A Better Way
Author: Michael Horton
Publisher: Baker Books
Published: 2003-05
Total Pages: 256
ISBN-13: 0801064686
DOWNLOAD EBOOKA challenging examination of the biblical and theological issues underlying a distinctively Christian view of worship.
Posts
Recovering Mother Kirk
Author: Darryl Glen Hart
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Published: 2014-03-07
Total Pages: 265
ISBN-13: 1625646933
DOWNLOAD EBOOKEndorsements: "Liturgical Presbyterians? No, this is not an oxymoron. D. G. Hart has written a lively polemic against the well-intentioned dumbing-down of worship by advocates of church growth. This book is going to make some people very mad, and it will make others very glad. Those who have thrown away the theological substance of the great Reformed tradition of Christian worship ought to be mad. Hart shames them. And yet, for those whose privilege it is to praise and serve God in a church that enjoys the Reformed way of worship in all its depth, glory, and joy, this book is a great summons to faithfulness in our time." --WILLIAM H. WILLIMON, Duke Divinity School "Beginning to realize just how much they have been shaped by non-Reformed influences, conservative Presbyterian and Reformed churches are now being forced to decide between a generic 'low-church' Protestantism, a 'high church' tradition, or, oddly enough, a more traditional Reformed and Presbyterian approach. D. G. Hart believes that Reformed theology provides resources not only for understanding that we are saved, but also for how we worship and mature in the Christian faith. There's a lot of wisdom here, and whether one agrees or disagrees with Hart, his well-considered arguments cannot be responsibly ignored by adherents of Reformed Christianity." --MICHAEL HORTON, Editor in Chief, Modern Reformation "Unabashedly writing to inform, rouse, and serve his fellow Presbyterians, D. G. Hart has nonetheless produced a book that is properly and profoundly ecumenical. Christians from all communions who take seriously the identity and nature of the church will learn from Hart's analysis of the complex arrangement under God of cult and culture, form and content, church and state, praise and proclamation, cross and crown. Hart reminds us that the chronicles of the people of God always offer encouragement to strengthen feeble arms, weak knees, and lazy minds." --KEN MYERS, host and producer of the Mars Hill Audio Journal "Hart's book combines world-class scholarship with keen social and ecclesiastical awareness and should be read and reread by those who want to transmit the piety and ethos of the Reformed tradition to the next generation." --TERRY L. JOHNSON, Independent Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia
Rediscovering the Holy Spirit
Author: Michael Horton
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Published: 2017-04-25
Total Pages: 337
ISBN-13: 0310534070
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFor the Spirit, being somewhat forgotten is an occupational hazard. The Holy Spirit is so actively involved in our lives that we can take his presence for granted. As they say, familiarity breeds contempt. Just as we take breathing for granted, we can take the Holy Spirit for granted simply because we constantly depend on him. Like the cane that soon feels like an extension of the blind man’s own body, we too easily begin to think of the Holy Spirit as an extension of ourselves. Yet the Spirit is at the center of the action in the divine drama from Genesis 1:2 all the way to Revelation 22:17. The Spirit’s work is as essential as the Father’s and the Son’s, yet the Spirit’s work is always directed to the person and work of Christ. In fact, the efficacy of the Holy Spirit’s mission is measured by the extent to which we are focused on Christ. The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity who brings the work of the Father, in the Son, to completion. In everything that the Triune God performs, this perfecting work is characteristic of the Spirit. In Rediscovering the Holy Spirit, author, pastor, and theologian Mike Horton introduces readers to the neglected person of the Holy Spirit, showing that the work of God’s Spirit is far more ordinary and common than we realize. Horton argues that we need to take a step back every now and again to focus on the Spirit himself—his person and work—in order to recognize him as someone other than Jesus or ourselves, much less something in creation. Through this contemplation we can gain a fresh dependence on the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives.
