Our meetings may be more informal, expressive and non-traditional than what you are familiar with. Listed below are explanations from the Bible for a number of worship expressions and terms you may see or hear during our meetings. It may be helpful to you to look these verses up and read them in context in your own Bible.
- Abba, or Abba Father– A word in the Bible, used by Jesus and the apostle Paul, that is very close in meaning to our English word It is a name of God the Father that describes the love that exists between Him and His children. Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6
- Anointing – In the Old Testament a prophet would fill a ram’s horn with olive oil and then pour it out on an individual who was being set apart for the Lord’s service. The oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit, Who would then come upon and empower those individuals to do God’s work. When we speak of the “anointing” we are referring to the real presence and power of the Holy Spirit that is manifest in the life of the believer and when we gather together. Luke 4:18,19; Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:20 &27
- Anointing with Oil – This is often done when an individual is receiving prayer for healing. The oil symbolizes that the power of the Holy Spirit is present to heal James 5:14,15 & Mark 6:13
- Banners and Flags– “We will sing for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.” Psalms 20:5; Song of Songs 6:10
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit – This is not water baptism. “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” refers to the initial time when the believer receives the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 9:17; 10:44-47; 11:15-17; 19:1-7
- The Body, or the Body of Christ – Generally we are not referring to the physical, resurrected body of the Lord Jesus. Instead, we mean His living church, joined to Him and each other by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:22,23 & 4:12; Colossians 1:18
- Born Again – The Lord Jesus said, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This happens when a person by faith accepts God’s gift of forgiveness and yields his heart and life to the Leadership of Christ. When he does that, the Father in heaven forgives him of all his sins, and the Spirit of Christ comes inside that person’s spirit and causes him to be reborn spiritually as a child of God.
- Communion, or the Lord’s Supper – As a church we generally celebrate the Lord’s supper every Sunday. – Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
- Clapping – “O clap your hands, all peoples.” – Psalm 47:1
- Dancing – “Let them praise His name with dancing.” – Psalm 149:3; Also see 2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 150:4
- Deliverance – This describes being set free from negative pressures which are a result of demonic influence. Mark 1:34,39; Hebrews 2:14,15
- Falling – Sometimes, when God manifests His power, people literally fall down. At that time His Spirit may be revealing a truth, directly to a person’s heart, that he has not understood; or, He may be bringing healing or freedom; or, one’s body simply may not be able to stand upright in the presence of His power. The following are six examples from the Bible of people who either fell or who were not able to stand in His presence:
- The cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house… – 1 Kings 8:11
- When therefore He (Jesus) said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground… – John 18:6
- And when I saw Him (Jesus), I fell at His feet as a dead man… – Revelation 1:17
- So he (the angel Gabriel) came near to where I (Daniel) was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face… while he (the angel) was talking with me I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground, but he touched me and made me stand upright… – Daniel 8:16-18
- He (Paul) was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground… – Acts 9:3,4
- When I (John) saw it (the glory of the Lord), I fell on my face. – Ezekiel 1:28
- Gifts of the Spirit – Listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, these are nine distinct ways that the Holy Spirit will supernaturally manifest His presence and power through a believer in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
- Inner Healing – This term describes God’s love healing the heart and emotions from the effects of trauma and negative conditions and beliefs. Psalm 147:3 & Isaiah 61:1
- Kneeling – “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” – Psalm 95:6
- Laughter and Joy – Reverence, awe and silence are right responses to God’s presence, but the Bible also teaches that the Father fills the mouths of His children with laughter and gives them great joy. “Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting. .. In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 126:2 & 16:11 Also see Nehemiah 8:10; Job 8:21; Luke 10:21; Acts 13:52; Galatians 5:22
- Laying On of Hands – A means whereby spiritual power, the anointing, is transferred from a believer to another person. Mark 16:17,18; Acts 6:6; 8:17; 9:17; 13:3; 19:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 6:1,2.
- Lifting Up Hands – This is a biblical way to acknowledge God’s presence and express the worship that is in your heart. “May my prayer be counted as incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering” – Psalm 141:2. See also Psalm 28:2 & 134:2; 1 Timothy 2:8
- Loud United Praise to God – “The whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice” – Luke 19:37
- Prophecy – This is one of the gifts, or manifestations, of the Spirit. It simply means that God impresses on a believer’s heart a “word” or direct message from Him for another person or group of persons. It does not have to relate to future events to be a “prophetic word”. 1 Corinthians 14:1 & 3
- Silence – There are times when the Holy Spirit just wants us to be still in His presence. Psalm 62:1,5; 65:1; Revelation 8:1
- Shouting – “Let them shout for joy and be glad” – Psalm 35:27; Psalm 47:1
- Tongues and Interpretation – These are two of the gifts of the Spirit of God. Speaking in tongues is the God-given ability of a believer to speak and pray in a language that he has not learned by natural means. Unless its companion gift of interpretation is also in operation, the “translation” is not understood, but the individual is speaking words supplied by the Holy Spirit to:
Praise, worship and adore the Lord;
Pray for his own needs or the needs of others;
Put up his “spiritual antenna” to listen to God;
Receive and be strengthened with power in his own spirit.
At times a believer will receive the interpretation of what he is speaking. Also, at times, the Holy Spirit will prompt a believer to speak in tongues out loud in a service so that it may be followed by a public interpretation – it is then equivalent to prophecy and is a means that God may use to speak to His people. Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46, 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 14.
- Visions and Dreams – “And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “that I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 Also see Acts 9:10-12; 10:9-20; 16:9,10
We’ve tried, in this information sheet, to offer explanations from the Bible for some of the things you may see during the worship here.