Studying Worship on Seminary Campuses: Other Analytical Tools
Surveys are wonderful – though limited – tools for gathering data on worship priorities and practices. The survey used by the CICW/Brehm study group asked broad questions in four categories: Leadership, Liturgy, Community, and Curriculum. Many other research goals and strategies might suggest other questions and/or analytical data-gathering mechanisms.
Going Deeper as Members of One Body
Meeting the 'invisible' people who help put food on their tables helped Westminster Presbyterian middle schoolers see how Scripture, life, and worship connect.
Why Churches are Engaging Hip Hop Culture
Now that the gospel and hip hop have gone global, churches are exploring how to reach hip hop culture with the good news that another world is possible. A feature story exploring hip-hop culture.
Trusting God in Youth Ministry: Living Our Faith Together
Want to do youth ministry with more trust, less anxiety? A feature story with practical tips for developing sustainable youth ministry in which congregations experience themselves as one body growing together in love.
Feeding the God-Hungry Imagination
While defenders of Christianity attempt to barge through the front door of reason by arguing the case for Christ, the Holy Spirit has been slipping through the back door of the imagination without the church's permission or even notice.
Matthew's Sermon on the Mount
This study of Matthew 5-7 investigated the main teachings of the whole sermon and their relation to us, the Church, and the world.
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.
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.
Contemplative Youth Ministry: Listening to God together
Where else in their multitasking 24/7 lives can youth find loving adults who join them in meaningful prayer, silence, and conversation to connect with God? A feature story exploring what makes an effective youth ministry program.
Faith Formation in Worship
Faith formation is not just for children—all of us are shaped in our faith by the way we come to God in worship. This session considered what it might mean if we have a faith formation focus as we plan worship.
Photography in Worship: Picturing God’s counterstory, building community
Get ideas from other congregations for using local photography and other images in church worship. A feature story exploring some of the many possibilities for visuals in worship.
Desiring the Kingdom: Which do you want?
In "Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation", James K. A. Smith explains how what we love, imagine, and desire shapes who we become. He urges congregations to reclaim worship practices that train our hearts through our bodies.
