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Doubt can surface in big ways, and it’s something we believers don’t often like to admit. We often have questions about faith, injustice in the world, or why following God sometimes feels harder than ignoring God. In Psalm 73, Asaph is wrestling with doubt: “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (vv. 2–3, NIV).
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As worship leaders, we sometimes feel as if we should only focus on spiritual needs, such as praying for deeper faith, stronger character, and evangelistic opportunities. But God cares about our whole lives, not just our souls. Dietrich Bonhoeffer points out that the psalms are full of prayers for health, peace, and daily needs. That’s not selfish. It’s honest. It’s recognizing that God is with us in the everyday.
Think back to the last time you couldn’t help but praise something. Maybe it was a jaw-dropping catch in a baseball game, a teacher who made a tough topic click, or a sunset that stopped you in your tracks. You probably responded instinctively—with a cheer, a compliment, a text, a smile. Praise flows naturally when we encounter something good or beautiful.
Salvation is one of those words so common among Christians that it can sometimes become trivialized. Being “saved” can sometimes become a label of what social group we belong to rather than a testimony of God’s gracious and powerful rescue of our souls. Retaining the full significance of the word salvation requires remembering the gravity of the situation we are in—the danger from which God rescues us.
Aging is something we typically associate with older folks in our lives. But in reality, we all are aging every single day. I first started to note this in my own life the summer before I started college. I felt a deep sense of loss entangled in this phenomenon called “growing up”—the loss of having dinner with my family every night, the loss of knowing what was going on in my siblings’ lives 24/7, the loss of watching movies together in the evenings. Looking back, it wasn’t so much the losses themselves that were painful to me. It was the fear of losses I knew were coming.
How often do you find yourself marveling at the wonder of God’s creation—the extravagance of variety in the plant and animal world, the beauty of the changing seasons, the vastness of the universe compared to our little planet? Or instead, how often do you find yourself running from task to task, consumed by today’s concerns, trying to keep it all together, and never taking time to marvel at the meaning of it all?
This series of psalm-based devotions invites worship leaders, planners, and teams to slow down, listen deeply, and be formed by scripture’s most honest and expansive prayers. Created by staff from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and trusted collaborators, these reflections draw from the rich themes of the psalms—praise and creation, fear and doubt, suffering and salvation—to ground the work of worship in a living conversation with God. Together, they help teams not just plan services, but cultivate attentiveness, unity, and spiritual depth.
In the Old Testament, the temple was a place of worship where God’s presence dwelled. Three times each year, the Israelites would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem to worship at the temple, singing a group of psalms called the Songs of Ascent as they traveled in anticipation of gathering to worship God. They helped the pilgrims share excitement for the journey, pray for God’s protection, and celebrate the unity of their faith.
Suffering is something none of us can avoid. It can take many shapes: academic pressure, broken friendships, financial strain, family struggles, or even the quiet ache of feeling alone. In Psalm 13, David puts words to what many of us feel in seasons of suffering: “How long, Lord?” He is brutally honest about his pain, confusion, and sense of God’s silence.
Those with interest in classical music know that it is not a stretch to say that Nadia Boulanger single-handedly shaped the course of classical music during the twentieth century. She was a composer, organist, conductor, and pianist, but most of all, she was a teacher. Everyone studied with Nadia Boulanger: Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, George Walker, Philip Glass, you name it.
Weekly worship prepares congregations for the work of the week ahead in many different jobs and places. We all carry different burdens throughout the week and are given different tasks. This series of prayers written by Calvin University faculty and staff for people working in various professions can be adapted to fit the different occupations present in your congregation. As a Christian liberal arts institution, Calvin University prepares students not only for their different fields of calling, but to live as agents of renewal and citizens of God’s kingdom in their everyday work and living.
While Christian baptism is predominantly a transcultural practice, distinct faith communities worldwide experience this initiation rite through unique contextualizing elements. Join us in a fascinating conversation with Christian leaders from five continents about the rich cultural diversity reflected in baptismal liturgies, imagery, and practices, and how they shape Christian life in their contexts.
What basic models for worship planning are out there, and which patterns will work best in your context? Join a lively discussion of several worship planning models by the authors and pastors who use them. Bring your questions and suggestions as we learn together.
