practices

• Worship


  A form of prayer to God and an acknowledgement of God's greatness, can also include prayers asking for God's help
• Christian worship has its origins in the worship shown to God by the Jewish people of the Old Testament
• 1 Chronicles 16:23-24 NIV: 'Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.'
• Acts 2:42 NIV: 'They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.'
• Types of worship


  • Liturgical worship
  • Charismatic worship
  • Bible services
  • Family worship
• Public worship


  Brings people together and allows them to worship God as a united community, often led by a minister and follows a set form
• Private worship


  More personal and express a Christian's more intimate relationship with God, perhaps said within the family or an individual response to times of crisis
• Preferences for types of worship

  • Catholic Church and some other Christian Churches often use ritual and sacramental signs
  • Some Protestant Churches place reflecting on and responding to the teaching of the Bible at the centre
  • Quakers prefer to worship God in stillness and silence
• Liturgical worship


  • Uses rituals such as processions and sacramental signs, such as the bread and wine to symbolise the presence of Christ in the celebration, often led by a priest or minister following a set form
• Charismatic worship


  • Spontaneous and without a set form, often does not rely on the role of a priest or minister, the prayer and praise are believed to be inspired by the Holy Spirit
• Bible services


  • Often led by a minister who has had special training in Bible study, includes readings from the Bible and instruction given by the minister, hymns based on the Bible are often sung
• Family worship

  • Usually takes place at home, using both set and informal prayers, can be led by a parent or any of the children in the family, typically thanking God and asking for blessings
• Prayer

  A way of communicating with God, Christians pray to God because they believe in a personal God who is interested in them and is continuously guiding and supporting them
• Reasons for Christian prayer

  • To feel God's presence
  • To ask for God's help
  • To express worship and gratitude to God
• Meditation


  • A form of prayer conducted in silence, the person praying focuses on God in their minds and tries to be more aware of God's presence
• Asking for help

  • Prayers that ask for God's help can be both personal and public, such as in times of illness or in 'bidding prayers' during liturgical services
• Expressing praise


  • The Canticle of the Creatures by St Francis of Assisi
• Expressing gratitude

  • Prayers before meals often express gratitude to God for the food and good things God has given
• Local community


  Very important feature of Christian life, where Christians gather to pray in the local church and offer practical support to people in need in the local area
• Types of local gatherings of Christians

  • Vary in size
• Christianity teaches that all members of the Church make up the body of Christ and that Christians should be united and use their particular talents to support each other
• Preaching the Christian faith


  Christians believe the lives of others will be improved if they have faith in Jesus, and therefore try to preach the Christian faith in their local community
• Parishes


  Local gatherings of Christians, with the local church and the house of the priest or minister at the centre
• Diocese


  Larger Christian communities joined together, led by a bishop who cares for the spiritual lives of Christians in a local area, often a city or town
• Christians believe they have a responsibility to serve others, especially those who live in their local community
• Preaching the Christian faith

  1. Inviting non-believers to attend 'Alpha' courses

  2. Going onto the streets to witness to their faith at Christmas, Easter and other important celebrations

  3. Singing Christmas carols on the street corner

  4. Walking with a cross on Good Friday
• Love one's neighbour


  Jesus taught that Christians should love one's neighbour as oneself, and this love has to be shown in practical ways
• Practical ways to love one's neighbour

  • Setting up food banks to help the poorer members of the local community
  • The Upper Room providing food, clothing, and long-term support to rebuild lives in deprived areas
  • Christian 'street pastors' working to strengthen the sense of mutual support in the local community and make the streets safer
• Mission


  The act of going out to preach, from the Latin word for being sent
• Evangelism

  The task of preaching the Gospel, from the Greek word for good news, because they are spreading the good news of Jesus' teaching and salvation
• Christians believe that Jesus is God and that through faith in him people can find the truth about the meaning of their existence
• Many Christians believe that in order to be saved by Jesus, a person has to believe in Jesus
• Christian evangelisation has become more controversial in modern times, as some say it does not respect the beliefs of people from different parts of the world
• Modern Britain is a multi-faith society and many people celebrate the diversity, and believe attempts at evangelisation could lead to conflict
• Christians believe that Jesus told them to take the Christian message all over the world
• Christianity is now a worldwide religion, with followers in every continent, giving them great influence which they try to use to help others
• Christian work across the globe can include promoting reconciliation between people who are in conflict because Christians believe that Jesus wanted to bring peace
• In some parts of the world, Christians have faced persecution on account of their faith, just like many of the apostles
• Christians' worldwide mission also involves caring for those who are in need, such as the hungry and poor, reflecting the way in which Jesus showed care for the most vulnerable
• Christians believe it is important to promote peace because the kingdom of God is understood as a kingdom of peace