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© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Surveys are wonderful – though limited – tools for gathering data on worship priorities and practices. The survey used by the CICW/Brehm study group asked broad questions in four categories: Leadership, Liturgy, Community, and Curriculum. Many other research goals and strategies might suggest other questions and/or analytical data-gathering mechanisms.
Entering the biblical narrative requires looking at the story you actually live by and pondering why God gave the Bible as a sprawling story.
There is a rapidly growing cultural expectation that buildings must be crafted to be environmentally friendly and sustainable for future generations. At the same time, many Christians are realizing that environmental issues are not merely political or technological but also spiritual, especially in terms of stewardship and social justice.
Meeting the 'invisible' people who help put food on their tables helped Westminster Presbyterian middle schoolers see how Scripture, life, and worship connect.
After decades of ministry in hard places, Joel Van Dyke recommends asking beautiful questions and giving away power to experience a deeper unity with all in Christ's body.
It didn't happen every day, but was frequent enough that I clearly remember it. I would be sitting with my grandparents, in their house, around their kitchen table. We would be finishing a meal or even just a simple snack, and the conversation would come to a lull….
A feature story exploring Pastoral and Worship excellence. David J. Wood and Paul Ryan offer a biblical framework for cultivating congregational conversations about pastoral excellence and standards for worship excellence.
Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, explains why confessing that Jesus is Lord applies to the economy and earth. As the Accra Confession affirms, God calls for just relationships with all creation--so our worship should reflect that faith stance. A feature story exploring Justice and Suffering in Worship centered on God.
It is called Throat Singing and I do not even know how to fully describe it. To me it sounded like a cross between an oboe and someone clearing his throat. It was fascinating to listen to. And as I sat there I found myself feeling excited, uncomfortable, confused and at peace, all at the same time.
"Ya’at’eeh." That is what I should have said. Ya’at’eeh is a Navajo greeting. It is always accompanied with a hand shake, and, if the parties do not know each other, it is usually followed with a formal introduction.
A reflection on the value of discomfort in experiencing worship outside our familiar cultural context.
The new field of ethnodoxology affirms that there's no single best way to worship. A feature story about how God has gifted each culture with heart language and heart music rooted in a particular place, ethnicity, or experience.
