Regulated Worship: The Shepherd’s Church Distinctives
In this series, Pastor Kendall Lankford and Deacon Dan Hult elaborate on the distinctives of The Shepherd’s Church, so everyone who worships with us, visits us, or lands on our webpage will know who we are, how we are, what we are, why we are, and what they can expect.
But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.. - John 4:23
THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBLICAL DISTINCTIVES
Every Church has distinctives. There are things about every local assembly and their beliefs about God that make them who and what they are. For that reason, a church must be cautious and deliberate when choosing what they will be known by. If they are known for things that are dishonoring to the Lord, unloving towards His people, or ignorant of His Word, then that Church will be judged severely by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This is why Paul tells us that some ministers' entire careers will be exposed as wood, hay, and stubble when it is consumed by the fire on the last day. On that day, there will be many evangelical pastors whose churches and ministries are reduced to nothing because there was nothing of substance in them all along (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). This should terrify the pastor, but how few of these men are trembling?
This is precisely why God says that the teacher will be judged more severely (James 3:1). God cares for His people enough to tombstone pile drive any hapless shepherd who leads His people away from His verdant pastures. This is why Jesus judged the teachers and religious leaders more harshly than the crowds because they were producing twice the sons of hell under their godless ministry (Matthew 23:15). This is why Jesus threatens to snuff out lamp stands from churches that are no longer shining the light of the Gospel (Revelation 2:5). And this is why any pastor, elder, deacon, and Church worth their salt must consider what they are going to be known by and make sure that thing is found within the Word of God.
More directly, it is impossible for a church to be pleasing to God if the things she is known for violate Scripture or fail to honor God's commands. We are all going to be known for something, and if the thing we are known for is anything other than Biblical fidelity, we will become a stench in the nostrils of God. If we cannot find a chapter and verse for everything we are doing, hope to do, or refuse to do, then we must have the integrity to immediately repent and reorient our actions.
This does not mean perfection. None of us are flawless in ministry. But what is required is a humble sensitivity to what the Word says, making sure we understand what God's Word requires and apply it well to everything we are doing. We must be reformed unto the Scriptures and always reforming, not buttressing ourselves in our fragile egos, comforts, pride, or in placating the congregation. If we can honestly say, before the Lord, that we sought the Word over everything we do, that we let it decide what ministries and programs we must begin, and that we let it define the essential expressions of worship we must offer back to Him, then we are in a good place, and I believe we will become a pleasing aroma to God (2 Corinthians 2:15).
With that, I wanted to write a blog series focused on TSC's disctinctives. I want you to know why we exist, what we believe, why we believe it, and what we hope our Lord and the onlooking world will know us by. When we are all dead and buried, and some young man endeavors to write the history of The Shepherd's Church, we want to have lived such Biblically saturated lives and offered to the Lord such a Biblically saturated ministry that he would have difficulty distinguishing us from Scripture. I want him to look back at us and say that "they were a Biblical church" at every point of their ministry and on every level. And to ensure that this is the case, we must ensure that everything about us, especially our distinctives, have been defined by, shaped by, and are consistent with Holy Scripture.
With that, I want to tell you our distinctives. I want to show you how they are robustly Biblical. I want to show you why we not only believe in these things but also believe they will produce a godly church culture that will last for centuries of faithful ministry. My goal is that you would learn more about who we are as a church so that you would joyfully lock arms with us in the mission of seeing the entire world discipled to Christ. Or, if you are connected to other churches but have found our website, articles, or other materials helpful, that you would love us and pray for us from afar. No matter what, I believe these are excellent and common-sense distinctives that every Church should be about and what I want our Church to be about for a thousand years. With that, let us dive in!
DISTINCTIVE 1: REGULATED WORSHIP
UNREGULATED MODERN WORSHIP IDOLATRY
We live in an era where evangelical worship has strayed from its moorings in the character, glory, and knowledge of God. Instead, it has become tethered to the shifting sands of human experientialism and emotionalism. Churches pump up the music, dim the lights, and autotune live voices, all in a calculated effort to stir up feelings. When the laser light show is blazing at Elevation, when the skinny jean-clad worship leaders at Hillsong are gyrating on stage, when glitter rains down from the rafters at Bethel, and when the megachurch pastor screams at you for being a coward, we leave Church convinced we've had an encounter with God. In reality, all we've experienced is emotional manipulation.
