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© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
2020 Calvin Symposium on Worship | Workshop
This workshop explores the ways we can prepare to commemorate this significant anniversary with both grace and truth, acknowledging both the insights and limitations of the Reformers, expressing gratitude for Christ-centered renewal and lament for divisions and even violence within Christ’s body.
God's Word makes a breath-taking confession about followers of Jesus: they have become resurrected with their risen Lord.
Language that folks wouldn’t dream of using in face-to-face conversation has now become, sad to say, a normal part of their careless, coarsened interaction. How do you reduce the level of shrill and inappropriate talk and behavior?
St. Paul commended it as a resurrection virtue. A humble person is within a millimeter of becoming like Christ himself, who “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped… but humbled himself and became obedient unto death—even death on a cross!”
Gentleness ought to be an obvious character quality of every person who bears the Savior’s name. Christian leaders are not exempt. Wielding power over others as they are called to do, leaders are susceptible to treating their followers harshly and inappropriately. But Christian leaders who are gentle know that leadership is best expressed by those who show they care about those they lead.
Patience-filled Christian saints keep cultivating their relationship with the Spirit and keep praying continually for his help in showing makrothumia everywhere and always toward all others, no matter how impatient and rude, no matter how grumbling and irritating those others at times may be.
Forgiving: it’s a challenging practice—perhaps no other command of Jesus is more difficult to obey. And it’s so counter-intuitive. Why give anyone a fresh start after he’s hurt you deeply? Why not just retaliate by knocking his block off?
What better place to celebrate the Good News of God’s agape and to get the instruction manual for learning how to live it out toward others than in the congregation of saints on Sunday morning? There we gather to hear about and to celebrate, to receive instruction and to pledge anew.
The things which most unite Christians often most divide them. Honest believers at times honestly disagree. But too often—and too quickly—they turn disagreements into unholy quarrels.
To be human is to be aware that life—one’s own life—is a sheer and undeserved gift from God. It is to revel and delight in its giftedness and to return thanks to the Giver. When the Giver hears an echo of gratitude, the circle becomes complete. Thus gratitude is an essential feature of living up to what God intended for his humans creatures when he made them.
To grow and mature in our faith, we must learn, as Paul advises, to let God’s Word “dwell richly” in us. Prayerfully, humbly, and communally we must steep ourselves in it. Together we must read, study, and meditate it carefully. Together we must gladly open our minds and hearts to its message. Together we must courageously obey it.
