1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
This workshop will explore the implications for liturgy and preaching which arrive from recognizing afresh 1-- the reality of Christ's priesthood and 2-- that we are, in George Herbert's phrase, "Secretaries of thy praise."
There are unique and wonderful challenges in following the apostle Paul's example of preaching Christ and Him crucified from the gospels. How do we faithfully communicate the message of Christ from the very words and life of Christ himself? It may seem obvious, but too often men and women are getting it wrong.
The best argument for blended worship is that the body of Christ by definition is itself blended - therefore our services should reflect that reality.
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.
Here are two church worship drama models based on Bible texts. Part of a feature story exploring dramas based on the Old Testament and lectionary texts.
Paul said that all Scripture is God-breathed. Still, when did you last hear a sermon on the Old Testament? A feature story exploring the case for preaching the Old Testament.
Churches that want to use more psalms in worship will find a wealth of resources related to prayer, music, and readings.
Biblical storytelling reconnects worshipers with the communal experience of hearing God together. A feature story exploring biblical story telling and learning the scriptures by heart.
Asaph is hardly a household name, yet he has been impacting worshipers for 3,000 years. Twelve psalms are attributed to Asaph. Scripture reveals that Asaph was a man of integrity as well as a great artist. This workshop explored the man and his art to glean practical applications for us today.
This session introduced participants to the world of 16th century printing and focused on books used in early Reformed worship. Participants were able to look closely at these rare books and to gain a better sense of the impact of printing on the faith and practice of early modern Christians.
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.
This session investigated possible hymns and choruses in the New Testament and discussed if this material is beneficial in our choice of music today.
