Hear the Word

We gather for worship to praise God, to pray to Him, to sing His praises and to hear His Word proclaimed. After the worship service, for how long can you remember the teaching of the message or song? Taking notes during a message helps us focus on His message and apply His Truth in life. Here’s a simple plan to take notes during worship to help you grow daily as a disciple. First of all, get a notebook and keep your notes together so you can refer to them as needed. Then write down the following:

1. The date, time and name of the preacher or speaker.
2. What Scripture passages are used in the message?
3. What did the speaker say this passage means?
4. As a result of the message, what should I do?
   1. Is there a command in Scripture I need to obey?
   2. Is there a sin in my life I need to correct?
   3. Have I offended a fellow Christian that I need to address?
   4. Is there something for which I need to praise God?
   5. Is there a prayer I should pray?
   6. Is there a promise from God’s Word for me?
5. How did the words and beauty of the music speak to me and draw me closer to God?
6. In what ways did other worship elements, such as prayer, baptism or communion, help me feel God’s presence and draw me closer to God?
7. How can I discuss this message with my friends or family?
8. Is there a Bible verse in this message I should memorize?

Every day, take your notes and review them. Write down your thoughts. Adjust your life to living out these truths. Ask for help if you don’t understand something. Test everything the speaker says by the words of the Bible.

Some churches provide an outline of the message. I prefer to take my own notes in a notepad and attach the worship outline to it. Taking notes on an outline provided by the church may work best for you. The important thing is to take notes you can easily file and retrieve for later reference.