worship at ross grove
A Blended Worship Service
Worship at Ross Grove has one objective, to lift up the name of Jesus and give Him the worship He so richly deserves. Here is what that means for us during worship service… we don’t tailor any service to any one person’s tastes. We will probably sing a standard hymn, a choir may do a special choral arrangement, a musician might offer a rousing organ solo, and a young person might grab a guitar and sing a contemporary worship song. Whatever the music is, the goal is clear, to focus on God. In that same vein, one Sunday Pastor Marcus might wear jeans and a button-up shirt, another Sunday he might wear a three-piece suit and tie, and on special occasions, he even wears a black preaching robe. One Sunday might be very contemporary and low-key, and another service might be high-church with an orchestra ensemble. We offer an eclectic worship set where you are sure to get what you like at least part of the time. But our pastor is adamant that worship isn’t and shouldn’t be about us. It’s about God. It’s about what inspires us to worship God more freely. Some will choose to worship with hands raised, others will sit quietly in respectful contemplation. We observe Lent and Advent, which is not typical of Baptist Churches. We encourage kids and adults to participate in the service at different moments.
Everyone who enters our doors is welcome. Ross Grove is a welcoming church where everyone should feel warmth just like visiting an old friend or family gathering. We tell people to come as they are because that is how Jesus accepted us. As far as what you wear: just dress modestly and avoid anything that draws attention away from Jesus. If you want to shout, shout. If you want to raise a hand, do it. If you want to sit quietly and sing the songs and pray, do that. Whatever you do, honor the Lord. He is who we are here for.
Complain about the music and Pastor Marcus reminds us that we can worship in silence. He has no interest in entering the worship wars that have become so divisive and commonplace these days. Complain about the length of his sermon and Pastor Marcus will tell you to take that up with God and see how far you get. He says all of these things with a smile because he loves Jesus and he loves you too! If you come and bring your all for the Lord you will get a blessing at Ross Grove.