History

Top Ten Worship Planning Ideas From John Calvin

A case could be made that, for Calvin, the Reformation was primarily a liturgical reformation, with the exegesis and systematizing being the result of his interest in worship. So, here are ten top worship planning ideas from John Calvin.

November 12, 2010
Planning Ahead: Worship in October

The highlight of the October calendar may be World Communion Sunday, when Christians everywhere celebrate what it means to belong to the body of Christ—"the holy catholic church, the communion of the saints." In celebrating the Lord's Supper, we most deeply celebrate our oneness in Christ.

October 21, 2010 | 2 min read

Coop's Column - Jesus Yes-Church Yes!

In the Western hemisphere, especially in Europe and considerable sections of North America, vigorous contempt toward and sleepy disregard of the Christian church are widespread and increasing at an ever-accelerating rate.

August 23, 2010
The Origins of Contemporary Worship: The Case of John Wimber's Anaheim Vineyard Congregation

Although it has swept across the nation in the last 25 years, contemporary worship didn't just pop out of nowhere. Have you ever wondered where it came from? This workshop reviewed some of its origins with particular attention to the important Anaheim Vineyard congregation in the 1970s and 1980s.

March 23, 2010
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

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
Rediscovering the Lord's Supper: Growing Deeper into the Gospel

A renewed theology and practice of the Lord's Supper can help believers grow into a deeper and multifaceted vision of salvation. Come and explore the ways in which the Lord's Supper illuminates the gospel as participation in Christ by the Spirit.

January 1, 2009
Abraham Kuyper's Our Worship: First English translation

Abraham Kuyper said that Christ is Lord over every "square inch" of life. Thanks to Our Worship, translated by Harry Boonstra and augmented by scholars' essays, you can now read Kuyper's perceptive writings on public worship.

December 23, 2008

Introduction to The Catechetical Lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem

Can a theologian be a good pastor or evangelist? Can an effective, church-growing evangelist be theological? Can a caring pastor preach doctrine in a relevant way? Is it possible for one person to be a dynamic evangelist, pastor, and theologian all at once? Looking at Cyril, the fourth century bishop of Jerusalem, is helpful.

May 8, 2008
The Most Used Contemporary Worship Songs: Their View of God and of Our Love for God

This session explored how the most-used contemporary songs speak of the Triune God and what God has done to save us.

January 1, 2008
An Invitation to 'The Liturgy of the Hours'

From the age of the Apostles, to the Early Church Fathers, to the Middle Ages, to the present, we are invited to join that great cloud of witnesses who have worshiped God around the clock from hour to hour, from one time-zone to the next, in ceaseless prayer and praise. This session explored how to incorporate the rhythm of what some call 'The Liturgy of the Hours' into busy contemporary life.

January 1, 2008