Opening church service scriptures | The sermon series is going well. I have a few favorites so far, and we’ve had a great showing on all three services. I think tonight’s scripture for the opening will be one of my favorites, too. It came up at random when I was going over it last week, and I’m just not to preaching it and sharing in the deep meaning of its powerful message!
The following are some church opening scriptures, Bible verses, and prayer that can help you make more momentous worship services.
Did you know that more than 60 percent of Americans attend church each weekend? Having a goal in mind for your opening sermon can help you keep your message on target so that your congregation isn’t sitting through an hour-long joke. An effective way to begin your sermon is by using scripture as a jumping off point or even in summarizing the message. Others prefer to use the liturgy, or readings and prayers, as the basis of their message. The most important thing is finding a method that works best for you and helps you better communicate your messages to the congregation.
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Opening Church Service Scriptures
Opening a church service with scriptures is a powerful way to set the tone for worship and connect with the teachings of the Bible. Here are 10 to 12 Bible verses that can be used to guide and inspire the beginning of a church service:
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
Matthew 6:5-15
5When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9Pray this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.[a]14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved but only as one escaping through the flames.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
1.
Psalm 100:4-5
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
2.
Ephesians 5:19-20
“Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
3.
Psalm 95:1-2
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
4.
Colossians 3:16-17
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
5.
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
6.
Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
7.
Psalm 150:6
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
8.
Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
9.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
10.
Psalm 34:1
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Bible Verse for Opening Service
Bible Verses for Opening Service
1. Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
2. Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
3. 1 Corinthians 14:26
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
4. Colossians 3:16
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
5. Hebrews 10:25
Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
6. Romans 12:4-5
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
7. Acts 2:42
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
8. Ephesians 4:3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
9. 1 Peter 4:8-10
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
10. James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Powerful Call to Worship Scriptures
A call to worship is a powerful moment in a church service where the congregation is invited to direct their attention and focus towards God. The following scriptures can be used as a powerful call to worship:
- Psalm 95:1-2 - “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
- Psalm 100:1-2 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
- Psalm 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!”
These verses call the congregation to joyful praise and worship, reminding them of the greatness and goodness of God. They encourage the participants to enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving, music, and joyful hearts.
Simple Call to Worship
For a more simple and straightforward call to worship, consider the following verses:
- Psalm 34:3 – “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.”
- Psalm 95:6 – “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”
- Psalm 122:1 – “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.'”
These verses provide a simple invitation for the congregation to join together in worship, exalting the name of God and expressing joy in coming together as His people. They can be used to create a humble and unified atmosphere in the worship service.
Opening verse for Sunday service
- Let out a happy sound! 100 Psalms
All the earth, rejoice and give thanks to the Lord!
Serve the Lord joyfully!
Sing as you enter his company!
Recognize that the Lord is God!
We are his people, the sheep in his pasture, and he is the one who created us.
Let praise and thankfulness fill his palaces and gates!
Praise his name and give praises to him!
Because the Lord is excellent, his fidelity to all generations and his unwavering love remain forever.—Psalm 100
This is an additional extended prayer of praise that can be applied in various contexts to give thanks to the Lord. The first stanza can be used to call people to bless the Lord. The following stanzas can be used to develop the song choices, with the appropriate verses serving as an introduction to each song.
As a call to worship, you may also have members of the congregation rise up and recite a different stanza from their location in the church. For worship, silent backgrounds work well when the congregation is reading scripture aloud from screens. To ensure that everyone can participate, make sure you select easily readable fonts and colors. Here are some pointers on creating beautiful worship slide designs.
- Malachi, the greatest of all the countries
Because of this, my name will be well-known among the nations from sunrise to sunset, and pure offerings of incense will be made in my honor everywhere. The Lord of hosts declares, “For my name will be great among the nations.”—Malachi 1:11
Here’s an interesting viewpoint. In this one, the Lord summons His people to worship, and through that worship, He uses it as a means of gaining international recognition. If you respond to this call to worship, you might even think about enhancing its power by employing a hazer to mimic what the Israelites experienced or by igniting some incense in the sanctuary.
If smoking is prohibited in your place of worship, you can look through the MediaShout Media Store for church motion graphics that you can use in your worship program to illustrate the idea. Here’s another method to inspire your media crew to use the features of your church presentation software creatively.
- Soul repose: Matthew 11: Come to me, all you who toil and are burdened, and I will grant you repose. I am a kind and humble person; take up my yoke and learn from me, and you will find solace for your spirits.— Matthew 11:28–29
This statement from Jesus is a powerful call to worship if you’re planning a worship session with a more solemn tone and contemplative worship tunes. You can accept the peace that arises from confiding in Jesus and finding solace in His unwavering love by accepting this invitation.
- Approach with assurance: Hebrews 4
Since then, Jesus, the Son of God, has served as our great high priest and has ascended through the skies. Let us not waver in our confession. Because our high priest is not insensitive to our frailties but rather someone who has experienced all of life’s temptations without sinning, we have hope. Then, with confidence, let us approach the throne of grace so that we could find grace to aid when we are in need.—Hebrews 4:14–16
One of the great things about the gospel is that it gives us everyone entrance to God’s throne chamber via Jesus Christ. The distinctive feature of Christianity that sets it apart from other world religions is the call to boldly approach God and accept mercy and grace. This invitation to worship serves as a reminder of Jesus Christ’s kindness and grace, since He came to earth and died in order to atone for our sins and reconcile us with the Father. The best hope is yet ahead of us!
