What is liturgy? Does the Bible say anything about liturgy or liturgical worship?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

All churches have a liturgy. In fact, everyone has liturgies. Liturgy is the structured, communal form of worship used by a church—especially the set prayers, readings, rituals, and actions through which believers worship God together. Personally, liturgy is the intentional rhythm and structure you use to worship God and keep your faith center. In the church, there is high church or low church liturgy, but the liturgy itself is not inherently good or bad. A liturgy's content should be evaluated to determine whether it is biblical. Traditions should not be given priority over Scripture, and one should also evaluate the church in which the liturgy takes place. A liturgical service can certainly be used to honor God in worship when its content reflects the great truths of Scripture and is done in a way that honors God.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament presents liturgy as structured, ordered worship prescribed by God for His people. While the term “liturgy” isn’t used in the Bible, it’s reflected in the formal worship of Israel. Exodus 25–30, Leviticus 1–7, and Numbers 4 describe detailed instructions for sacrifices, offerings, and priestly duties. These structured rituals provided regular, communal ways to approach God and honor Him.
• God instituted annual festivals (Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Tabernacles, Leviticus 23), which were highly structured worship events, involving prayers, sacrifices, music, and readings.
• Psalms and 1 Chronicles depict organized worship in the Temple, with Levites leading music, prayers, and sacrifices (1 Chronicles 16:4–6; Psalm 100), showing the liturgical principle of planned, communal praise.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The early church followed liturgical elements: communal prayers, Scripture reading, teaching, and observance of sacraments (Acts 2:42–47).
• Jesus taught patterns for prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) and participated in synagogue and temple worship, emphasizing continuity with God’s ordered worship.
• Paul encourages singing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” together, indicating regular, structured worship as a normative practice for the church (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
• Of course, a time of worship together in church is also meant to be understood. Up until the mid-twentieth century, Catholic masses were still conducted in Latin. Those attending had little understanding of what took place. This does not reflect God's desire for the church's times of worship. First Corinthians 14:26 notes, "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up." The goal of worshiping together is to build one another up in the faith. To do so, the content of the worship should be both biblical and understandable.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Any particular liturgy must be evaluated for two key elements. First, is the content of the liturgy biblical? For example, a liturgy that includes prayers to the saints is beyond the teachings of the Bible that teaches prayer is only to be made to God. Any liturgy that includes teachings inconsistent with the Bible is to be rejected. The second concern relates to the priority given to liturgy. Is the particular pattern of worship being given greater importance than is being given to God or to God's Word? If so, this should be of concern. A particular liturgy can greatly honor God, but it can also be used in place of true worship of God. Some church traditions use a high church liturgy, yet the church's doctrines are far from biblical. Their statement of faith does not accept the inspiration of Scripture, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and may see Christ as something other than divine. If so, no matter the liturgy, such a church would not be a place in which a Bible-believing Christian would want to participate.

As for personal liturgies, each of us has a rhythm of life. What does our rhythm of life reveal about our priorities? How does it line up to how God calls us to live? Our habits—what we do daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly; what shapes our thoughts; and what captures our time and affection—function as formative practices that train our hearts. If those rhythms are centered on godly things, they steadily shape us toward Christlikeness. If they are centered elsewhere, they quietly disciple us in a different direction. Examining our personal liturgies helps us evaluate our lives so our everyday patterns train us to seeking and living for God.

UNDERSTAND

• Liturgy is an ordered pattern of worship.
• The value of a liturgy depends on biblical content and God-centered focus.
• Liturgy is a tool to facilitate true worship, not replace obedience to God’s Word or a personal relationship with God.

REFLECT

• How do you evaluate the liturgy of the worship services you attend?
• How can you ensure that your personal or corporate worship does not prioritize tradition over God’s Word?
• How can you actively participate in worship in a way that reflects God’s character and builds up others?

ENGAGE

• How does your church’s liturgy help the congregation engage with Scripture and deepen their understanding of God?
• How can a liturgical structure enhance or hinder true worship and spiritual growth?
• How should a church balance honoring tradition with ensuring that worship remains biblically faithful and accessible to everyone?