Summary

Each local congregation has its own unique history, geographical and social location, demographic makeup, and mission.

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Details

As worship leaders, we need to understand each of these aspects of our local church's "worship culture" in order to choose and adapt worship resources that engage the mind, heart, and spirit of our congregation members. This workshop introduces models and methods from the social sciences, including ethnography, interviewing, and structured observation, that we can use to explore these dynamics within our congregations. It then highlights practical ways how we can use the insights we glean from these methods to more deeply understand and engage our congregations.

View the PowerPoint slides from the presentation.

View the handout on Forming and Asking Interview Questions.

View the handout on Components of a "Worship Culture".

Recent Media Resources

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Anneke Kaai studied fine art and painting in the Netherlands at secular schools in the 1960s and ’70s. That experience compelled her to express her Christian faith through her art. She has painted many works based on scripture, including three series of paintings on the psalms, which she sees as a bountiful resource of imagery for the full range of human feelings in relation to God.

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