The techniques employed to pluck the heartstrings at Taylor Swift concerts are commonplace in worship services because our God has become experience itself. Christian music is choreographed with the same algorithms the entertainment industry uses to elicit emotional responses. The choreography, technology, and artificial intelligence that guarantee hit singles have been co-opted by the "worship music industry" because our encounter with God now depends on such gimmicks. Pause and ponder that absurdity: our communion with the Almighty hinges on silly, stupid, overtly psychological approaches to emotional manipulation. How holy and reverent that must be! How pleasing to God, a crowd of people psychologically manipulated into having carnal experiences!
The truth is, feelings are not the problem with corporate worship – they should indeed be present as we praise our Creator! However, feelings cannot be the goal, for God Himself is the object of our worship. His renown and glory are why we gather. It is an unholy quest to make emotionalism, rather than God, the focus.
As Paul Washer soberly stated, the majority of Sunday services have become "the greatest hour of idolatry" because people are not worshipping the true God but a god formed by their own desires. We claim to love God yet refuse to worship Him as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. This is the very definition of idolatry.
REGULATED WORSHIP
Instead of the circus that modern evangelical worship has become (See the documentary Spirit and Truth for more), the regulative principle of worship is a helpful category and concept for churches to consider so that their worship aligns with Scripture and does not become displeasing to God. The Regulative Principle of Worship has roots stretching back to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. As the Reformers like Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin rejected the unbiblical traditions and innovations that had corrupted and distorted the worship of the Roman Catholic Church over centuries, they recognized the need for a guiding principle on how to "do worship" whenever the Church gathers.
Each of these men understood that we are not the inventors of worship. On the contrary, God created worship, and it was given to man as a gift for us to offer back to Him. Like a toddler swinging a baby doll around the room like a Louisville slugger, the reformers understood that we have the propensity to misuse, misapply, and misdirect the gifts God has given us, which is why they taught on worship so extensively. With that, if we want to know how to rightly use this most precious gift, we would be wise to abandon innovation and human wisdom and instead consult with worship's designer.
John Calvin most clearly articulated what became known as the regulative principle in his statement: "God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word." At its core, the regulative principle states that for any element or practice to be admitted and included in the Church's public worship, it must be instituted and prescribed by an explicit command of Scripture. Instead of us being allowed to do whatever we want in worship, so long as it is not expressly forbidden in Scripture (The Normative Principle), Calvin argued that we can ONLY do the things that Scripture specifically prescribes and nothing else. This means we have no right to do it if Scripture does not overtly sanction it for corporate worship.
This stood in stark contrast to the broader "normative principle" maintained by Lutherans, Anglicans, and others, which permitted unspecified practices and elements in worship as long as they were not expressly forbidden by Scripture. The regulative principle took a much stricter view, and for good reason, based on solemn warnings in passages like Deuteronomy 12:32 - "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it nor take away from it."
This view also rightly pays attention to the history of worship, seeing that God does not allow unsanctioned or uncommissioned ingenuity, novelty, and innovation into worship without His prescription. Some of the most poignant biblical examples illustrating the regulative principle include:
God's rejection of Cain's offering because it did not meet His requirements (Genesis 4:3-5).
God's rejection of the golden calf named YHWH because it violated His prescriptions (Exodus 32:1-6).
God's fierce judgment on Nadab and Abihu for offering "unauthorized fire" contrary to His commands (Leviticus 10:1-3).
God's execution of Uzzah, the worship leader who got a little handsy with the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
Ananias and Sapphira who lied in the presence of God (Acts 5:1-11).
The biblical narratives are replete with accounts of God's anger over His people's unlawful adaptations and innovations regarding worship, from the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) to the condemning of human traditions that nullified God's Word (Mark 7:6-9).
By contrast, when we examine the divinely instituted elements of the Old and New Testament worship, there is a striking simplicity and restraint. The specifications for the tabernacle/temple design, furnishings, rituals, and ceremonies were handed down with incredible precision (Exodus 25-31), which lets us know that God cares every detail of how we worship Him. In the New Testament, the approved elements included preaching, congregational singing, public prayers and readings, observance of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and occasional special ceremonies like vows and solemn fasts (Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11-14, etc) all indicate that God has not left the worship service up to our imaginations and best efforts. God does not treat worship like a mother who displays her children's subpar artwork on her fridge. The plain and simple truth is that the only kind of worship God delights in is the kind He sanctions in His Word. The Scriptures and the smoking carcass of Nadab and Abihu prove this.
The Reformed branch of Protestantism wholeheartedly embraced this regulative principle of worship, rooted in clear scriptural teachings and examples. It was articulated in the Reformed confessions and church orders like the Westminster Confession of Faith (which The Shepherd's Church has embraced), the Savoy Declaration, and the church orders of the Dutch Reformed tradition. To this day, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Reformed Baptist, and other conservative Reformed churches continue to uphold the regulative principle as the only sure way to ensure the Church's gathered worship remains faithful to Scripture. It honors God according to His own revealed commands.
