In evangelical Christianity, a worship service is a time when believers meet to praise, worship, prayto God and receive a teaching based on the Bible. It can take place with the church or with the family. Meetings can be held on weekdays, but Sundays have a special connotation.
Form
Worship service in Evangelical churches is seen as an act of God's worship. There is no liturgy, the conception of worship service is more informal. It is usually run by a Christian pastor. It usually contains two main parts, the praise and the sermon, with periodically the Lord's Supper. During worship there is usually a nursery for babies. Children and young people receive an adapted education, Sunday school, in a separate room. With the 1960s' charismatic movement, a new conception of praise in worship, such as clapping and raising hands as a sign of worship, took place in many evangelical denominations. In the 1980s and 1990s, contemporary Christian music, including a wide variety of musical styles, such as Christian Rock and Christian Hip Hop, appeared in the praise. In the 2000s and 2010s, digital technologies were integrated into worship services, such as the video projectors for broadcasting praise lyrics or video, on big screens. The use of social media such as YouTube and Facebook to retransmit live or delayed worship services, by Internet, has also spread. The offering via Internet has become a common practice in several churches. In some churches, a special moment is reserved for faith healing with laying on of hands during worship services. Faith healing or divine healing is considered a legacy of Jesus acquired by his death and resurrection. The offerings and the tithe occupies a lot of time in the worship services. Often associated with the tithe mandatory, this doctrine is sometimes compared to a religious business.
Holidays
The main Christian feasts celebrated by the Evangelicals are Christmas, Pentecost and Easter for all believers.
Places of worship are usually called "churches". In some megachurches, the building is called "campus". The architecture of places of worship is mainly characterized by its sobriety. The latin cross is one of the only spiritual symbols that can usually be seen on the building of an evangelical church and that identifies the place's belonging. In the United States, the Solomon Awards recognize excellence in the design and renovation of evangelical church buildings at an annual ceremony. Some services take place in theaters, schools or multipurpose rooms, rented for Sunday only. Because of their understanding of the second of the Ten Commandments, evangelicals do not have religious material representations such as statues, icons, or paintings in their places of worship. There is usually a baptistery on the stage of the auditorium or in a separate room, for the baptisms by immersion.
