Planning Worship

Base Worship Drama on the Lectionary

In contrast to Jeff Barker, who often presents Old Testament passages as brief plays or mimes in place of or during the sermon text, John Steven Paul writes liturgical plays long enough to replace the sermon.

April 5, 2007 | 5 min read
Solidarity with Christ

Images often say more than words ever could. A gripping example of this is a sketch titled Christ Helps Hungry Children created in London in 1945 by Oskar Kokoschka.

March 1, 2007 | 1 min read
The Nuts and Bolts of Worship Planning

Back by popular demand from the 2003 Worship Symposium, this session reviewed a series of proverbs for worship planners, reflecting a summary of Calvin Institute of Christian Worship learning from past conferences, grant recipients, and publication projects.

January 1, 2007 | 75 min listen

'When Were You Robbed?' In Search of Worship that is Reformed and Always Emerging

This workshop reflected on the rise of Alternative Worship in the United Kingdom over almost two decades, which has led at different times to both sublime and ridiculous innovations in worship practice.

January 1, 2007 | 39 min listen
Worship When Steeples Cry

In this workshop, participants were led to discover the form of Biblical lament and how lament can be used in worship to facilitate the revitalization of a Gospel community experiencing loss and change. The workshop was based on the presenter's book, When Steeples Cry: Leading Congregations through Loss and Change.

January 1, 2007 | 45 min listen
Keith Getty on Writing Hymns for the Church Universal

Keith Getty says that what we sing becomes the grammar of what we believe. That's why he and Kristyn Getty are writing and teaching modern hymns that all ages can sing and remember together. A feature story exploring Getty's ideas on writing hymns for the Universal church.

September 1, 2006 | 6 min read

How Worship Service Structure Reveals Theology

The way you structure a worship service is important, in large part, because the structure reveals your theology. This is true whether or not you’ve thought about your worship’s theological revelations.

August 18, 2006 | 7 min read
Profile: Ron Rienstra on Planning Contemporary Worship

While directing student-planned and -led worship services at Calvin College and Fuller Theological Seminary, or while leading worship workshops, Ron Rienstra has sometimes met “worship leaders who get frustrated with other people’s desire to plan carefully. Those frustrated have not themselves yet done much worship leading.”

August 18, 2006 | 4 min read

Planning Contemporary Worship Services

Do you know how to look beyond the style of a "traditional" or "contemporary" worship service to find its worship vision, structure, and theology? Ron Rienstra says it's a question more worship planners should ask and answer. A feature story exploring the planning for Contemporary Worship services.

August 18, 2006 | 6 min read
Uncovering the Blessing of Fixed-Hour Prayer

Whether you call it the divine office, praying the hours, or common prayer, this ancient treasure of Christian heritage is hidden in plain sight. A feature story exploring the blessing of fixed-hour prayer.

April 17, 2006 | 7 min read
Three Prayer Veterans tell why they’ve stuck with fixed-hour prayer

Meet three people who feel called to fixed-hour prayer, admit it has its ups and downs, and can’t imagine not doing it. As important as common prayer is in their lives, all also advise practicing other forms of prayer as well.

April 17, 2006 | 5 min read