- Revelation 3’s divine invitation
Look, I knock on the door and stand there. I will come in to him and we shall dine together if someone hears my voice and opens the door.—3:20 in Revelation
This invitation emphasizes the mutual aspect of our devotion and serves as a reminder to worshippers that the Lord provides for us just as we provide for him. This invitation serves as a reminder to congregation members who struggle with worship that Jesus is waiting for them to reach out. This is ideal to play prior to a worship hymn that involves participation or a moment of spiritual response.
Revelation 21:3-6
And from the throne, I heard a loud voice proclaiming, “Behold, God has made man his dwelling place.” They will be his people, and he will live among them. God will also be among them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death and grief and agony will also cease to exist because the former things have passed away.
“Look, I am creating everything new,” declared the one occupying the throne. Additionally, he remarked, “Write this down; it is true and trustworthy.” And he told me, “It’s finished! I am the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega. I will give free water of life to those who are thirsty from the spring.
Commentaries on Opening church service Scriptures
Matthew 28:18-20
The Great Commission is a primary text for Christianity, and it is important that you know it well. The Great Commission is the instruction Jesus gave his disciples to spread the gospel after he left this world. It says:
Jesus has all authority over all creation, so he can speak with authority on any topic. As you read these scriptures aloud during your service, remember that they are here to set the tone for your message of love and acceptance. You should also remind yourself that Jesus is always with us—even when we forget him or feel far from him in our lives and hearts.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
9 Not by works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).
The two verses above are part of a larger passage that has been interpreted in various ways by different people throughout history. The first thing to note is that there are two parts to this passage, which makes sense given its place within a larger structure. The second part will be addressed later in this section. For now, we’ll focus on v8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” This seems clear enough but has been used as evidence for various doctrines over time including Calvinism (the belief that salvation comes only through God’s grace), Arminianism (the belief that humanity has free will), universalism (the belief that everyone goes to heaven regardless) and others.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
2 Timothy 3:16-17 is a good scripture to use when you want to emphasize that the Bible is God’s word. It is our only source of information about God and His ways, and it’s the only source of instruction for living a Christian life.
The Bible alone gives us all we need to know about heaven and hell, as well as how we can get into heaven (which is going through Jesus Christ).
Romans 10:13
Romans 10:13-14 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
To call on God is something we do when we pray and worship. We also use it when asking for help, as in “Lord, please help me!” Or we may think about our faith in Christ and praise Him with our words: “Thank you, Jesus!” When we acknowledge God as Creator and Savior, He hears us and answers prayer. It’s important that we talk to God every day so He knows where our needs are at any particular time.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” This is a great passage to memorize and use as an affirmation for yourself throughout the day. If you’re feeling uncertain about something or someone, simply repeat this scripture over and over until you feel better equipped to handle the situation. The power of positive affirmations has been proven by science time and time again! Trusting God is important; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
- If you need any additional help understanding this section of text or any other part of Proverbs 3:5-6 please contact us at support@preceptpartnerships.*
Colossians 1:15-20
In this passage, Paul speaks of Jesus as Creator. He uses the word poieo, which means “to create” or “to make.” If you look at your own hands, for example, you will see that they were made by God.
The Bible tells us that in the beginning there was nothing except God. Then he created everything else: angels and humans; stars and planets; trees and animals; birds and fish—and even dust! The Bible says that God made it all out of nothing (Genesis 1:1).
The evidence for this creation by God is everywhere around us! For example: we see how plants grow from seeds planted in the ground; how babies grow inside their mother’s womb; how our bodies heal from cuts or infections because of medicines taken internally or externally applied (medicines made by scientists who study nature). All these things point back to a Creator who designed them with order and precision so they would work together in harmony like parts in machinery do…
Hebrews 13:5
- The Lord is the one who is in control: “The Lord is the one who is in control, and He will take care of us.”
- There is no need to be afraid: “There is no reason to fear what life brings you, because God will do something better than all that happens to you, if only you let Him.”
- It’s a promise that has been made to us: “It was promised long ago, and it was repeated many times throughout your lives, but now it has come true; because of this promise from God we can stand tall and be confident about our future…”
- God will never leave us nor forsake us: “God will never leave us nor forsake us! This isn’t just some idea or hope based on what might happen someday—it’s already here for those who believe!
1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10
The first passage is about being built up as a spiritual house. It says: “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
The second passage describes the purpose of our lives as royal priests. It says: “But you are God’s chosen race, his jewels, his people who tell the world about him; you are royal priests assigned by him to serve and bless others in their name!” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Acts 2:42-47
The passage Acts 2:42-47 is a great opening scripture because it gives a blueprint of what Christian life should look like. It describes people being devoted to the apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. This passage is about the early church and shows us that God wants us to be concerned with our spiritual growth as well as loving others.
Hebrews 10:25
In this verse, the apostle Paul writes that the Christian’s gathering together in one place is a good thing. He emphasizes how important it is to build relationships with other believers and to give and receive encouragement. The worship service is an opportunity for us as a church body to gather together and be strengthened by each other’s presence, as well as by God’s Word.
These scriptures will guide you in your opening of a church service.
These scriptures are the ones we use most often. They are relevant to our ministry and will help you stay on track with your sermon.