We believe worship is recognizing who God is and responding appropriately. Scripture clarifies that worship is a way of life, not just something reserved for Sunday mornings. Romans 12:1-2 instructs us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” as our spiritual act of worship. Therefore, anything we do where we live, work, and play can be an act of worship that declares who God is and what He has done for us.
While worship can be anything done to the glory of God, this does not replace the biblical command of gathering together as a body for corporate worship. Therefore, we gather each Sunday for a time of God-exalting worship and gospel-centered preaching. Colossians 3:16-18 God is worthy of our worship, and when we gather, we not only remind ourselves of the truth of the gospel but also one another. Psalm 95:1
To learn more about worship at Southbrook Church, we recommend a few of these sermons from our series on Worship:
What is Worship? Corporate Worship
How Do We Choose The Songs We Sing?
It is a privilege that we can gather each week corporately to engage in God-exalting worship; however, such a privilege comes with responsibility. As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring that the songs we sing not only glorify God but also accurately declare the truth about Him. Alongside preaching God’s word, singing is another means by which we shepherd and equip the church with sound theology. Therefore, it is important that we sing songs rooted in the Gospel so that nothing distracts us from worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Our team prayerfully considers each song we sing as we prepare our services. When selecting songs, we abide by the following (2) principles to ensure a high level of integrity in our worship:
1. Is this song theologically sound, and does it accurately reflect the truth of the Gospel as outlined in Scripture?
2. As far as we know, does this song's writer(s) align with Southbrook on core, essential doctrines?
We acknowledge that we will not agree with everyone on every point of theology; likewise, not everyone will agree. Therefore, our singing of any particular song does not necessarily imply full alignment with every aspect of the writer and/or affiliated ministries' beliefs or practices. Nevertheless, we do have a responsibility to lead our people well. Therefore, we will continue to be prayerful and mindful of our songs to make certain that they communicate accurate biblical theology.
Baptism
At Southbrook, we affirm the Bible says baptism is the outward, public declaration of one's inward spiritual commitment. Therefore, we believe baptism is to follow (not precede) one's decision to follow Jesus. It's a command, a public celebration of one's new life in Jesus. Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 3:3; Acts 2:38; 8:34-38
Communion
We believe communion is an essential act of worship outlined in scripture. Also, referred to as The Lord’s Supper, communion models Jesus’ last meal with His disciples. On the night before His betrayal and coming crucifixion, Jesus offered thanks and described the bread as His body and the cup as His blood. Before partaking, Jesus tells His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me.” While we do not believe that the bread and cup become the literal body of Christ, we profess they are powerful symbols of the mystery and gift of our “participation” as believers in the blood and body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Each time we gather and observe communion together, it is a powerful declaration of our hope in the gospel where we “proclaim Jesus’ death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 10:26
Who can take communion?
We gladly welcome anyone to be present during communion, for we believe this is a powerful and public witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, scripture gives us specific instructions on observing the Lord’s supper addressed to the church or the body of Christ. The body of Christ represents those who have fellowship with Jesus, sharing in His body and blood. John 6:56 For this reason, we believe communion should only be taken by those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. Perhaps most importantly, all believers should “examine themselves” and take communion in a manner worthy of God. As a church, we generally observe communion as a body once a month.
Prayer
Our mission is to ensure everyone is cared for and no one walks alone. Galatians 6:10; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Acts 2:44-45
Here at Southbrook, we believe in prayer being an integral part of a believer’s walk, and we have various ways that we offer the opportunity to receive and also participate in prayer.
Sunday mornings are an essential part of our corporate worship experience. As a part of our time together, we have a team of members available to pray with you before or after the service each week. They are ready and willing to pray with you for anything you may need to pray through. In addition to times of corporate prayer, we have times of guided prayer and the opportunity to seek out a prayer team member to pray with you.
Our team prays over any needs that come to our attention outside of a Sunday morning. If you have an emotional, physical, or practical need, you are welcome to utilize either the cards you receive at the worship service on your seat or go online and fill out a request form about your specific need. We would be happy to pray for you!