Worship for us at Elm Street Baptist Church centers on the means of grace. We ascribe to the belief that acceptable worship is determined by the Scriptures, not by individual experience or preference.
We believe the simplicity sought in worship is according to the principle expressed by John Calvin: “We may not adopt any device which seems to fit ourselves, but look to the injunctions of Him who alone is entitled to prescribe.”
The elements of worship are:
- the reading of the Scriptures,
- preaching and hearing of the Word of God,
- singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to the Lord,
- prayer with thanksgiving for all things lawful, and
- the administration of the ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s supper.
We believe God has chosen to reveal to man in His Word that which is pleasing to Him in worship. Elm Street Baptist Church meetings are conducted according to the regulative principle of worship, which teaches that God has clearly revealed the elements of worship that will enable His people to worship in spirit and truth. The regulative principle of worship defines how we worship from the heart by faith.
We affirm that Christian liberty in worship means freedom to worship God as He would be worshipped. A church is not free to devise its own ways of worship, no matter how strong the cultural consensus may be. Liberty in worship is to worship according to commands laid down by Christ, the Head of the Church.