CICW has awarded Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants for over 20 years to teacher-scholars and worshiping communities in 45+ states and provinces and across 40+ denominations and traditions—including Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, non-denominational, and other Protestant communities.


While worship styles and practices vary greatly across these traditions, the grant projects typically explore at least one of CICW’s ten core convictions related to worship. Explore the hundreds of projects we’ve funded across both streams of the program.

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Teacher-Scholar Congregational Life Historical

Hope College

Lynn Japinga

To explore the history of policies and practices regarding divorce in the Reformed Church in America, and to study how these policies have shaped worship practices such as Scripture reading, public prayer, and preaching, and affected divorced people.

Teacher-Scholar
Holland, michigan
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Preaching

McCormick Theological Seminary

Lis Valle-Ruiz

To study digitally mediated worship and preaching practices as it relates to the embodied experience, presence, and active participation from the perspectives of the worshipers. 

Teacher-Scholar
Chicago, illinois
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Formation Music

Mercer University

Nathan Myrick

To identify, through ethnographic research, the myriad ways that musical worship participates in human flourishing, and to share these insights with Christian leaders in order to promote healthy and vibrant communities of Christian fellowship and worship.

Teacher-Scholar
Macon, georgia
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Formation Worship Practices

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Mimi Larson

To gather wisdom from ministry leaders who thoughtfully engage children in worship, seeking to better theological and pedagogical understanding of how children make meaning of their worship experiences.

Teacher-Scholar
Wheaton, illinois
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Preaching Youth

Union Presbyterian Seminary

Richard Voelz

To create and field-test a workbook that will equip pastors to walk with adolescent preachers as they prepare to preach in public worship and other congregational contexts.

Teacher-Scholar
Richmond, virginia
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Collaboration Ecumenical

University of West Georgia

Marjorie Snipes

To examine a diverse range of Christian churches in the rural South and identify newly-emerging ecumenical practices, including shifts in ritual practice, educational activities, and cooperation in joint mission.

Teacher-Scholar
Carrollton, georgia
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Liturgy Worship Resources

Western Theological Seminary

Ronald Rienstra

To write a book comprised of brief essays that explore the deep patterns in worship as well as in worship's constituent parts (ordo, scripture, sermon, song, prayer, action).

Teacher-Scholar
Grand Rapids, michigan
2020
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Teacher-Scholar Intercultural Music

Baylor University

Monique M. Ingalls

To conduct ethnographic fieldwork of interethnic gospel choirs and to identity promising strategies for how worship music can build "convivial" interethnic congregational cultures.

Teacher-Scholar
Waco, texas
2019
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Teacher-Scholar Missional Public Witness

Calvin University

Lee Hardy

To study the connection between congregations' worship and mission activities, focusing on church-supported affordable housing in gentrifying urban neighborhoods.

Teacher-Scholar
Grand Rapids, michigan
2019
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Teacher-Scholar Collaboration Historical

Conrad Grebel University College

Carol Penner

To research Anabaptist worship materials and curate a centralized online site to make historical and contemporary Mennonite resources available for all to use.

Teacher-Scholar
Waterloo, ontario
2019
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Teacher-Scholar Cultural Engagement Historical

Cornerstone University

Martin Spence

To investigate the history of nationalism in American evangelical worship practices, working with congregational leaders to discern ways to disentangle Christian worship and nationalism.

Teacher-Scholar
Grand Rapids, michigan
2019
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