Resource Search Results

Ellen Gadberry on Congregations as Communal Visual Choirs

Many worshipers do not see themselves as creative or gifted in the arts. Yet low-risk opportunities to encounter visual art in worship and participate in making liturgical art can strengthen worshipers’ identities as children of the Creator.

Conversation | November 03, 2021

Creative, Collaborative Worship

Led by artist Ellen Phillips, this workshop was a time to explore collaborative methods as well as to share ideas for the art of worship.

Audio | May 09, 2018

Transforming Faith through Visual Arts in a Smaller Church

Artists and church members Cheryl and Lori shared practical guidelines for creating projects that are meaningful, inclusive, and theologically grounded.

Audio | May 09, 2018

Children and Worship

With a new frontier of research on children's spirituality, research as well as experience is showing churches that creating a sacred space for children, where they can encounter the living God, is vital for their faith formation.

Audio | March 02, 2016

Seven Models: Collaborative Visual Arts Projects for Worship

Linda Witte Henke describes seven ways for artists and teams to work together in designing visual arts used in worship.

Feature Story | December 08, 2015

Seven Easy Crosses to Make and Use in Worship

Linda Witte Henke describes seven easy ideas for participatory worship with crosses.

Article | December 08, 2015

Nonverbal Worship Practices that Bridge Differences

Rhythm, liturgical movement and visual art draw on gifts already present in how God made us and what the universal church has already created.

Feature Story | October 09, 2015

Jim and Kim Thomas on the Christian Music Industry

Jim and Kim Thomas are husband and wife, and are the pastor and curate, respectively, of The Village Chapel, in Nashville, TN. Over the last fifteen years the church has grown from a small Bible study of professional musicians to a church of about 1500. In addition to leading a congregation that includes many musicians, Jim and Kim were themselves touring musicians and recording artists for nearly thirty years. Jim has also authored two popular books on Christian theology. Kim, in addition to authoring several devotional books, is a highly-regarded visual artist.

Conversation | June 05, 2013

Use Baptismal Imagery in Worship and Life

Reading Robin M. Jensen's book "Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity: Ritual, Visual, and Theological Dimensions" will give you many ideas for deepening baptismal identity in your congregation

Article | August 22, 2012

Early Christian Baptismal Imagery for Today

Robin M. Jensen’s book Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity illuminates and illustrates the multiple meanings and biblical metaphors of baptism. It can awaken imagination for Christians and congregations to live into their baptized identity.

Feature Story | August 22, 2012

The Shape of Sacred Space

A lesson plan to accompany the Living Worship curriculum that addresses meaning and intentionality in the design and utilization of worship space

Article | July 11, 2012

Design Guidelines for Church Renovations

As you begin thinking about why and how to renovate your church, consider gathering a group to talk through these priorities and discussion questions.

Article | February 14, 2012

An Architecture of Immanence

Modern architecture has heavily influenced the construction of new sacred spaces, producing a new way of building that emphasizes God's coming near to us.

Book Excerpt | November 29, 2011

Worship Accessibility Evaluation

A checklist for making your worship more accessible to those with disabilities.

Article | March 16, 2011

Inclusive yet Discerning: Navigating Worship Artfully (Book Excerpt)

Frank Burch Brown explores how Christians can navigate the increasingly diverse world of worship, combining an abiding admiration of classical idioms with an appreciation of new possibilities.

Book Excerpt | October 20, 2010

Photography in Worship: Picturing God’s counterstory, building community

Get ideas from other congregations for using local photography and other images in church worship. A feature story exploring some of the many possibilities for visuals in worship.

Feature Story | March 08, 2010

Projected Images in Worship: Illustrate or Illuminate

Artist Sandra Bowden compiled a CD of contemporary visuals for worship, Images of Faith. It's more important to focus on what an image means for worship than on the technology for projecting it. A feature story exploring projected visuals in worship.

Feature Story | May 11, 2009

How to Plan Art Used in Church Worship

Is your church commissioning liturgical art, creating art for cross cultural worship, or designing a new building? A feature story on how to involve more people from your congregation in planning and creating art for worship.

Feature Story | February 29, 2008

America's Emerging Religious Landscape: An Interview with Richard Ostling

This wide-ranging question-and-answer session discussed religious and journalistic trends in the United States with the former religion writer for Time magazine and The Associated Press.

Audio | January 01, 2008

Talking About Worship: How to Start and Sustain Faithful Conversations

This session will begin with a brief introduction to anthropological categories for talking about worship--liturgical time, space, environment, action, persons, music, language, etc. Participants will then engage in small group conversations about worship, using a process devised especially for facilitating conversations in congregations.