What was it like to worship in the first Christian church? There are many characteristics we might consider, but perhaps the greatest of these is the influence of its Divine leader, then and now, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's one thing we can be sure of in relation to the worship of the first disciples and it is that Jesus was at the centre! The fellowship of the first church was deeply influenced by Jesus' continuing interactions with His disciples as they daily walked and talked with Him. Beginning in the days before the church began, their meetings were characterised by a sense of community, worship, and shared commitment to Christ and His teaching. This same group dynamic continued after the resurrection and was the cultural climate of the first church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-47). The liturgical practices of this early church, although not fully documented, can be inferred from the New Testament, from our knowledge of first century Judaism, and from traditions preserved by the Ancient Orthodox Church. Many centuries have elapsed since those early days, but if in our churches we will endeavour like the apostles, “not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2) our meetings will be identical in spirit to theirs!