Church Service Report Web Page

Background Information
Some of you may attend church regularly, others may go occasionally, and still others may have never set foot in a church before. Don’t worry. This paper analyzing the use of the New Testament in a Christian worship service is meant to help introduce you to a church and begin to become familiar with the public use of scripture in worship. The handout on “How to Visit a Church” may be especially for those who have little experience with Christian worship, but it will be beneficial for everyone to help you understand the service that you will join. You are encouraged to be a “participant-observer” in the worship service you attend. That means you should try to strike a balance between participating fully in the service as a worshiper with mind, heart, and soul and observing what is going on around you with a bit of objectivity.

Instructions

1. Read the handout “How to Visit a Church” and follow its directions on how to prepare for your visit to a particular worship service. You should also familiarize yourself with the Church Service Report so that you know what to pay attention to during the service.

2. Attend a service. You may attend any corporate worship service at a Christian church. Sunday evening or Wednesday evening services are perfectly acceptable, but do make sure it is a structured corporate worship service (not a more informal Bible study). Take a bulletin or order of worship if one is provided. You may find it helpful to take brief notes during the service. Also, plan to ask your question of someone on the pastoral staff immediately after the service. Try to fill out the Church Service Report on the same day as the experience will be fresher in your memory.

3. Fill out each portion of the Church Service Report. Write clearly and in accordance with applicable APA guidelines. You only need to cite biblical passages with the name of the book then chapter and verse (e.g. Luke 6:32). You do not need a full bibliographic citation for biblical references.