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In a perfect world we might expect that all worshipers would be ready for a worship service of thorough praise and adoration. But that is not the case. Those who come for worship bring with them all the cares, anxieties, and stresses of life in this broken world. All are needy people. Some will find help for those needs in the pastor’s office during a one-on-one conversation; some may find it in a pastoral call; but many will never experience either of those. The opportunity to minister to their needs will occur during that special time when all are gathered for worship. The sermon has received much attention as the avenue for help with their hurts, but what about the liturgy?
This book insists that the liturgy, regardless of denomination or style, is not merely preparatory to the main event—the sermon—but is rather the time in which the worshiper can be healthily cared for. The worshiper who comes before the face of God should be able to expect help, care, and healing. Blessed are the pastors and worship planners who develop a sensitive concern for the care that worshipers come expecting.
Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being
What is gratitude? Where does it come from? Why do we need it? How does it change us?
In Gratitude, award-winning author Cornelius Plantinga explores these questions and more. Celebrating the role of gratitude in our lives, Plantinga makes the case that it is the very key to understanding our relationships with one another, the world around us, and God.
Servanthood of Song: Music, Ministry, and the Church in the United States
'Servanthood of Song' is a history of American church music from the colonial era to the present. Its focus is on the institutional and societal pressures that have shaped church song and have led us directly to where we are today.
Sound Theology
This book surveys the liturgical soundscape during and after the Reformation with regard to the use of instruments in worship in general, and the (dis)use of the pipe organ specifically.
Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being
What is gratitude? Where does it come from? Why do we need it? How does it change us?
In Gratitude, award-winning author Cornelius Plantinga explores these questions and more. Celebrating the role of gratitude in our lives, Plantinga makes the case that it is the very key to understanding our relationships with one another, the world around us, and God.
Servanthood of Song: Music, Ministry, and the Church in the United States
'Servanthood of Song' is a history of American church music from the colonial era to the present. Its focus is on the institutional and societal pressures that have shaped church song and have led us directly to where we are today.
Sound Theology
This book surveys the liturgical soundscape during and after the Reformation with regard to the use of instruments in worship in general, and the (dis)use of the pipe organ specifically.
Worship and Power: Liturgical Authority in Free Church Traditions
This edited volume models how dialogue among scholars and practitioners can promote worship practices that are faithful and just.