For these churches, the regulative principle of worship is not an outdated relic but a bulwark against the unfettered sinful imaginations of man, human innovation that prioritizes emotionalism over truth, and the unbiblical practices that continue to afflict and distort Christian worship in our modern age. It is a preserving principle that keeps the Church tethered to the fixed anchor of God's written Word rather than drifting upon the shifting currents of cultural whims. It protects the Church's liberty to include all that Scripture requires and prescribes. It also restricts the Church's ability to "will worship" according to human invention and imagination (Colossians 2:23).
WORSHIP DEFINED BY SCRIPTURE
If we want the author of worship to receive our worship, both individually and corporately, we must conform our worship to the teachings of Scripture. This is why the Holy Spirit of God produces worship within us that flows from the Spirit and perfectly conforms to the revealed truth of Scripture (John 4:23). We have been called to biblical worship, not creative self-expression defined by our sinful imaginations. And while this truth may enrage our fallen, carnal flesh, as it did with Cain's, we dare not harden our hearts and succumb to the enemy's traps like Adam's firstborn did all those years ago.
At The Shepherd's Church, we exist to glorify God together through the preaching, singing, hearing, and doing of His Word. We refuse to be swept up by cultural currents that would turn our services into emotionally driven entertainment spectacles masquerading as worship. Instead, we are committed to saturating our minds and hearts with the truth of Scripture at every level of our services so that we can worship the true God in Spirit and truth. This means we are committed to ensuring that everything we do has Biblical precedent.
For instance, we will never bring laser light shows, fog machines, modern worship songs that sound like "Jesus is my boyfriend," unordained worship leaders, big bands and big productions, or the separation of children from their parents in public worship because none of those things are sanctioned by Scripture. Again, we do not believe God accepts what we think is best in worship; He accepts what He thinks is best. If you tried to pay your mortgage with monopoly money, you would be insane to complain when the bank refuses to take it. They determine the currency of your payment, just as God determines the currency of worship.
With that, we include the following elements and practices in our services because they are either expressly commanded in Scripture, illustrated through biblical example, or deduced as a good and necessary consequence of Scripture. This is not an exhaustive list, but it will help you get to know who we are and why we do what we do.
Call to Worship - God Himself summons and calls His people into His presence to worship Him (Ps 95:1-2, 100:1-4, etc). This is not a human invention or a remnant of tradition. Every week, we want to be reminded that God is the one who summons us into His presence. Without His loving call upon our life, we would never come.
Greeting from God—The apostolic practice of opening letters with the words "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 1:7, etc.) models how worship should begin. When God calls us into His presence, we must remember that He is pleased to have us come. And even more than that, in Christ, He welcomes us, smiles at us, and pours out His gifts upon us. We replicate this spiritual reality in our services because it follows the pattern laid down by the apostles as Christ's representatives.
Prayer Requests—The Scriptures instruct believers to pray for one another, bearing each other's burdens and needs before the Lord's throne (Eph 6:18, James 5:16, etc.). Therefore, we set aside time in corporate worship every singleweek to vocalize and share these requests so that the whole body can obey this command together through intercessory prayer.
Praying for Churches - Paul's example of faithfully praying for the spiritual health and growth of other churches (Eph 1:16, Col 1:3, etc) sets a precedent that we, as part of the universal Church, must follow. Interceding for fellow congregations should be part of our corporate worship services and prayers.
Public Reading of the Law - In Old Testament worship (Neh 8:1-8) and New Testament synagogues (Acts 13:15), God's moral law was read aloud and rehearsed. We continue this practice because it reflects the biblical pattern and reinforces God's righteous standards for His people.
Corporate Confession—Throughout Scripture, God's people are called to corporately acknowledge and confess their sins before His holy presence (Neh 9:1-3, 1 John 1:9, etc.). This is a vital act of worship, repentance, and consecration that we cannot neglect. On Sunday mornings, we come into the presence of a thrice-holy God, and repentance is the most natural consequence of being in His presence.
Assurance of Pardon - Having confessed our sins, it is imperative that we then proclaim and rejoice in the assurance of pardon that is granted to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, as the apostles did (Eph 1:7, Col 1:13-14, etc). A Biblically faithful worship service must announce this liberating truth every week.
