Resource Search Results

Preparing to Reopen Churches for Worship during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic means churches planning to reopen will have to consider not just how to keep congregants safe, but also how to make them feel welcome. Consider these thoughtful recommendations from Yvette Lau, a pastoral musician, scholar, and teacher serving in Hong Kong.

Article | June 15, 2020

Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. on Sculptor Spirit

It is impossible to become more like Jesus on your own. A new book offers five ways to recognize how the same Spirit who worked in Jesus’ life can shape us to be more Christlike.

Conversation | December 10, 2019

Tim Shapiro on How Your Congregation Learns

Many congregations suspect they need to change but don’t know how. Tim Shapiro’s book describes eight steps that healthy congregations can take to learn together. These learning journey stages have parallels to elements of Christian worship.

Conversation | November 12, 2019

Multicultural Congregations Meet for Combined Worship Services

Three church groups started out as separate congregations sharing one building. Now regularly-scheduled joint worship helps them see themselves as members of one body in Christ.

Feature Story | July 06, 2018

Seven Challenges in Multicultural, Multi-congregational Worship

Worshiping regularly with a congregation culturally dissimilar from yours is challenging but worth it. Understanding these challenges can also help you change worship to better include different cultural groups within your church.

Article | July 06, 2018

Reggie Smith on Churches Called to Become Multicultural

Considering the “Joseph question” and the “Jonah question” can help congregations overcome fear of talking about race, culture, and how God might be calling them to change

Conversation | March 08, 2018

Innovation in Worship: Working with a Team to Make Healthy Changes

Listen to a diverse group of panelists from various churches across North America describe how they envisioned and led their congregations through changes in worship.

Audio | February 16, 2017

“The Justice Calling” Authors on Becoming a Just Church

Some churches care deeply about studying the Bible. Others are passionate about justice. Authors Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson offer help for congregations that care or want to care about both.

Conversation | July 12, 2016

Jane Rogers Vann on Trusting the Liturgy

Many worship leaders wear themselves out trying to make worship new, fresh, relevant and, above all, different than it was last year or even last week. Maybe they don’t need to change so much and so often.

Conversation | April 12, 2016

Wisdom for Leading Through Changes

Is your worshiping community facing change in worship and looking for wisdom and advice? Do you believe change is needed in your worship and wonder how to initiate it in healthy ways?

Video | April 06, 2016

L. Gregory Jones on Traditioned Innovation in Worship

Worship conversations change when you choose to see tradition as a lively center from which to innovate. This provides common ground between those who fear change and those who overvalue change.

Conversation | March 11, 2016

Worship and Discipleship: As It Was…Is…and Shall Be

Nine church leaders and scholars recall and predict hot topics in worship, discipleship and discernment from 1995 to 2025.

Feature Story | May 05, 2015

David Bailey on Reconciliation and Worship Response Times

A few years ago, East End Fellowship, a multicultural Presbyterian congregation in Richmond, VA, started an urban songwriting internship and a gospel choir to reflect its congregational values of incarnation and reconciliation.

Conversation | November 20, 2014

Musician Sally Ann Morris on Seminarians Learning Worship

Sally Ann Morris is the chapel musician at Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She’s involved with each of Wake Div’s twice-weekly, 45-minute chapel services.

Conversation | August 29, 2014

John Huizinga on Worship Change Accountability

John Huizinga is pastor of Lombard Christian Reformed Church in Lombard, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. He works to develop leaders within the congregation to take ownership of various church ministries.

Conversation | August 04, 2014

C. J. Newendorp on Ancient-Future Church Renewal

C.J. Newendorp is a pastoral intern at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount, California, and an MDiv student, class of 2015, at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Conversation | August 04, 2014

Dale Cudjoe, Andy Park and Cindy Rethmeier on Deepening Worship Conversations

You might picture COCHUSA and Vineyard congregations as too different to find common ground. But Cudjoe, Park, and Rethmeier found productive ways to discuss worship together.

Conversation | April 17, 2014

How to Use Church at Worship Books

These case studies of worship in other times and places work well in personal devotions, small groups and classrooms.

Article | March 31, 2014

How to Discuss Church Worship Calmly and Productively

These case studies of worship in other times and places will give your congregation the freedom and framework to deepen your discussion of worship.

Feature Story | March 31, 2014

David Bailey on How Story Unifies Worshipers

Musician David M. Bailey is the music director at East End Fellowship, a multicultural Presbyterian congregation in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia.

Conversation | November 11, 2013

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship