Call to Worship
The opening words of a service — usually a psalm or scripture passage, often read responsively — that gather the congregation and begin worship.
What they actually mean
“"The official 'we're starting now.' Usually a psalm."”
Heard in the wild
“Our call to worship this morning is from Psalm 100.”
“Leader: This is the day the Lord has made. People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
The Lighter Side
The part of the service the people arriving late will hear from the parking lot.
The longer version
What it means
The call to worship is how a traditional Protestant service starts: after the prelude, a leader stands and reads a passage of scripture — usually a psalm — that invites the people to worship. "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD." "Enter His gates with thanksgiving." "This is the day the LORD has made." Often it's responsive: the leader reads a line, the congregation answers with the next, from the bulletin or screen. It takes a minute, and then everyone sings.
The idea is that worship begins with God's invitation, not the church's initiative — He calls, the people come.
Why people say it
Reformed and Presbyterian worship, where the practice is strongest, is built as a dialogue: God speaks (call, scripture, sermon, blessing), the people respond (praise, confession, offering). The call to worship is God's first word, and it sets the frame — this isn't a meeting we've convened; it's a gathering He's summoned. Using the Psalms for it also connects the service to three thousand years of the same words.
How to respond
If the call is responsive, read the bold or indented lines along with the congregation — they're printed for you. If it's spoken, just listen; it's the signal that the service has begun. If you arrive late and miss it, you've missed a minute of psalm; the hymn is next and you can slip in. If a friend says a call to worship "set the tone," they mean the opening scripture fit the day.
If you hear it in different churches
Presbyterian, Reformed, Methodist, Lutheran, and many Baptist churches open with a call to worship. Anglicans open with opening sentences and a collect. Catholics begin Mass with the Sign of the Cross, a greeting, and the penitential rite — a different shape. Orthodox begin with the priest's blessing and the Great Litany. Evangelical and Pentecostal churches usually open with a song and an informal welcome, and the worship leader's "let's stand" is the functional call.
Where does “Call to Worship” come from?
The Psalms are full of calls to worship — Psalm 95, 100, 122, 150 are essentially that — and were sung at the temple gates. The Reformed liturgies of the 1500s (Calvin's Geneva, Knox's Scotland) structured worship as a dialogue beginning with a scripture call; the Puritans made the practice standard in English and American Protestantism. "Call to worship" as a named element appears in service books from the 1800s and is a fixture of mainline Protestant orders of worship.
Good to know
The call to worship is God's invitation, spoken by the leader: come, worship, rejoice. It's often responsive — the leader reads a line, the congregation reads the next, printed in the bulletin or on the screen. It's followed by an opening hymn or song and then the invocation. In contemporary churches, the worship leader's "let's stand and worship together" is the informal version.
You might also hear
Invocation
Worship & MusicThe opening prayer of a service, asking God to be present and bless the gathering. Also the opening prayer at civic events — a graduation, a council meeting, a game.
“"The opening prayer: 'God, please be here.'"”
Benediction
Worship & MusicThe closing blessing spoken over the congregation at the end of a service — often "The Lord bless you and keep you…" — sending people out with God's favor.
“"The goodbye blessing. The service is over when you hear it."”
Liturgy
Worship & MusicA set, repeated order of worship with written prayers, readings, and congregational responses, followed the same way every week.
“"Church with a script — same words, same order, every time."”
Common questions
What is a call to worship?+
The scripture — usually a psalm — read at the start of a service to invite the congregation into worship. Often read responsively.
What do I do during it?+
If it's responsive, read the congregation's lines from the bulletin or screen. If it's spoken, listen. It's short.
Why start with scripture?+
To say that worship begins with God's invitation, not the church's schedule — He calls, the people respond.
Heard a word we haven't covered?
Suggest a term →Get the Word of the Day
One new Christianese term in your inbox each day — free, friendly, and always plain English.
Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.