christian practices

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worship is the feeling or expression  and adoration for a deity.

worship is important to christians so they can express their beliefs, show veneration and dedication to god, develop a relationship with God and create spiritual wealth. 

there are different types of worship, 

liturgical worship- this is group worship with a set pattern or ritual. it is led by a priest (ordained experts) in a church (sacred place), an example is the mass or eucharist which has two main parts, the liturgy of the word (focused on the bible) and the liturgy of the eucharist (focused on the transformation of bread and wine into jesus' body and blood)

informal worship- this is much more spontaneous and might include prayer meetings (inspires faith) or modern music (expressing yourself in a joyful experience). charismatic and evangelical christians worship this type of worship because it allows the holy spirit (gift from god, important to achieve salvation) to act in their worship. this worship may take place outside a church building, suggesting churches arent vital for worship. 

indivdual worship- this can be studying the bible or praying alone, many christians view a personal relationship (closer and deeper communication) with god is important. it can also be easier to fit into a modern christians schedule(more regularly, shows dedication) although the bible suggests to do both. 

prayer is the way christians communicate with god. jesus taught his disciples to pray, giving them the words of the lords prayer. protestants really believe in personal prayer, they believe anyone can communicate wit god and you dont need a priest in the middle. catholics also believe in personal prayer but feel the priest is important too. prayer is important for developing a personal relationship with god. 

there are many differet types of prayer christians can do which include- 

confessional- a statement of faith through prayer 

penitential- saying sorry for sins and wrong doings

thanksgiving- saying thanks and being grateful for what god has provided

praise- giving praise to god

adoration- showing deep love and respect for god

supplication- asking god for something

the lords prayer- focuses on key christian beliefs, enables believer to clearly reflect on faith, jesus set the example, shows supplication and adoration to avoid a selfish focus in worship. 

gospel of matthew says to practice individual worship, 'but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father. then your father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you'

 

spontaneous prayers- these are non- formulaic. the person praying chooses the words. some people prefer this because its moe personal and shows the influence of the holy spirit.

informal prayer-tend to be private and involve more then just communicating with god. they can be much quieter such as contemplation. they can also use less formal language. 

quaker worship- this involves no set prayer, silence allowing personal reflection and being in the presence of god,

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