As Acts 4:31 shows us, "When they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness."

As believers, we are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), and prayer is a vital part of our priestly service to God (Hebrews 13:15). Martin Luther wisely wrote, "Prayer is a powerful thing, for God has bound and tied Himself thereto."

This is our worship time, a sacred moment to remember our Lord Jesus, His Person and His work. As Scripture teaches us in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, we gather to remember Christ's great sacrifice through the breaking of bread and sharing of the cup.

This meeting is open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, where believing men may participate in an orderly manner through hymn requests, prayerful thanksgiving, praise to God, or the reading of appropriate Scripture portions.

The emphasis of our breaking bread meeting is vertical—focusing on our relationship with God as we intelligently remember Jesus' Person and work, particularly His sacrifice on Calvary.

Our Family Bible Hour begins and ends with hymns, as music and singing are vital parts of worship according to Scripture. This is a time for the whole church family to come together.

We also have dedicated teaching time. As Ephesians 4:11-13 reminds us, God has given pastors and teachers "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."

The Scriptures are the "comprehensive equipment of the man of God" (2 Timothy 3:17). All believers need to become familiar with biblical truths to best serve the Lord and fulfill His purposes for their lives.