Christian worship emerges from and speaks back into human relationships that are necessarily shaped by power and authority. Free Churches structure and negotiate power in relation to worship in ways that reflect the decentralization, local diversity, and personal agency that characterize many aspects of Free Church theology and practice. This volume models how dialogue among scholars and practitioners of Free Church worship, as well as dialogue with the wider church, can be mutually enrich...

In this concise yet comprehensive guide to using and praying the psalms in worship services, John Witvliet first offers summary of key biblical-theological themes related to the practice of worship, and he continues with reflections on every step in the process of preparing to use the psalms in worship, drawing on insights from writings in the history, theology, and pastoral practice of worship, liturgy, and preaching. Including patristic testimonies as "prelude" and both Reformation-era a...

Worship in the Joy of the Lord is a curated collection of over 300 quotations on the deep meaning and purpose of Christian public worship designed to inspire, challenge, and equip worshipers and worship leaders to be transformed by the renewing gospel of Jesus Christ.John D. Witvliet is director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and professor of worship, theology, & congregational and ministry studies at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary.

What exactly is worship? How can we account for its power? In Worship Seeking Understanding, noted worship expert John Witvliet mines the riches of the Bible, theology, history, music, and pastoral research to provide windows into the practice of Christian worship.With this work, Witvliet attempts to build bridges between theory and practice, among various worship-related disciplines, and across denominational lines. If worship renewal is to occur, each bridge must be formed. His ho...

Joy is elusive. Discovering, living in, and living with joy means a lifelong connection to the heart of God. This book connects the pilgrimage of life and faith to parallel movements of worship as communities gather to hear, read, proclaim, receive, and witness to the word of God. At the heart of joy, is the One who is Joy itself, the triune God who shapes and forms lives for the work and witness of justice in the world. In doing so, the author sees that the entirety of life is worship, th...

In most modern discussions of the Eucharist, the Jewish temple and its services of worship do not play a large role. They are often mentioned in passing, but little work is done in grounding, organizing, or explicating the connections between these things and the Eucharistic celebration.In Table and Temple, David Stubbs sheds light on the reasons for this neglect and shows the important role the temple and its worship played in the imagination of Jesus and his disciples ab...

Why has there been such an increase in the number of Presbyterian congregations celebrating the Lord's Supper every week? Come and See explores the following causes: generational change, ecumenical convergence, revisiting Reformed roots, heightened interest in spirituality, new perspectives offered by ritual studies, and the postmodern opening to a deeper appreciation of Scripture. Worship that is a balance of Word and Sacrament is incarnationally serious, recognizing that human persons ar...

Public worship is the nursery of the Holy Spirit. As you enter the sanctuary, you notice them at once. Then, as you take your seat next to a family, they are right there beside you. Throughout the ensuing service, you see them--and hear them. The presence of children in public worship is not only striking, but also increasingly strange in modern American church life. In fact, the idea of your children sitting or standing next to you during prayer, singing, or the pastor's sermon can be dow...

In the past three-plus decades, a significant conversation has taken place among American Protestants about worship. As a result, countless books have been written on the subject. We have read books on music and worship, ancient-future worship, worship as spiritual formation, worship and the arts, worship and children, even life as worship. Listen to that conversation, however, and you will notice one word conspicuously absent. While the heart and soul of the Christian life is love, and wh...

The Christian practice of hymn singing, says renowned biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann, is a countercultural act. It marks the Christian community as different from an unforgiving and often ungrateful culture. It is also, he adds, an "absurd enterprise in the midst of the hyper-busy, market-driven society that surrounds us. In this helpful and engaging volume, Brueggemann discusses both why we sing and what we sing. The first part of the book examines the Psalms and what they can teach ...

This second volume of Readings in African American Church Music and Worship makes available the most recent scholarship on 21st-century developments and trends, through a representative number of articles, essays, and chapters written by brilliant musicians, authors, and theologians of our time. The list of contributors includes some of the finest emerging scholars, as well as offerings from seasoned authors whose research and writings are well regarded by peers and the worshiping communit...

What does it mean for God to be a holy God? What does it mean for God's people to be a holy people? Many may be surprised to learn that biblical holiness is not primarily about morality or personal behavior. Divine holiness, including holy behavior, both God's and ours, is rooted in the fact that God is Wholly Other, distinct from any and all created things. God is not holy because he never does wrong. God never does wrong because he is holy, utterly unique and distinctive. But the Holy On...