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On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is committed to supporting and developing resources for worshiping communities that provide information, inspiration, and strategies to build capacity in congregations, individuals, communities, and other organizations to value diversity, embody inclusion, and engage across lines of difference in informed, respectful, and effective ways. Christian worship practices both implicitly embody and explicitly express powerful cultural values, and it is a life-giving challenge to align them with the vision of Revelation 7 and 21:
I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ...
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.
We are grateful to draw upon the expertise and work of many people, including Calvin faculty and staff from a variety of fields and disciplines. The insights gathered here aim to inform and strengthen congregational, parish, and denominational ministries without limiting the scope of their influence in other sectors of society.
From “I’ll Fly Away” to “You Know My Name,” gospel music over the generations has helped musicians, choirs, and congregations embody faith in God’s promises and provisions. Nate Glasper describes how gospel music’s main genres comprise “academic, theological, historical, and cultural scholarship expressed through sound.”
Directing a gospel choir can help singers express their own culture or learn from other cultures. Nate Glasper shares tips for helping gospel choir members grow through mentorship and skillful directing so that they live a lifestyle of worship.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — At Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal M.I. Riveras de Cupey, a new movement of lay formation and empowerment is taking root. The congregation has developed a ministry and preaching school designed to train leaders who, because of financial or academic barriers, have never had access to formal seminary education.
From “I’ll Fly Away” to “You Know My Name,” gospel music over the generations has helped musicians, choirs, and congregations embody faith in God’s promises and provisions. Nate Glasper describes how gospel music’s main genres comprise “academic, theological, historical, and cultural scholarship expressed through sound.”
Directing a gospel choir can help singers express their own culture or learn from other cultures. Nate Glasper shares tips for helping gospel choir members grow through mentorship and skillful directing so that they live a lifestyle of worship.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — At Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal M.I. Riveras de Cupey, a new movement of lay formation and empowerment is taking root. The congregation has developed a ministry and preaching school designed to train leaders who, because of financial or academic barriers, have never had access to formal seminary education.
Amy Peeler is part of a movement calling us to bring our whole selves to scripture. As a white woman, her perspective offers insight while also urging her to learn from others. She reminds us that both the wounds and the gifts of our identities shape how we read and find comfort in God’s word.
