Worship is not an event, but a lifestyle. Radiant Life believes that worship is not a sunday morning exercise but a life style that displays itself by what we do, and who we are. So, in a typical worship service you may find people lifting their hands in worship, and after service lifting their hands serving someone else. You may hear them singing a praise song while the worship band leads in worship. It is possible to hear that same person sharing Christ over Sunday dinner. Worship is not what we do, it is who we are. That being said, there are distinctives to Radiant Life worship that you will find when we gather together. Why do we do the things we do...because it fulfills God's call to worship Him in spirit and truth. Below are faq's that will aid you in understanding how we experience radiant life...

F A Q

1. Why do we all pray at once for a specific need? 

Acts 4:24,31 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.  AC 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

1. it was a sign of the unity of their hearts and spirit’s
2. It was directed at God.
3. their concern was touching God, not hearing the prayers of others

2. Why do we anoint with oil and pray for the sick?

JAMES 5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1. Because the elders are the spiritual leadership of the church,
2. Because oil represents the power of the Holy Spirit
3. Jesus said ask anything in my name and I will do it
4. Faith moves mountains
5. Sickness due to sin will be forgiven

3. Why are musical instruments a part of the worship service?

Some people believe that musical instruments are not right for worship, and they choose to sing without them.  The Bible is clear about musical instruments being conducive for prayer.  The pattern is clear as well.

A.  To offer praise!

PS 150:3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,

  PS 150:4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and flute,

  PS 150:5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

B. Because David set the pattern for musical instruments, some were made specifically for worshipping God.

1 CHRON 23:5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose."

C. Because in heaven they will use instruments to worship God on.

REV 14:2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

1. To prepare hearts for the Word of God
2. To Worship, not to show off our singing ability
3. It’s not about me, It’s about Him
4. What about Amos,  “I hate your musical instruments…” 

God also hated their festivals, and their religious days He had initiated.  It was not the trumpet God hated, but the heart of the people was the problem.  It is worshipping God that is the key, not playing the instrument.

4. Why do we stand to sing?

It shows honor and reverence

2 CHRON 20:19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.

It is the pattern of heaven

REV 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

  "Salvation belongs to our God,
  who sits on the throne,
  and to the Lamb."

It follows most cultures view of honor, approval and recognition of authority.

1. It shows honor, when we stand ie, a Bride entering a sanctuary
2. It shows approval and acceptance, ie. An actor arriving in a room
3. It shows authority, ie, the president arriving

5. Why do we clap our hands?

  Clapping involves enthusiasm and joy. 

PS 47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
    shout to God with cries of joy.

  PS 47:2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
    the great King over all the earth!

Clapping involves appreciation and approval.
Clapping signifies agreement

6. Why is there speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues in a service?

1. To edify the body,
2. a sign to the unbeliever

1CO 14:39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

    1CO 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

1 COR 14:5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

1 COR 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

7. Why do we pray in tongues and in English?

1 COR 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

RO 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

1. Sometimes I cannot express my request to God because:

1. I am not sure what I really need
2. I don’t know the situation fully
3. I need wisdom to know how to pray
4. My English is not always adequate to express how I really feel so sometimes I need to pray in the spirit to fully express those “deep things” to God.

8. Why do we sing choruses as well as hymns?

EPH 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 COL 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Hymns represent God’s love for me and how I respond to that Love
Choruses represent how I love and God and my desire for relationship and intimacy with Him

Hymns are generally me focused (testimonial)
Choruses are more God focused, or service focused

9. Why do we offer audible praise to God?

A. Because it represents how we feel in an audible way (ie.football game)

             PS 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2. It is the pattern of Heaven

REV 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

  "Hallelujah!
  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
REV 19:6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

  "Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

10. Why do we lift our hands in worship?

1. Because it brings honor to God.

PS 63:3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.

  PS 63:4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands

1. It is a sign of surrender

  PS 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
    and praise the LORD.

2. It shows we have come clean

1TI 2:8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

While this list is not inclusive, the most important thing to note about Radiant Life Worship is that we desire to fully follow God in our worship and lives. To truly worship Him, we look to His word, experience in Him, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Join us for Radiant Life worship and experience Life as you were meant to live.