1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Daily work, paid and unpaid, consumes our lives, energy, and minds—even when we are in church. Here are ways to plan worship so people see themselves and their work as instruments of God.
Whether you’re an average worshiper or a seasoned pastor, you’ve probably wondered, “Why is the preacher saying this or doing that?” But would you ever dare ask the preacher? Creating a culture of giving and receiving sermon feedback benefits both preachers and congregations.
Hearing more than one voice in the pulpit opens congregations to hearing God in new ways. Welcoming homiletical diversity takes a burden off the main pastor and trains churches to create a culture of hospitality.
Rural populations are declining in many parts of the US and Canada. This change has pushed many denominations and congregations to find new ways to provide preachers and pastors for rural churches.
Indigenous cultures are storytelling cultures. So were the cultures of ancient Israel and its neighbors—the cultures Jesus lived among. First Nations Version (FNV) projects translate the Bible through the intertribal lens of Indigenous people in North America. The latest project, FNV Psalms and Proverbs, remains faithful to the Old Testament’s Hebrew poetry and wisdom literature while offering new ways to help readers place themselves in God’s story.
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.
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.”
Universal design and Vertical Habits help create church worship that touches all our senses and is accessible to all worshipers.
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.
La Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis, localizada en Carolina, Puerto Rico, ha experimentado en los últimos meses una transformación significativa en sus áreas de predicación y adoración. La iniciativa fortaleció la espiritualidad de la congregación, permitió desarrollar talleres, descubrir nuevos talentos y fomentar un profundo sentido de pertenencia en la comunidad de fe.
Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants support worship renewal projects for worshiping communities and teacher-scholars.
Sister Kathleen Harmon of the community of the Ohio province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Dayton, invites us to be transformed by the psalms and experience them as the whole story God is revealing to us. As we keep praying and singing them, the psalms interpret us, and that’s when the transformation comes.
