate musicians. You may find that you will need to hire musicians until you have the “local talent” within the mission. You may also be able to recruit or hire musicians from other nearby churches, or even local colleges. It is important that you recruit the musicians with the necessary skills. While there will be many opportunities to develop the skills of beginning musicians in the future, for the mission launch skilled musicians are needed.

Obtain Licences

The church also has a responsibility to obey the law. Breaking copyright laws simply is not acceptable. Many companies offer licenses that make it convenient to be able to use the music that you want with violating the rights of copyright holders.

Obtain Equipment

Write of list of the equipment that you will need for worship. It will include not only instruments, but also a sound system, and items related to setting the atmosphere of the worship location. You may be able to find good used equipment on places like Ebay and Craig's List, as well as receiving donations from other local churches.

Obtain necessary licenses and copyright permissions.
Obtain instruments and other equipment

Plan Sermons

The proclamation of the Word of God is just as important in a mission setting as it is in an established setting.

	Biblically sound	Every preacher has a solemn responsibility to teach the Word of God accurately. A sermon is not an opportunity for the speaker to present his own ideas. Rather he is the prophet to speak all that God has said, but only what God has said.
	Drawn from the text	Unless a sermon addresses a topical issue that brings a number of Bible passages to bear, a sermon is normally based upon a particular passage of Scripture. It should be entirely obvious to the hearer how a sermon is based upon the text upon which it purports to be based. One hears many sermon texts read before a sermon that seem to have little bearing upon what is heard for the next 15-20 minutes.
	Proclaims Law and Gospel	The Lutheran understanding of Law and Gospel should also be clearly evident in preaching. As C. F. W. Walther taught in Thesis VI of Law and Gospel, " The Word of God is not rightly divided when the Law is not preached in its full sternness and the Gospel not in its full sweetness. . . (Walther 1897, 79"
	Applies to the hearer	A sermon is not a sermon unless its message applies to the life of the hearer. In preaching Law and Gospel, the listeners hear how their sin brings God’s anger and punishment to them personally. They also hear how God’s forgiveness in the Gospel applies to the very sins that they have committed. They are forgiven, and they know it.

Consider a series

It may be highly advisable to have a number sermon series for the start of the mission. This brings a number of advantages. Beginning a series will give you an opportunity for more advertising in the community. A series is also a helpful way to reinforce a particular message over a period of weeks. While we have the freedom to use topical texts for such a series, with some creativity, you may develop a fine sermon series in the standard pericopes.

Plan Sermon Series for First Six Months
Write Sermons for the First Series

Set Atmosphere

Clearly the content of the worship service is of central importance. However, the atmosphere of the worship experience is also important and can communicate our concern for the proper worship of God. A mission in a gym probably won’t have stained glass windows, but they are many ways to communicate the worthiness of God.

	GREETING	Everyone should be genuinely and warmly greeted. It is common in church plants today to have greeters in the parking lots!
	SIGNAGE	There should be clear road signs directing people to the mission as well as to the various activities within the building. Most municipalities allow road signs to be set out at least the day before the worship service.
	OTHER MEDIA	Other media, such as the bulletins or PowerPoint backgrounds, should look professional and reflect the market branding (logo, colors). Even the color of shirts worn by the mission team can support this professional look.
	DECOR	Banners, flowers, crosses and the like are ways to enhance the worship experience.