Praying the Liturgy
Microchurch Essentials is a seven-week curriculum meant to orient (and reorient) a microchurch community to our mission as the scattered church and sent people of God. Each week, we will utilize the prayer liturgy with a few additional elements to guide the conversation. The additional elements will introduce the main idea and practice of enacting the Gospel daily.
+ Talk
Let us share in the joys and sorrows of one another's life.
What has been the highlight of your week?
What has been the low of your week?
+ Reflection
Let's consider what we discussed last week.
What conversations or thoughts did you have this week about prioritizing microchurch?
+ Introduction
An Introduction to the Lord's Prayer.
Last week, we focused on defining microchurch and committing to it. But like our failed New Year's resolutions, we know that commitment isn’t always enough. Becoming disciples of Jesus takes time, intentionality, and a plan.
Our plan for being lifelong disciples involves a community (what you are doing now) and a training regimen we call Liturgy.
Liturgy might be foreign to you or loaded with baggage or past experiences. But when we use the term liturgy, we simply mean a pattern or way of worship.
We recognize the importance of practice in almost every area of life. If you want to be proficient at the piano, practice the same scales. If you want to improve your golf swing, practice the motion. If you want to become patient, begin by practicing patience. Likewise, being a disciple of Jesus requires practicing the stuff of Jesus.
So, each week, we will gather around the liturgy as a way of doing the Jesus stuff. Each element in our Prayer Liturgy is a practice from the life of Jesus–
The Talk practice invites us to have honest conversations.
The Call to Worship reminds us to have a posture of worship.
Silence reminds us to slow down and become self-aware.
Confession of Sins reminds us of the areas we fall short and our need for the Lord’s forgiveness.
The reading of a Psalm reminds us to pray honestly.
The Apostles’ Creed unites us around an essential theology.
The Scripture reading helps discover the story of God.
The Discussion helps us join the story of God.
Prayer teaches us to ask God for what we need.
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us how Jesus prayed.
The Confession of the Mystery comforts us with what we know and reminds us to be okay with what we don’t.
The Commissioning sends us to share and live the good news with others.
This liturgy is not a quick fix—and honestly, sometimes it feels uninspired or awkward. But we honestly believe that in gathering week after week around the prayers and scriptures of Jesus, the Spirit will do something in our midst and our lives.
So, let’s give it a try. I will guide you through the unbolded portions, and anything bold will be read out loud together.
+ Call To Worship ⓘ
Let us together prepare our hearts in worship.
We are called into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship,
to be God’s servants in the service of all,
to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table,
to join Christ in his passion and victory.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God.”
All who love are born of God and know God.
Let us worship God!
+ Silence & Confession ⓘ
For a moment, let us sit in silence reflecting on our actions this past week and together, we will confess and be reminded that we are the forgiven community.
+ Psalm ⓘ
Let us pray with the Psalmist.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
–Psalm 145:8-13 (NIV)
+ The Apostles’ Creed ⓘ
Let us affirm our faith with the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
When we practice the Liturgy, we anchor ourselves to something ancient. The first Christians committed themselves to a set of prayer practices. Acts 13 is a simple example of the liturgy's central role in the Early Church.
“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping [greek – leitourgeō; where we get our word liturgy] the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
– Act 13:1–3 (ESV)
+ Discussion
Normally, we would discuss the scripture here, but instead, let’s take a second to reflect on what we just did.
How did reciting the liturgy feel?
Was there a particular component that was meaningful to you? Why?
Was there a particular component that was more difficult for you? Why?
+ Practice
Let us consider how to practice the Way of Jesus in our everyday life.
The prayer liturgy is something we practice weekly in microchurch. But it can also be practiced with a friend or as your daily prayer. Try practicing it again this week alone, with a spouse, family member, or friend.
+ Lord's Prayer ⓘ
Let us put this into practice and life up the names brought before this community.
As our Savior taught us, so we pray;
+ Confession of the Mystery ⓘ
Let us confess the Mystery of our Faith.
+ Commissioning ⓘ
May we go from this place prepared to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, together.
+ Announcements
We invite you to join us at the following events.