1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
This seminar explored the history of worship in the early church in the hope that we might learn about, accept, and apply different attitudes and practices in our own times.
When the first Christian missionaries came to the Navajo people they unfortunately brought more than the Gospel. They also brought the message that God could only be worshiped through the Western culture. This workshop contained a collection of stories and lessons learned in my journey to understand what it means to be Navajo and Christian.
When preachers and churches talk about improving the quality of preaching, many approaches are considered, but one is frequently missing: the participation of elders. This workshop explores both the why and how questions of involving elders in supporting and encouraging preachers in their congregations.
This workshop discussed what Dallas Willard calls the "elephant in the church" - the general failure of training adult Christians to be dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.
This workshop focused on the formative power of the lectionary when it is read within the theological narrative of the Christian year: the story of salvation.
In this presentation, religion journalist Richard Ostling analyzed trends in American faith and culture that worship leaders, pastors and ordinary worshipers need to be aware of.
This session explored the deep Trinitarian meanings and implications of the sacraments. Though centered on our union with and participation in Christ, Baptism and the Lord's Supper draw us into the heart of the divine community we call Trinity.
Differing circumstances call forth different liturgical, theological and formational questions and inspire different congregational conversations about what we do in worship and why we do it. The workshop began with a PowerPoint presentation on the history of Christian worship and its relationship to spiritual formation in congregational life, concluding with 'where we are now.' Practices for spiritual formation were described in relation to the congregation's worship life.
In this presentation, several contributors to the recent book The Church of All Ages: Generations Worshiping Together explored the issues involved, highlighted some of the findings, and stimulated further reflection.
Although sermon preparation involves lots of steps-everything from selecting a text to embodying the sermon on Sunday-the search for meaningful illustrative material during the week is often the most frustrating.
This wide-ranging question-and-answer session discussed religious and journalistic trends in the United States with the former religion writer for Time magazine and The Associated Press.
A panel of pastors and artists shared resources created by their congregations to teach "Vertical Habits," and described the fruit that developed in all areas of congregational life.
