What Worship Looked Like in the Early Church

The imPerfect Pastor ^

[CondoleezzaProtege]

This order of worship was adopted and practiced by the early church:

The Greeting – a more formal, biblical greeting or salutation.

A Response – the attendees would respond, often with a Scripture that was recited in unison or chanted.

Readings and Psalmody – Several passages of Scriptures would be read or chanted, interspersed with a responsive singing or chanting of a Psalm.

Psalms – the Psalms, considered God’s hymnal, were sung or chanted, most of the time without instruments.

Message – an elder, rabbi or teacher would interpret and explain the relevant meaning of the Scripture(s) that were read.

Prayer – prayers would be offered on behalf of the people. The Jews considered prayer as an act of sacrifice, and therefore pleasing to God. It was common to weave various portions of Scripture into the prayers.

Benediction – this was a formal blessing from God by his Word upon his people.

The second part of the worship was called the eucharist, which meant “the thanksgiving.” One could rightly say the early church (and the Church for centuries) celebrated a weekly thanksgiving. The simple order of this part of worship often looked like this:

[CondoleezzaProtege]

A greeting – Normally a salutation taken from Scripture

Response – The congregation would recite a biblical verse they had memorized that acknowledged the wonders and works of an awesome God.

Offering – Sometimes a special time during worship was taken to collect funds in order to support the pastors, teachers and/or evangelists, widows, orphans, and the poor of God’s people. Priority was given to Christians who were members of the local church; but money was also collected to support other churches in different cities. Any additional funds were occasionally used to serve the needy within the local community.

Eucharist Prayer – The president (the elder who presided over the worship) would offer thanks to God for Jesus Christ, and ask God to bless the bread and wine in order to spiritually nourish God’s people in the faith.

Communion – This would begin by offering prayers and then offering the elements to God, and ceremoniously breaking the bread. The people would then receive the bread and wine.

Benediction – When all had eaten the bread and drunk the wine, an elder (more often the president) would pronounce a biblical blessing upon God’s people.

They were then dismissed.

[factmart]

Make a joyful noise unto the lord.there was singing and maybe some dancing, just like King David did. It wasn’t as formal as to day. No printed read along.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

The believers would then give each other a “holy kiss,” from which the cultural practice of a brief hug with a quick kiss on both cheeks came. You find this “holy kiss” mentioned in the New Testament (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26). It is also mentioned many times by the early church fathers. A time was given for all God’s people to kiss each other (even on the lips). It was to convey the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing strangers together into a holy family, in the bonds of grace, love and unity. It symbolized the breaking down of those cultural barriers of race, nationality, culture, former religion, class, etc. and uniting a people as equal ones in Christ. One can only imagine how counter-cultural and revolutionary this was.

So important was this that the ceremonies of baptism and the Lord’s Supper was considered incomplete without the exchange of the holy kiss.

[Tell It Right]

Thanks for posting.

Over the years I’ve read that a lot of times the church service ended with what we today might call a church meeting. Not once per year or so, but at the end of almost every church service. And not making 1st world decisions like if it’s time to replace the van or if the youth pastor position needs to change from part time to full time. They discussed things like if they had to move the church meetings to avoid persecution, or what best everyone in the church can do to help the widows.

[Big Red Badger]

Thanks

[Nervous Tick]

Good stuff! Thank you for posting it.

[Nervous Tick]

>> They discussed things like if they had to move the church meetings to avoid persecution, or what best everyone in the church can do to help the widows.

I wonder what worship looks like in (say) Nigeria today, where there is much persecution (and consequently more widows and orphans).

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The article never puts a time frame on “the early church” that I could see…

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Did you click the link? There are some dates.

Lots more resources available. There are other articles that go into nice detail but I liked that this one had the sample schedule. But yes, Jewish synagogue practice and influences carried over, but the memorial of Christ’s last supper and passion through communion became the defining ‘Christian’ feature… :)

[kjam22]

The early church only used candles or lanterns for light. They didn’t have central air or heat in their buildings or rooms. They baptized in a creek. They didn’t have a parking lot and everyone just walked to church. Each of these are also what worship looked like.

[Z28.310]

::GASP!::

NO PARKING MINISTRY?!?

Here’s a novel approach to needing volunteers for the “parking ministry”...

PARK ONLY
IN AVAILABLE
SPACES

... like you do at Walmart.

[goo goo g'joob]

What day did the “Worship Team” meet for rehearsal?

[SunkenCiv]

[snip] La Brújula Verde reports that recent excavations within the sprawling ruins of the Villa di Sette Bassi outside Rome have revealed how the property underwent major transformations in Late Antiquity, providing new clues about the early spread of Christianity in the region. Dating to the second century a.d., the complex, which is located in the Archaeological Park of the Appia Antica, was once one of the largest villas ever built in the Roman countryside. Archaeologists learned that in the centuries after the estate was constructed it was transformed into a Christian church. Within part of the property known as the Triton Baths, they unearthed a marble-lined vasca, or tub, where Christian converts were baptized. It was built in two phases. In its first phase, the vasca was quite deep, as initially candidates for baptism underwent a full body immersion into the pool. However, later alterations to the sacrament did not require such a rigorous procedure and the floor of the tub was raised accordingly. Several burials nearby suggest that the building may not have been just a simple chapel, but instead may have played a significant role in the early spread of Christianity. Researchers believe that it is even possible that a bishopric may have once been centered there. [/snip]

• Ancient Villa Outside Rome Was Converted Into Early Christian Church
  Archaeology Magazine | May 15, 2025

[kjam22]

Walmart? lol. Does anyone still go to Walmart?

[Z28.310]

Or [fill_in_the_blank] retail outlet.
..there’s no “parking ministry” there either.

Everyone knows how to park the car and not run over children, without “parking ministry” volunteers. We do this everywhere we drive.

The REAL reason for the “parking lot ministry” is for others driving by to see more people out front.

“Hey, that place looks SO popular! We should check it out honey!”

It is a VERY blatant marketing gimmick.
This is a common indicator of a seaker-sensitive, lukewarm ministry.

#avoid

[Texas_Guy]

That is the Mass.

[kjam22]

I think you probably did not understand my original comments. I will try to not talk over your head next time….