Abstract:
“Does the Sunday worship service have an impact on believers’, Christian identity and
way of life?” is the main question explored in this article. Using the Grounded Theory
method of empirical research, this research studied the experiences of worshippers
(from three different denominations, in the East of Pretoria), with regards to the
worship service and liturgical rituals. The focus was on the impact (or lack thereof) of
the Sunday worship service, on the daily lives of believers. The findings of the empirical
study were brought into conversation with existing literature, with the aim of realising
the potential life shaping impact of the worship service. The research concluded that
worshippers experienced that the worship service does indeed have an impact on the
daily lives of believers, but only if the message thereof is communicated in a way that
is relevant to the everyday lives of believers.
