How do I write a call to worship?

When designing a call to worship it is helpful to consider the arc of the rest of the service, such as what passage is being preached on, what songs are being sung, and what themes might be considered. For example, if the sermon will focus on God's love, then integrating that into the call to worship would be appropriate. Sometimes the connections may not be as strong or may tie in more appropriately with another element of the service, but it is always helpful and important to consider them. It can also be effective and formative to repeat a particular call to worship throughout a liturgical season, sermon series, or other period of time. 

The call to worship is not a simple greeting to welcome people to church and introduce the pastors; it is intented to invite people to meet and worship God together.

A call to worship may be spoken by a worship leader, or corporately, or in a call-and-response pattern.

Bible passages can be used as a call to worship. When using Bible passages as the call to worship, some ways to frame or introduce the passage could include: 

• "God calls us to worship with these words from . . ."
• "Hear this invitation to worship the Lord from God's Word"
• For psalms: "The psalmist calls us to worship God . . ."

The call to worship is part of the opening sequence in a worship service. Additionally, the call to worship could be done through music or with music interspersed with spoken words. The pieces of this opening sequence can include:

• Opening Prayer
• Words of Welcome
• God's Greeting

Why do we use a call to worship?

"One function of the invitation is to express welcome and hospitality. We worship in the joyful context of our renewed relationship with God in Christ. These words may be spoken with a gesture of open embrace and a genuine smile to convey the warmth of God's love.

"Another function of the invitation is to call the community to the unique activity of worship. The primary activity of the worship service is for worshipers to participate in the gift exchange of worship itself, by hearing God's Word, by offering prayers and praise, and by receiving spiritual nourishment offered at the Lord's table. The call to worship establishes the unique purpose of the worship service and reinforces the "vertical dimension" of worship—an encounter between God and the gathered congregation." (The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd ed. [Grand Rapids, MI: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2013], 48)

What are some ideas for calls to worship from the Bible?

• Psalm 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the Lord . . ."
• Psalm 9:1–2, "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart"
• Psalm 24, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it"
• Psalm 27, "The Lord is my light and my salvation"
• Psalm 34:3, "O magnify the Lord with me"
• Psalm 47:1–2, 5–6, "Clap your hands, all you peoples"
• Psalm 66:1–2, 4, "Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth"
• Psalm 86:8–10, "All the nations you have made shall come"
• Psalm 89:1–4, "I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord"
• Psalm 92:1–2, "It is good to give thanks to the Lord"
• Psalm 95:1–2, "O come, let us sing to the Lord"
• Psalm 95:6–7, "O come, let us worship and bow down"
• Psalm 96:1–2, "O sing to the Lord a new song"
• Psalm 98:1–6, "O sing to the Lord a new song"
• Psalm 100, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth"
• Psalm 103:1–2, 20–22, "Bless the Lord, O my soul"
• Psalm 108:1–4, "My heart is steadfast, O God"
• Psalm 113:1–3, "Praise, O servants of the Lord"
• Psalm 118:24, "This is the day that the Lord has made"
• Psalm 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the Lord"
• Psalm 150:1–2, 6, "Praise God in his sanctuary"
• Matthew 11:28–29, "'Come to me, all you who are weary'"
• John 4:23, true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth
• Romans 10:9, 13, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
• Revelation 5:12, worthy is the Lamb
• Revelation 15:3–4, "'Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty!'"

Call to worship ideas for Advent

• Psalm 50:1–3, 6, the heavens declare God's righteousness
• Psalm 85:7–13, the Lord will give what is good
• Psalm 126, "The Lord has done great things for us"
• Psalm 130:5–7, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits"
• Isaiah 2:2–5, "'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord'"
• Isaiah 40:3, "'in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord'"
• Joel 2:1, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain"
• Luke 1:46–50, the mighty One has done great things for us
• Romans 13:11–12, salvation is nearer to us now
• Philippians 4:4–5, rejoice in the Lord always

Call to worship ideas for Christmas

• Isaiah 9:2, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light"

Call to worship ideas for Lent

• Isaiah 43:19–21, we rejoice in our God, who makes a way in the wilderness
• Hebrews 12:2–3, let us fix our eyes on Jesus

Call to worship ideas for Easter

• Psalm 57:8–11, "Awake, O harp and lyre"
• Psalm 118, "O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good"
• Matthew 18:20, where two or three are gathered
• Luke 24:34, Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
• John 10:10, "'I came that they may have life'"
• Romans 6:9–10, death no longer has dominion
• 1 Corinthians 5:7–8, Christ, our paschal lamb
• 1 Peter 1:3–5, our new hope through Christ's resurrection
• Revelation 5:12, worthy is the Lamb

Call to worship ideas for Ascension

• Psalm 24, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it"
• Psalm 47:1–8, "Clap your hands, all you peoples"
• Revelation 5:12–13, worthy is the Lamb

Call to worship ideas for Pentecost

• Psalm 118:24, "This is the day that the Lord has made"
• Acts 2:17–21, God will pour out the Spirit on all flesh