Why We Need a Liturgy (Yes, Even Us Baptists)

For many of us from Baptist or evangelical backgrounds, the word liturgy feels foreign, maybe even uncomfortable. It conjures images of rote, soulless repetition or cold formalism. We’re used to spontaneity, fresh songs, and the weekly flexibility of an “order of service.” But what if liturgy isn’t the enemy of heartfelt worship, but the scaffolding that holds it up?

Let’s begin here: every church has a liturgy, whether we call it that or not. We all follow patterns—singing, praying, preaching, communion, and benediction. The question isn’t whether we have a liturgy, but whether it’s intentional, biblical, and forming us in the right direction.

Liturgy simply means “the work of the people”, our collective, patterned response to God. A good liturgy doesn’t deaden our worship. It directs it. It guards us from empty emotionalism on one side, dry intellectualism on the other and also our modern individualistic inclinations. It ensures we’re not just reacting to the moment, but rehearsing the story of the gospel together, week after week.

A well-shaped liturgy includes elements like: a call to worship (God speaks first), praise (we acknowledge God for whom He is and what He has done), confession of sin (we admit our need), assurance of pardon (we hear the gospel), the preached Word (God forms us), the Lord’s Table (we feast on grace), and a benediction (we’re sent with His peace). It tells the whole story of redemption in maybe 75 minutes, and it shapes our hearts over time.

Our generation is swimming in cultural liturgies—think of Spotify, Instagram, Netflix. We’re being formed all week long. Why wouldn’t we want a worship gathering that forms us back into the image of Christ—intentionally, theologically, beautifully?

Liturgy is not about dead tradition. It’s about living formation. It’s not about controlling the Spirit, but about being shaped by the Spirit through the ordinary means of grace. If anything, Baptist worship should be deeply liturgical, not because we want to be high church, but because we want to be deeply biblical.

So maybe it’s time we stop fearing liturgy and start embracing it as a gift.

Nino Marques