Faith Formation

War and Religion in America

American historian James Bratt will explore the alternative destinations in style, ritual, and spirituality which the antebellum pilgrims sought and found on the road out of revivalism. Liturgical scholar Lester Ruth will respond and discuss analogies on the worship scene in the 21st century, especially noting the recurring popular impulse for alternate forms of worship.

January 1, 2008 | 67 min listen
Panel Discussion on Church Art Galleries

There continues to be a growing interest in church visual art galleries, exhibitions, and educational opportunities related to art within our churches.

January 1, 2008 | 69 min listen
Seeing Your Congregation with Expert Eyes: Culture, Race, Ethnicity

In an update from their Symposium session in 2007, five Calvin College social scientists describe what they've learned through in-depth analysis of congregational and worship life.

January 1, 2008 | 53 min listen

Overcoming Challenges to Racial and Ethnic Diversity

By looking at successfully diverse churches across the nation, this session revealed critical attitudes for cultivating a hospitable church, perspectives on recent immigration and the neighborhood church, and experiments on musical variety and global awareness.

January 1, 2008 | 50 min listen
A View from Latin America: An Interview with Gerardo Oberman

A pastor/musician/liturgist from Argentina speaks of the many changes in worship in his country and throughout South America in the past generation, especially with respect to the influence of Pentecostalism. Since many Latin Americans have migrated in recent years to the United States, his perspective may well help North American churches understand better the complex dynamics of worship life in Central and South America.

January 1, 2008 | 47 min listen
Vertical Habits: Relational words that expand worship language

Focusing on simple phrases helps develop worship habits that affect our whole lives. Vertical habits expand how people talk with God during church worship and school chapels. A feature story exploring relational words that expand worship language.

September 14, 2007 | 9 min read

Adapting Vertical Habits to Your Church or School

Focusing on simple phrases helps develop worship habits that affect our whole lives. Vertical habits expand how people talk with God during church worship and school chapels. A feature story exploring relational words that expand worship language.

September 14, 2007 | 4 min read
The Seven Deadly Sins and Spiritual Formation

A curriculum engaging students in spiritual formation, helping them to diagnose the sins, remove barriers, and replace them with new habits of thought and feeling.

June 1, 2007 | 1 min read
Bringing the Habits Home - From Reformed Worship

Connecting Vertical Habits in worship to vertical habits at home and in our everyday life brings us one step closer to making those habits our natural response.

June 1, 2007 | 1 min read

Vertical Habits - From Reformed Worship

When children are young, they learn words that build relationships. Some come easily: “Help!” “Why?” Parents and grandparents persistently teach them to say to others: “Thank you.” “I’m sorry.”

June 1, 2007 | 1 min read
Robert E Webber's Legacy: Ancient future faith and worship

Ancient future worship is about rooting our worship as the early church did--in God's story--so we embody not our culture but God's mission. A feature story exploring ancient future faith and worship.

May 18, 2007 | 20 min read
Good Taste, Bad Taste, and Christian Taste

Talk about worship aesthetics need not polarize people. Frank Burch Brown tells how to be more inclusive in arts and worship, yet also more discerning. A feature story exploring the idea of "taste" and aesthetics in Christian Worship.

January 5, 2007 | 9 min read