This call to worship1 invites us to see what is unbelievably true, real, and alive about the church. The church—made visible when we gather on Sunday—is our participation in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. It’s not just a place that offers religious programming to meet our spiritual needs, whatever we think they are. It is our participation in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ!
It is the Spirit who enables us to even see the risen Son. And then when we do, the Spirit brings us into a communion that Christ has already put in place. And in that communion, He teaches us that our lives have been linked with His and therefore with one another.
And then, from that shared life, our ministry emerges as participation. Christ is the true Minister of His church. He’s the one who is alive and well and ministering to us, and by the Spirit He draws each person into His own ongoing work of love, prayer, service, witness, and reconciliation.
This is the Spirit’s astonishing work among us: He enables our seeing, creates our participation, joins us in communion, awakens our ministry, and gathers even our worship into the Son’s living response to the Father.
Even our acts of worship are part of this same reality—this same expression of grace. How so? The Spirit takes our imperfect response in worship and joins it to the perfect human response Christ is already making to the Father.
Here’s how it works: The Father calls, the Son comes and carries out His ministry, and the Holy Spirit brings us into the communion of the Father and the Son and makes our participation in that communion real among us. And from within that shared life, the church becomes a people whose common life bears living witness to Christ’s presence for the sake of the world.
Themes
Communion • Spirit’s illumination • Christ the True Minister • Life in Christ • One body • Church • Body of Christ • Gifts • Serve one another • Through Christ • Isolation • Participation • Formation • Ministry
We haven’t come for a heightened emotional experience. We just want Jesus to become more clear.
Scripture reading
John 16:13–15 1 Corinthians 12:12–13 Ephesians 4:11–12 1 Peter 2:9
This call to worship is about how the Holy Spirit helps us participate in Jesus’ ministry.
John records that Jesus told His disciples: When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth… He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine… the Spirit will take what is Mine and declare it to you. Paul wrote: For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. The gifts He gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. And Peter wrote: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Prayer
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we’re here again this morning because You have called us together, here. We’re not a collection of similarly religious individuals who happen to occupy the same room. Our very being as a church comes from beyond ourselves. It comes from You. Jesus, You are our center. Holy Spirit, You have formed us into a communion around Him. You have drawn us otherwise isolated individuals into the Body of Christ. Holy Spirit, open our eyes to Jesus. You are the light who helps us see Him clearly. You illuminate the face of Jesus Christ. You help us to know that He is truly with us. So, then, turn our attention away from ourselves and toward the One who is our life, and our hope, and our Lord. We haven’t come for a heightened emotional experience. We just want Jesus to become more clear. We want to be nearer to Him. We want to trust Him more deeply. Give us ears to hear His voice this morning. Keep us from making Him into some projection of our own thinking. Holy Spirit, enable us to receive Him as He gives Himself to be known. And draw us toward one another. Free us from isolation— that isolation that tells us we can follow Jesus alone. Keep us from thinking that this time together is an optional social supplement to our otherwise personal, real relationship with Jesus. Teach us again that we belong to one body, that we need one another, that every person You have gathered here is precious to us and necessary for us. This communion we enjoy, Father, isn’t manufactured by us. It is received from You. Christ has joined us to Himself, and in joining us to Himself has joined us to one another. Lord Jesus, You are the Head of this church. You are the true Minister here among us. Help us to see that ministry here doesn’t belong to just a few people. And keep us from thinking that we possess independent ministries which we perform for You. Instead, help us to participate in the ministry that You are doing as the risen and ascended Lord. Father, keep us from wondering if we have a ministry. And enable us to discern where Christ, by His Spirit, is inviting us to participate in His ministry. By Your Spirit, awaken the gifts You have placed within us. Give us eyes to notice one another, hearts ready to serve one another, words that encourage one another, hands willing to help one another, and courage to respond to one another whenever we receive a call. Father, receive our worship through Your Son and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who joins our faltering prayers, and imperfect praise, and distracted hearts to the perfect and devoted and faithful response that Jesus Christ is right now offering to You, Father, Keep us from remaining spectators, and help us to be joyful participants in what You are already doing. As we worship, form us into a people who see Jesus, who love one another, who gladly join His ministry for the sake of the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
A call to worship given to the small assembly of Christians that gathered in Pathway Church, Beaverdam, Michigan, on September 6, 2026.