At Grand Haven Church of God, our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ is characterized by a deep sense of reverence, genuine joy, and heartfelt enthusiasm. Throughout our worship services, we embrace a diverse range of expressions. While some moments are marked by structured rituals, others are characterized by spontaneous, unrestrained praise. We believe in the power of music to uplift the spirit, the transformative influence of the Word, and the significance of vocal and physical manifestations of praise. Our worship gatherings are intentionally designed to be participatory, inviting everyone to engage and be open to the possibility of divine revelation. At the core of our worship experience lies a profound reverence for the Holy Scripture, serving as the foundation on which all our worship is built. We are committed to nurturing and strengthening the faith of believers while also fervently desiring to communicate the love and truth of the Gospel to those who have yet to believe.
Below is biblical information and answers to why we do what we do.
Stand to Sing
[2 Chronicles 20:19 KJV] And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
[Revelation 7:9-10 KJV] After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Clap our Hands
[Psalms 47:1 KJV] O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Lift our Hands
[Psalms 63:4 KJV] Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
[Psalms 134:2 KJV] Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
[1Timothy 2:8 KJV] I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Praise God Audibly
[Psalms 103:1 KJV] Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
[Rev 19:1, 5-6 KJV] And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: … And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
[1Corinthians 14:15b KJV] … I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Sing Contemporary as well as Hymns
[Ephesians 5:18-19 KJV] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord
[Colossians 3:16 KJV] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Musical Instruments a part of the worship service
[Psalms 150:3-5 KJV] Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
[Rev 14:2 KJV] And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Pray in Tongues and in English
[1Corinthians 14:14-15 KJV] For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
[Jude 1:20] But You, Beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Pray at same time for specific needs
[Acts 4:24 KJV] And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Speaking in Tongues with interpretation in Church
[1Corinthians 14:39 KJV] Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
[1Corinthians 12:7, 10 KJV] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. … to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues
[1Co 14:5, 27 KJV] I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. … If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
Prophesying in the Church
[1 Corinthians 14:1 KJV] Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
[1Corinthians 12:7, 10 KJV] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. …To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy…
[1Corinthians 14:3 KJV] But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
— John 4:23-24 KJV
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
— Philippians 3:3 KJV
Grand Haven Pentecostals 