Worship is very important to God. God’s expressed reason for bringing the Israelites out of Egypt was so that they might worship and serve God in the wilderness. (Ex. 7 & 8) The elders of Sunrise Church believe that God has revealed Biblical principles of worship that Christians are to follow. The elders have adopted the following priorities for Biblical worship.
- Biblical Worship is God-centered/Christ-centered. We believe that much of what is said and written about worship styles and preferences is humanistic and focuses on human beings and our cultural influences. We believe that Biblical worship focuses on the nature and character of God and on his instructions for worship revealed in the scriptures.
- Biblical Worship includes Covenant Renewal. Throughout the scriptures God’s people are called and gathered by God to hear again his covenant promises and the stipulations for his people. In the Old and New Testaments the people of Israel and the Church of Jesus Christ were always called to hear God’s Torah/Word/Scripture and respond in obedience through confession of their sins and walking in repentance. Likewise, God was always faithful to speak his grace if they would follow his ways. At Sunrise Church we do this through what we call a “Service of Reconciliation” or “Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon.” We believe it is important to be intentional to confess our brokenness before God and always hear of his forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
- Biblical Worship is always carried out in Christian love. We understand that the typical human attitude is to focus on our own likes; our dislikes, our ideas, our opinions, our service and ourselves. But, of course, Jesus commanded his disciples to serve one another. (Matt. 23:11-12) Paul admonished the Church, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:4) and John the Apostle encouraged Christians to “love one another.” (1 John 3:11-12) At Sunrise Church we believe that any worship that is done to exalt ourselves or diminish another cannot be rightfully called worship of God. Therefore, we are committed to value the individuals and gifts that God has provide for our worship. We will worship together in a community of grace, loving one another, valuing and respecting one another, as we seek to worship God in spirit and in truth. We believe that our love for one another IS an act of worship toward God.
The elders of Sunrise Church believe that any worship service that fails to include these principles and priorities fails to be a true model of Biblical worship.