All Tags Resource Type Academic Article Article Audio Bibliography Book Excerpt Conversation Enacted Scripture Feature Story Image News Item Online Discussion Podcast Prayer Reflection Resource Guide Slideshow Topic Showcase Video Website Worship Service Category All Christian Year Daily Prayer/Reflection Dance Drama Grants Interdisciplinary Intergenerational Worship Language Arts/Words Music Preaching Sacraments (Baptism and Lord's Supper) Teaching Technology Visual Arts Worshipers Worship- Leading Worship- Meaning of Worship- Planning Worship- Preparing for Occasion All Funerals Symposium Resources War Lessons and Carols Ascension Hymn Festival Advent Weddings Weekday Services Epiphany Natural Disasters Pentecost Teaching Worship Commissionings Thanksgiving Easter Christ the King Christmas Healing Services Anniversaries Taize Ordination/Installation Heidelberg Catechism Summer Passion Week Lent Dedications Search results 1 - 20 of 37 Sort by: Title | Date Nikki Toyama-Szeto on Hoping in God Despite Injustice Individuals and congregations sometimes despair while working for justice. Sometimes they forget that although God invites us to join in justice work, God remains in charge of changing the world. That’s why it’s crucial for justice seekers to stay rooted in Christian community and worship. Conversation | September 19, 2022 Rebekah Eklund on Practicing Lament Congregations become more relevant and biblical when they follow the Bible’s lead in bringing lament into worship. Rebekah Eklund’s book "Practicing Lament" shows churches, small groups, and individuals how to voice penitential lament and protesting lament. Learning to practice lament can reconnect people with God and help churches grow in “members of one body” solidarity. Conversation | August 22, 2022 Six Earthkeeping Conversation Tips Since Christians disagree on climate change, you may think it’s best to agree to disagree. But these six tips can help you find common ground for taking positive action. It all starts with conversation. Feature Story | January 05, 2021 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 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 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 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 1 2 Next »