Essential Elements of Corporate Worship

The earliest picture we have of worship in the New Testament church is found in Acts 2:42-47. Looking particularly at verse 42, we read that the believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Four activities of gathered worship are mentioned here: the apostles' teaching on the word of God, fellowship with one another, breaking bread together, and prayer. Of these four activities, and based on other New Testament passages, the church centralized God's word and the communion table as essential elements of corporate worship over the next six centuries.

The word used in the Greek for the apostles' "teaching" was didachē. It means doctrine and instruction. And before you suggest that these teachings had little to do with Scripture, look at the story that precedes this passage in Acts 2:14-41. The apostles—those who had walked with, ate with, and learned from Jesus—would teach the rest of the disciples what it meant to follow Him. Can you imagine the stories they had to share? The apostles taught that Jesus was the Savior promised throughout the Old Testament.

The word for "bread" in Acts 2:42 is artos. It might mean bread, or it might mean food of any kind. As Tim mentioned (and as we see in Acts 2:46), the early church met regularly for shared meals, sometimes called Love Feasts. The writer of Acts, Luke, used the language "breaking bread" in eight instances: the last supper (Luke 22), the appearance of Jesus to the disciples following the resurrection (Luke 24) and six times in Acts when the disciples gathered together. It was a strong representation of the presence of Christ.

Why were these two elements given such importance in the early church? Both especially represent the presence of Jesus. The teaching/word helps us follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The table/communion reminds us that Jesus is here. And isn't that what worship is all about? We gather to hear from each other, and to remind each other that Jesus is with us.