Chris Fenner on African American Hymns and Devotions
Many Christian publishers offer books of hymn stories, hymnals that follow the lectionary and church year, and devotionals based on hymns or the lectionary. Two new resources by Chris Fenner provide all three in one—hymn stories and sources, hymns, and lectionary-based devotionals to match each hymn. Both Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship and Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship: African American Edition begin with Advent.
February 18, 2026
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5 min read
Nate Glasper on Changes in Gospel Music
From “I’ll Fly Away” to “You Know My Name,” gospel music over the generations has helped musicians, choirs, and congregations embody faith in God’s promises and provisions. Nate Glasper describes how gospel music’s main genres comprise “academic, theological, historical, and cultural scholarship expressed through sound.”
February 4, 2026
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7 min read
Universal Design, Vertical Habits and Inclusive Worship
Universal design and Vertical Habits help create church worship that touches all our senses and is accessible to all worshipers.
January 26, 2026
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7 min read
Nate Glasper on Directing and Mentoring Gospel Choirs
Directing a gospel choir can help singers express their own culture or learn from other cultures. Nate Glasper shares tips for helping gospel choir members grow through mentorship and skillful directing so that they live a lifestyle of worship.
January 22, 2026
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6 min read
New Testament in Color: Hearing God’s Voice Through Others
Reading the Bible closely raises questions shaped by our race, class, gender, culture, and more. Recognizing how culture—including White culture—influences interpretation helps us learn from others and see our own blind spots.
January 12, 2026
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11 min read
Amy Peeler on Reading the Bible as a White Woman
Amy Peeler is part of a movement calling us to bring our whole selves to scripture. As a white woman, her perspective offers insight while also urging her to learn from others. She reminds us that both the wounds and the gifts of our identities shape how we read and find comfort in God’s word.
January 12, 2026
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8 min read
Jonathan Calvillo on How Hip-hop Cultivates Community
Sociologist Jonathan Calvillo researches how hip-hop gives Christians in and beyond the church agency to deal with real-life issues and shape their faith and spirituality.
December 22, 2025
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7 min read
Jonathan Calvillo on Churches and Hip-hop
Sociologist Jonathan Calvillo grew up in Latinx Pentecostal churches where church leaders made room for young Christians to express themselves through hip-hop. His life experiences and research explore what churches can learn from hip-hop creatives.
December 18, 2025
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8 min read
Becki Graves and Chad Jay on a Creative Lent Celebration
A Bethel University grant project blessed Catholics and Protestants in the greater South Bend area of Northern Indiana. It used Richard Foster’s six streams of Christian tradition to create Via Crucis, an experience of the stations of the cross with visual art, music, poetry, and more.
November 13, 2025
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8 min read
CICW Staff Members’ Favorite Psalm Resources
Want to help your community spend more time with the psalms? With so many resources to choose from, how do you find the right ones for your context? The team at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) is here to help. We keep this page updated with our top recommendations.
November 12, 2025
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2 min read
Kai Ton Chau on Love of Learning and Worship Leader Well-Being
Scholar Kai Ton Chau makes the case that churches should support worship leaders by giving them opportunities to learn and grow in their jobs.
September 30, 2025
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6 min read
Mark Franzen on Experiencing God through Sacred Music
A sacred music grant project helped Catholic parishioners from many ethnicities—Anglo, Eritrean, Filipino, Latino, Nigerian, Vietnamese, and more—experience the awe and mystery of faith and God.
August 29, 2025
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8 min read