Confessing Creeds/Catechisms - The practice of corporately confessing core Christian doctrine is modeled in Acts 8:37, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, and alluded to in Hebrews 6:1-2 among the earliest churches. We follow this example by publicly affirming our faith through creeds, catechisms, and the confessions of the Church.
Singing Psalms/Hymns/Songs—Congregational singing is one of the New Testament's most explicitly mandated elements of corporate worship (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16). Yet, how few Church actually sing God's divinely inspired hymnbook, the Psalms! Seeing as that psalm-singing (specifically) is commanded, we cannot and will not neglect this divinely commanded practice.
Responsive Readings - The ancient practice of antiphonal or responsive readings/singing reflects the dialogical pattern of worship seen throughout Scripture. Incorporating these readings allows us to participate in this biblical model.
Reading Full Chapters—Both synagogue worship (Luke 4:16-20) and the apostolic Church (Acts 13:15) provide examples of entire passages or chapters being read aloud consecutively during services. This is the precedent we follow.
Preaching the Word—Exposition and preaching of God's Word were central and indispensable to both Old and New Testament worship. Christ Himself mandated this practice through His commissioning of ministers and heralds (2 Tim 4:2).
Weekly Lord's Supper - The pattern of the earliest Church after Pentecost was the weekly observance and celebration of the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42, 20:7, 1 Cor 11:17-34). As an ordained sacrament, we must follow this apostolic model.
Baptisms - As one of the two sacraments Christ instituted for the Church (Matt 28:19-20), the ordinance of baptism must be administered and incorporated into the Church's corporate worship and practices.
Inclusion of Children - Throughout Scripture, we see the inclusion and participation of whole households and families in corporate worship, not just adults (Eph 6:1-4, Matt 19:14). In fact, there is not a single example of children being removed from worship, or placed in a non-biblical environment called "children's church" anywhere in the Scriptures. We follow the pattern of including covenant children because this pleases the Lord.
Joyful/Loud Singing—The biblical principles and examples of enthusiastic, exuberant singing with energy and volume (Psalms 95:1-2, 100:1-2, Eph 5:19) should be reflected in our corporate singing. The Bible does not call us to lip sync or mumble like milli vanilli. The Scriptures call us to shout, sing with joyful lips, and to make much of the Lord our God. Thus, we want to encourage robust, loud, and jubilant singing.
Covenant Renewal Worship - We believe God renews covenant with covenant breakers through a covenant renewal ceremony. This is why our services deliberately walk through the elements of covenant renewal (Call, Confession, Consecration, Communion, and Commission) each and every week. For instance, in Deuteronomy 29:10-15, we see a clear example of a covenant renewal ceremony where Moses calls the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God, involving a call to assemble, a reminder of their sins, a commitment to God's laws, a communal meal, and commissioning us to obey and follow God's commandments in our world.
The Lord's Prayer - As the God-breathed model for prayer given directly by Christ (Matt 6:9-13), employing the Lord's Prayer corporately accords with Jesus' instructions for praying.
Benediction - A minister pronouncing a closing scriptural blessing over the congregation draws from examples in both Testaments (Num 6:24-26, 2 Cor 13:14). It sends God's people out with His blessing and marching orders.
Feasting—Another element we incorporate into our corporate worship is feasting together outside of our gatherings. In the early Church, the congregation broke bread together, ate together, and celebrated special festal days as part of their calendar. Passages like Jude 1:12 also indicate that the early churches had times of joyful feasting and communing together. By reviving the practice of an actual sacred communal meal, we obey the pattern modeled by the apostolic Church of feasting on the Lord's Supper as a central act of covenantal worship and fellowship.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, at The Shepherd's Church, we are committed to growing into a community of true worshippers who gather to glorify God rightly according to His Word. We reject the unbiblical emotionalism and entertainment-driven approaches that have corrupted much of modern evangelical worship. Instead, we embrace the regulative principle of worship, ensuring that our corporate worship conforms strictly to the elements and practices sanctioned by Scripture.
From the call to worship to the public reading of God's law to the preaching of His Word to the observance of baptism and the Lord's Supper, our services purposefully reflect the beautiful simplicity and reverence of biblical worship. Our aim is to obey God's revealed commands and have our praises and adoration defined by divine truth rather than the passing fads of culture.
As we continue to immerse ourselves in the depths of Scripture, may the Lord grant us increasing wisdom and courage to worship Him acceptably with Spirit and truth. May The Shepherd's Church's name be synonymous with authentic, God-honoring, Bible-saturated worship that pleases our holy Creator and Redeemer. To Him alone be all glory, honor, and praise forevermore! Amen!
