We believe that our worship is rooted in our knowledge of who God is, driven by our affections, and expressed through our actions. Our worship is a lifestyle of giving praise unto the Lord through the means of singing, giving, serving, and obeying His laws.

Charles H. Spurgeon says, “Worship is the highest elevation of the spirit, and yet the lowliest prostration of the soul.”

We believe we’re called to worship in spirit and in truth, meaning it must originate from within our hearts and conform to the God we know in Scripture.

“I won’t be formed by feelings, I hold fast to what is true.” [Christ Be Magnified, Cody Carnes]

The Psalms are helpful in understanding all the variations of human emotion conveyed in worship and poetry. A Psalm will speak to a sense of self and struggle, attempting to reconcile and surrender in faith (Ps 6/Ps 38/Ps 42). Other times will soar in depth and awe of God’s holiness and wonder (Ps 103/Ps 8).The ultimate aim of all worship is glorifying God and making much of His name. Songs are intentionally chosen for this purpose. New songs are introduced each month with the following questions in mind: 
(1) Is the song theologically sound?

 (2) Is the song singable?
 (3) Is the song relatable to our congregation?

Most worship artists use the model of the Psalms as a way to express in contemporary worship all the emotions God has filled us with. What is important to remember is that worship should always flow from a seeking heart and should point to the ultimate, which is not us! Not everyone is in the same season of life or state of emotion when they come on a Sunday - songs should reflect the spectrum of our emotions and align us to God’s view, how his Son fills our deepest needs and help redirect our thoughts, minds and attitudes. David would start with himself often and land on the goodness of God in the end. Our worship sets should be viewed as a whole — not as parts.

Every song we sing addresses God in some way. Whether it be the actual names of the Lord, including singing the name of Jesus, or how we address him directly as “You.” The songs we sing are often used as prayers to our Lord, so when we sing “Your love is fierce,” or “You are worthy of it all,” we are indeed addressing our Lord and our God.

The Worship Answer Book by Rick Muchow says, “There is no disputing that the Scripture speaks of loud worship: ‘Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise’ (Psalm 33:3). ‘All the Levites who were musicians… [played] cymbals, harps, and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets’ (2 Chronicles 5:12).

A musical reference even is used to describe a loud noise in heaven: ‘And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps” (Revelation 14:2).’

While loud is biblical and can be useful, too loud is neither. With that in mind, we are always evaluating and monitoring the decibel level of our services with a decibel meter. It’s important to understand, though, that everyone has different preferences - some will say our service is too loud while others will say it’s not loud enough.

In both instances, accommodations are made, as sitting closer to the front and towards the middle will be louder than the sides and the corners. Ear plugs are also made available in a basket as you enter the Worship Center.

Sound levels within the Worship Center average from 88-92 dbA during the music with some peaks up to 97 dbA for up to a few seconds, which is similar to that of a hand drill. These limits we adhere to are deemed safe within OSHA limits which specifies that noise must be less than 110 dbA for a half hour period (1910.95(b)(2)). The duration of our worship sets last about 20 minutes at the most and the songs are not kept at a constant volume throughout the service.

Auditions for Groton Bible Chapel are happening constantly, based upon our current needs. Below you will find some of the requirements needed.

• Have attended GBC for at least 6 months

• A constant pursuit of Jesus Christ

• The ability to play/sing skillfully and excellently

• Completed Welcome Aboard class, core volunteer form, & Worship Ministry form (click on the respective form to be taken there).