Preaching the Great Stories of Genesis
An absentee father with a son of blistering hate; a frightened man pimping his wife; a penniless mother left to die; a husband beaten down by his wily woman. The stories from Genesis read like last night's news.
March 22, 2010
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66 min listen
Forgotten Ones: Worship and Pastoral Care
Many people have a vision for pastoral care that takes place in homes, hospitals, and institutions, often in times of crisis. But the prime place for pastoral care is in the community gathered for worship, when all who are able gather under the care of the Good Shepherd, and those who cannot attend are still remembered and named.
March 17, 2010
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46 min listen
Teaching Worship Leadership: Content and Context
Leading worship requires attending to the specifics of a worshiping congregation, and yet many classrooms tend toward the general. This workshop looked at a new multi-media resource documenting the life of one Chicago congregation and designed to be a kind of “flight simulator” for worship leaders. It explored teaching worship leadership with a dual emphasis on theological content and congregational context.
January 1, 2010
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64 min listen
Why Read Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) on Worship?
Abraham Kuyper's accomplishments were many and he had a stellar career. He served as pastor, theologian, founder of the Free University in Amsterdam, chief organizer of a Calvinist political party, prime minister of the Netherlands. He is, however, less well-known for another major contribution-his writings on worship and liturgy which are still relevant for the church today and now appear in an English translation as Our Worship.
January 1, 2009
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61 min listen
Teens and Worship: Encouraging Creative and Meaningful Worship with Teenagers
Practical suggestions, strategies, and resources to encourage vibrant, meaningful worship with teens were presented in this session.
January 1, 2009
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59 min listen
What the Psalms Have to Teach Us about Song Writing
Psalms allow us to express a whole range of emotions in powerful ways and at the same time, they tell us a lot about God. This workshop will examine how worship song writers can learn from the psalms as they work on their own craft.
January 1, 2009
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53 min listen
Symposium 2009 - Worship and the Word
Many churches need to use the Scriptures more in their worship. This seminar explored why and how the Bible should inform, infuse, and enrich our worship planning and leading. It also looked at practical ways to bring the Word in all its richness into our worship services.
January 1, 2009
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56 min listen
Too Deep for Words? Preaching in the Language of the Spirit
This session explored the possibility of discerning the presence of the Holy Spirit in preaching and then discussed some manifestations of the Spirit in sermons, particularly focusing on the expressions of lament and celebration.
January 1, 2009
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56 min listen
Better Together: The Call for People with and without Disabilities to Worship, Serve, Learn, and Live Alongside Each Other
This presentation addressed practical ways congregations can have a real impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their families living in their community and to make worship more accessible to everyone.
January 1, 2009
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63 min listen
Symposium 2009 - Leadership from Inside Out
In this session, RCA general secretary Wes Granberg-Michaelson explored congregational leadership that is built on and extends from the inner spiritual lives of leaders, and explored how this relates to the dynamics of organizational change. The presentation drew from his book Leadership from Inside Out.
January 1, 2009
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61 min listen
Worship in the Early Church: Unity in Diversity
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.
January 1, 2009
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67 min listen
Good Preaching Takes Good Elders
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.
