Leading Church, Bible Readings & Prayers: Practical Instructions

Leading Church

1. Re planning:

• Plan early & well, a week in advance. Don’t leave it until the weekend.
• Make the Bible readings the focal or high point. Let the readings set the theme.
• Plan church in consultation with the Minister and preacher.
• Details regarding the coming week, e.g. Bible readings, themes, special events, will be available at church the preceding weekend and forwarded by the responsible staff member on the Monday. Return a copy of the proposed order and other details by Thursday to give time for feedback and finalising the data projection.
• As a general rule, use the Creed, Confession, Lord’s Prayer & Thanksgiving or equivalents. Services forms and elements are available in electronic and hard copy.
• As a general rule, the ministry of the word should precede the prayers and Lord’s Supper.
• Use a Psalm somewhere somehow. Be creative.
• Remember the children’s spot & Kidz Klub.
• Consider using items, skits, interviews. Check with staff and preacher.
• Note the understanding of Church: Biblical Theory & Practice.

2. Re times:

• Arrive at least 45 minutes early to ensure everything is ready, cope with any emergencies and pray (more than a token).
• Start on time. Just before starting ask the sound people to turn the lectern up, go straight to lectern without being sidelined by others and ask everyone to take a seat, give a few moments but don’t wait for everyone, then start.
• Beware of going too long. Consider attention spans, children’s return etc.
• Beware including extra ideas and items. Check with staff and preacher.

3. Re introductions:

• Plan! At a minimum, write out in point form. Don’t leave it to off the cuff!
• Welcome everyone and visitors and newcomers generally. Let them remain anonymous, don’t point them out or ask them to identify themselves. Specifically welcome any known and notable visitors. Leave mentioning ‘welcome packs’ and/or ‘communication cards’ to the Minister and the announcements.
• Introduce themes. If saying more than just mentioning the theme, simply raise issues not give conclusions. (Leave that for the sermon). Don’t bother mentioning who is teaching, just what the readings and teaching are on.
• Use 1-2 songs to open, so letting people (and latecomers) settle in.
• Use a double welcome-intro; a minimal one before the opening songs and the main one after them.
• Use a Bible verse.
• Use a prayer.
• Don’t run through what all the Bible inserts etc are for.

4. Re comments and links throughout:

• Don’t say too much. No mini-sermons.
• Plan links and intros to various sections. At a minimum write them out in point form. Beware spontaneous comments (they’re rarely good).
• Arrange with song leaders how songs are to be introduced.
• Avoid the common jargon and comments that diverges from the Church: Biblical Theory & Practice.

5. Re conclusions:

• Don’t thank people. Where do we start and stop? Who do we leave out?
• Invite people to stay on for morning tea/supper and to speak with Minister or preacher.
• Draw the theme together in very brief, 1-line, summary.
• Finish with a Bible verse, benediction or brief prayer.

6. Re people’s involvement:

• Contact rostered peoples to make sure they’re right to go.
• Seek to involve people not commonly in up front roles, e.g. others not yourself for readings.
• Provide a service outline for all particularly involved. (Don’t forget the sound mixing person.)
• Use Bible readers who read well. Remind them of the Church Bible Reading instructions.
• Remind prayers of the Church Prayer-leading instructions.

7. Re Bible readers:

• Choose people who can read well and will prepare. Remind them of the Church Bible Reading instructions (following).
• Seek also to include people who don’t otherwise or often have out front roles.
• Consider interviewing the reader regarding some aspect of their lives relevant to the theme and reading.

8. Re prayers:

• Remind pray-ers of the Leading Prayers in Church instructions (following).
• Set prayers such as Confessions may be combined with general prayers or used separately.
• Confession and Thanksgiving are not needed with Lord Supper.
• Prayers should generally come after the Word.

9. Music

• Songs have been carefully selected by the teaching & music teams to maintain a balance of traditional hymns, contemporary songs and new material, to reflect the themes and occasion of the day, and to suggest appropriate placement in the service. Discuss any proposed changes with staff and notify music team by Wednesday lunchtime.
• Discuss with song-leader how the songs are to be introduced and by whom.
• Where possible avoid having songs soon after the Kidz Spot.

9. Re presentation:

• Larger gatherings require greater formality and ordering.
• Smile, be bright, be friendly.
• Be succinct.
• Speak carefully & clearly.
• Speak as though to people sitting at the back.
• Be mindful to be truly praying any prayers, not just saying them.
• Dress in such a way as to show respect for the people attending and the occasion.

Church Bible Reading

Bible reading is the focal and high point of church. Therefore…

• Prepare and practice thoroughly. Work through and apply Clifford Warne How to read the Bible aloud. (Copies are available from staff.) Readings are available after the Monday morning staff meeting.
• Use the Chapel Bibles. State the reference and page number, then give people time to locate it. Further liturgical introduction or conclusion, such as ‘This is the Word of the Lord’, is not necessary.
• Provide a very brief introductory statement of context. Consult the preacher.

iv. Read slowly and carefully.

v. Don’t read headings.

Leading Prayers in Church

The corporate nature and edifying function of church (see Church: Biblical Theory & Practice) necessitates that leading prayers in church involves a very different dynamic to private or small group prayers.

In general…

• Church prayers must, therefore, be edifying for others. They must, therefore, be intelligible and orderly. Whereas private prayers may be unclear and rambling and still helpful, public prayer needs to be clear and ordered to helpfully take others along.
• They must also be appropriate to the public setting. Some personal matters and/or details are not appropriate or are unnecessary for public dissemination.
• The focus should be on common or corporate concerns and responsibilities more than personal or private concerns.
• They should also reflect and express a full breadth of common concerns and responsibilities: 1. world rulers, peoples and missions, 2. local community and churches, 3. own church community and 4. more personal and individual.
• Following the gospel pattern of God’s initiative and human response, prayers should generally follow the Word and reflect matters raised in the teaching.
• Recognising the above, church prayer is still prayer, the privilege of humble access to the heavenly Father, not some professional performance.

More specifically…

• Prepare thoroughly. At a minimum plan points and sub-pts in some detail.
• Be clear. Structure prayers, perhaps with breaks for sub-headings and/or introductions and/or opportunities for people to verbally join in, e.g. ‘Amen’.
• Use the roster of prayer points so that over time the full breadth of concerns and responsibilities are covered.
• Include specific matters raised in the Bible reading and teaching.
• Remember that you’re praying, speaking to God and taking people with you, not speaking to people. Pray, don’t just read, prayers.
• Also with this, pray, don’t make announcements or seek to provide information. People don’t need to know lots of details to join in a prayer.
• Don’t include some and exclude others from the newssheet prayer list. Generally deal with these as a group, not individual by individual.
• Use ‘we’ not ‘I’.
• Beware pushing some personal or private agenda.
• Be conscious of time pressures, such as people’s attention spans, time needed for other activities and children returning. Be succinct.
• Be intelligible. Avoid jargon.