Free Expression During Worship
We believe, as the Bible teaches, that all things are to be done decently and in order (I Cor. 14:40), but we also believe that the Scriptures encourage God's people to worship Him with great joy and fervor. As a result, we endeavor not to be overly formal or ritualistic. Instead, we consider our services to be a time of celebration and rejoicing.

The Raising of Hands
The Apostle Paul admonished believers by saying, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting". (I Tim. 2:8)

Psalm 134:2 says "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord". We lift our hands in worship as an outward expression that we are also lifting our hearts and lives to the Lord.

The Laying On Of Hands
Speaking of believers, Jesus said that they would lay hands on the sick and the sick would recover (Mark 16:18). The Bible also admonishes Christians to "....pray for one another, that ye may be healed..." (James 5:16). According to the Bible, when Jesus and others ministered healing to people, it was often done through the laying on of hands. Also, when people were sent out into ministry, hands were laid upon them to formally seperate them unto the work to which God had called them (Acts 13:2,3).

There are a number of situations in which we practice the laying on of hands at My Father's House Ministries. We may ask memebers of the congregation to lay hands on and pray for those around them who request such prayer. At other times, members of the pastoral staff may lay hands on individuals who come to the front of the sanctuary to receive ministry. On accasion, we also lay hands on and pray over cloths that will be taken to or sent to sick people who are not able to be with us. The biblical precedent for this is found in (Acts 19:11, 12).."and God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them."

Manifestations of the Holy Spirit
In chapters 12 and 14 of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul discusses the different ways the Holy Spirit moves in the Church and in the lives of the believers. The pastoral staff endeavor to be sensitive to the Spirit of God when He might choose to manifest Himself in any of these ways. For instance, God may give a "word of knowledge" regarding those in the congregation with a particular problem whom God is desiring to minister to. Or there may be a "prophecy" - an inspired utterance - which edifies, exhorts, and comforts God's people.

The Bible also speaks of different kinds of tongues. In the book of Acts, when believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in other tongues (Acts 2:4). There is one type of tongues that require a public interpretation to be in order. There is another type of tongues that has a devotional purpose, which Paul referred to when he said, "What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding: I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." (I Cor. 14:15).