What is the Electronic Worship Format? (EWF)
The Electronic Worship Format (EWF) is a format to help standardize and organize a method in which electronic music can be used to power an entire worship service. This is not to say that there are not people who have used electronic music in the past to worship or glorify God. There have been others. I am not the first to think up this idea. However I am the first that I know of, who would try to come up with a format, as a guideline for leading worship or an entire service, based on using electronic music. Now I know that there were some attempts to try and get a service running using electronic music, and I am not sure of all the details that they encountered, while putting that event on. I know there are also been people who want to worship God, who have put together events using dance music, and electronic music to power the event, like those at Club Worship, and I am glad that they are doing that. This is not an website designed to compete with other groups, or people who are doing events. If anything this should be encouragement for them, that there are people out here who are interested in this idea of using electronic music to power a worship service or event. I think during a worship servicem, there should be continuous music, it should never stop. From beginning to end, there should be music. Not like the traditional services today, where people sit in a church and listen on end to someone talking or reading, and its very distracting to some people. I need to be distracted, I need to hear something or do something while I worship, some may be content to sit there in a pew, I am not. Sometimes to praise God is spiritual, sometimes its right from your heart, and you can just sit there, but some people like to express themselves, and would like to do it in a physical way. How about if you ever sat in church, and you just wanted to jump up, and exercise. or get up and clap your hands, or dance. God should inspire excitement, and creativity, and passion. I do not think you should always be bound to sitting in a pew, if that is not how you feel you can express how God is impacting you. If you like to sit in a pew, go ahead, do as you like. For the rest of you this is an opportunity to do something different.
Lets get down to it. The format is an Order, and a List of activites that should be included. This format when recorded on a cd, is about 60 minutes. There are a few places, where the format allows there to be substitutions, in the real world, and not on a cd, you could include all or some of those activities if you wanted. This format works for music cds, you may have to adjust it, to get it how it works just right for your situation. Anyone who follows the format, is welcome to ask me for endorsement, or use the logo with my permission, just at least let me hear something, or run your format by me please.
Electronic Worship Format (EWF) format:
| Track | Description |
| 1 | Opening Prayer |
| 2 | Welcome and Introduction |
| 3 | prelude |
| 4 | reading |
| 5 | song |
| 6 | reading |
| 7 | prayer |
| 8 | reading |
| 9 | sermon/special/testimony/call to action |
| 10 | reading |
| 11 | song/special/cover |
| 12 | prayer/altar call/song |
| 13 | benediction/send off |
| 14 | postlude/instrumental/fellowship |
It is very important, that when you read from the scripture, that you do not mislead anyone who is listening. Make sure that your read the passage beforehand, and that you are clear on how to read and pronounce all the words or the names. Make sure that your read clearly, and that you do not rush. It is ok to emphasize, if that helps the listener to better understand. I suggest that you stick with the NASB, NLT, NIV, or AMP translations, and stay away from the message, and the TEV versions at the least. It is better to use the literal translation, the best word to word, that has already been discussed by scholars, and word experts. In ones own time, or in a Bible study, or during a sermon, someone can learn the meaning of a particular passage. This EWF provides for a sermon, and noe can be given there to elaborate on a certain passage. It is particulary important to read the entire passage. Going and reading the entire subtopic/subchapter. These subtopic/subchapters are uniq to each translation, so for each chapter that you read you should stay within one translation to avoid overlapping. You need to mention that subtopic/subchapter heading because it is part of the translation, and is meant to help the reader with sumarizing the that portion of reading. It is important to have a format to use when reading the Bible, I use this format when I to reading tracks on the cds for Spoken Hope. It lets the listener know what I am reading, that I am quoting right out of the Bible, and that I have been very accurate. I have told them what chapter, what translation, which book, and which verses. It is important to be accurate. You have a duty to your listen to be accurate. Nothing should be hidden. A listener should know if what I am saying is my own words, as in a prayer, a message or a sermon, or if it comes directly from the Bible. This format is not for elaborating on the passage. The purpose of the reading is to leave nothing out of context, which is why the who chapter or the whole subtopic/ subchapter must be read. It is better to be literal in the reading, the sermons and messages that people give, and that the EWF allows for is where a more modern example could be provided, or where you might want to reflect or explain something. But explanation or changing the text of the translation is false, and misleading to the reader. It is better to be truthful. Here is the format:
Scripture Reading format:
| Part | Description | Example |
| 1 | music intro | |
| 2 | Book and Chapter | John Chapter 15 |
| 3 | State Translastion You are using | from the New International Bible |
| 4 | State the Subtopic/Heading (unique to the Translation) | The Vine and the Branches |
| 5 | State the versus, and mention if it is Jesus who is speaking | verses 1 thru 17 Jesus Speaking |
| 6 | Speak all the verses as clearly as possible | |
| 7 | music outro |