Why We Practice Liturgical Worship

At Church of the Cross, Joplin, we practice liturgical worship.

“Liturgy” simply means “the work of the people.” It is worship shaped by Scripture and shared by the whole church — not made up on the spot each week.

If you are exploring Anglican worship, you may notice something different. Our services follow a clear pattern. We pray written prayers. We confess the Creed. We kneel. We receive Communion regularly.

This is called liturgical worship.

If you come from a non-liturgical background, think of it this way:
Liturgy is not about empty ritual. It is about worship shaped by Scripture and rooted in historic Christianity.

1. Worship Has Biblical Roots (Before A.D. 100)

Christian worship did not begin in a vacuum. It grew out of Jewish worship.

In the Old Testament (before 400 B.C.), God’s people worshiped with:

  • Set prayers
  • Psalms
  • Scripture readings
  • Confession
  • Blessings

Synagogue worship in the time of Jesus (1st century A.D.) followed a structured order: Scripture reading, teaching, prayers, and psalms.

The first Christians continued this pattern.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” — Acts 2:42

Notice: teaching, fellowship, communion, and set prayers. That is liturgical structure.

2. The Early Church (A.D. 100–400)

By the 2nd century (A.D. 100–200), Christian worship already included:

  • Public reading of Scripture
  • A sermon
  • Creeds summarizing the faith
  • Prayers
  • The Lord’s Supper

Writings from church leaders like Justin Martyr (around A.D. 150) describe worship that looks remarkably structured — very similar to Anglican services today.

This means liturgical worship is not medieval invention. It reflects how Christians worshiped from the beginning.

3. Connection to Historic Catholic Christianity

The word “catholic” (lowercase c) means universal. It refers to the historic Christian Church across time and geography.

From roughly A.D. 400 through the Middle Ages, Christian worship across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia followed structured liturgies centered on Scripture and the Eucharist.

The Anglican tradition did not reject historic Christian worship during the Reformation (1500s). Instead, it reformed it according to Scripture.

In 1549, the first English Book of Common Prayer simplified medieval services, translated them into English, and grounded them clearly in the Bible.

The 2019 Book of Common Prayer continues that same pattern today.

4. Why Structure Matters

Liturgy provides a gospel-shaped rhythm every week:

  1. We praise God.
  2. We confess our sin.
  3. We hear God’s Word.
  4. We confess the faith (the Creed).
  5. We receive Communion.
  6. We are sent into the world.

That pattern tells the story of salvation again and again.

Instead of focusing on personal preference or emotion, worship is anchored in God’s truth.

5. Worship That Forms You

Liturgical worship is not about being formal. It is about being formed.

  • You hear large portions of Scripture.
  • You pray words rooted in the Bible.
  • You join Christians across history who have prayed these same truths.
  • You participate, not just observe.

6. In Summary

We practice liturgical worship because:

  • It grows out of Jewish worship before Christ.
  • It reflects early Christian worship in the 1st and 2nd centuries.
  • It connects us to historic, catholic Christianity.
  • It was biblically reformed during the 1500s.
  • It is preserved today in the 2019 Book of Common Prayer used by Anglican churches throughout the world.