Because we live in a casual and breezy age, many Christians are unfamiliar with the idea of a covenanted church membership. CREC churches usually have a formal membership roster, and for some this may require a brief explanation. The biblical basis for this is found in Hebrews 13:7, 17. Verse 7 speaks of Christian “rulers” […]
Wine in Communion
Most people come to our churches from the broader evangelical world. If you grew up Roman Catholic or Lutheran, you are accustomed to the use of wine in communion. But if you ‘come to one of our services from an evangelical or Baptist background, the use of wine can be quite a surprise. And because […]
Optimism About the Future of the Church
A doctrinal emphasis that you are very likely to find in CREC churches is, oddly enough, a doctrinal point that is not actually required by any of our approved doctrinal statements. When it comes to the question of eschatology (what will happen at the end of the world), the only thing that the universal Church […]
Biblical Sermons
There is an old joke among preachers that sermonettes are for Christianettes. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The Scriptures are our life. Believing what we do about the absolute authority of the Bible, it only makes sense that the sermon would be […]
Confession of Sin – To Others
We need to know and remember that our sin is primarily against God (Psa. 51:4). Therefore, confession of sin to God needs to be absolute with no waffling and no holding back. It needs to include motives, desires, thoughts, behavior, emotions, actions, reasons, justifications, hesitations, excuses, and anything else that will break down the wall […]
Scripture Reading
Another practice that is common in CREC churches is that of listening to Scriptures read aloud. This is distinct from the reading of the text for the sermon-it is simply a time in the service where the Word of God is recognized as central and foundational to our lives. We usually have at least one […]
Musical Style
Apart from offering praise to God, the music of a worship service also has the important role of setting the tone of the service. Scripture teaches that music sets the mood. A particular kind of music is for mourning, and another is for dancing (Luke 7:32). When the prodigal son returned, and the elder brother […]
What We Wear
When I was a boy, I remember my parents talking about the way the “new generation” was dressing and looked. The Beatles had just started the “me generation,” the hippie generation, the long hair, bell bottoms, braless, tie died, shaggy look. Rock and roll took on a whole new meaning, drugs were everywhere, free love […]
Singing Parts
Another notable thing about our worship services m the CREC is that we are interested in learning how to sing “in parts.” It is a testimony to the damage that has been done in the realm of church music over the last few decades that many young Christians don’t even know what that means. This […]