For the Glory of God
Author: Daniel I. Block
Publisher: Baker Academic
Published: 2014-08-12
Total Pages: 485
ISBN-13: 1441245634
DOWNLOAD EBOOKChristianity Today Book Award Winner One of Worship Leader Magazine's Editor's Picks Current discussions about worship are often driven by pragmatics and personal preferences rather than by the teaching of Scripture. True worship, however, is our response to God's gracious revelation; in order to be acceptable to God, worship must be experienced on God's terms. Respected Old Testament scholar Daniel Block examines worship in the Bible, offering a comprehensive biblical foundation and illuminating Old Testament worship practices and principles. He develops a theology of worship that is consistent with the teachings of Scripture and is applicable for the church today. He also introduces readers to a wide range of issues related to worship. The book, illustrated with diagrams, charts, and pictures, will benefit professors and students in worship and Bible courses, pastors, and church leaders.
Spirit Empowered Preaching
Author: Arturo G. Azurdia, III
Publisher:
Published: 2015-05-20
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9781857924138
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIf you desire that your preaching be lifted up to a position in which you are being used by the Spirit as a channel, then Arturo Azurdia can help you. "Arturo Azurdia believes that much modern preaching is powerless. Sadly, he is right... in a searching and warm-hearted analysis he shows how the situation should and can be remedied." John Blanchard
The Oxford Handbook of Reformed Theology
Author: Michael Allen
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2020-10-30
Total Pages: 1082
ISBN-13: 019103584X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Oxford Handbook of Reformed Theology looks back to past resources that have informed Reformed theology and surveys present conversations among those engaged in Reformed theology today. First, the volume offers accounts of the major historical contexts of reformed theology, the various relationships (ancient and modern) which it maintains and from which it derives. Recent research has shown the intricate ties between the patristic and medieval heritage of the church and the work of the reformed movement in the sixteenth century. The past century has also witnessed an explosion of reformed theology outside the Western world, prompting a need for attention not only to these global voices but also to the unique (and contingent) history of reformed theology in the West (hence reflecting on its relationship to intellectual developments like scholastic method or the critical approaches of modern biblical studies). Second, the volume assesses some of the classic, representative texts of the reformed tradition, observing also their reception history. The reformed movement is not dominated by a single figure, but it does contain a host of paradigmatic texts that demonstrate the range and vitality of reformed thought on politics, piety, biblical commentary, dogmatic reflection, and social engagement. Third, the volume turns to key doctrines and topics that continue to receive attention by reformed theologians today. Contributors who are themselves making cutting edge contributions to constructive theology today reflect on the state of the question and offer their own proposals regarding a host of doctrinal topics and themes.
WORSHIP PRIMER FOR PASTORS AND PLANNERS WHAT YOU WISH YOU LEARNED IN SCHOOL
Author: William D. Kirkwood
Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
Published: 2023-11-10
Total Pages: 167
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThere has to be more to leading worship than what I've been doing. That nagging thought drove William Kirkwood to develop this primer on worship for all lead pastors and worship planners who have wondered the same thing. Most pastors come out of seminary with little training in worship yet are ultimately responsible for the worship life of their church. Most worship planners/leaders have musical and leadership skills but little theological background in worship. Kirkwood brings his decades of worship leading experience and education from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies into the pages of this timely book. He explores the biblical, historical, theological, and cultural foundations of worship and brings them together with practical guidance on how to create vibrant worship services that facilitate a divine-human interaction. The primer is written for leaders in contemporary "free" churches, traditional/liturgical churches, and charismatic/Pentecostal churches. Each chapter includes thoughtful exercises and questions to help in your own church context, as well as recommended resources for further study.
Practice for Heaven
Author: Gabriel C. Statom
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Published: 2015-02-16
Total Pages: 146
ISBN-13: 1498207227
DOWNLOAD EBOOKDo you wonder what our worship will be like in Heaven? The center of our faith is based on believing in Jesus Christ, with the assurance that we will live with him and the Father for eternity. God gives us a glimpse of what that will be like in heaven while we are on earth. Throughout the Bible, we see the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the throne of God. With angels and trumpets, white robes and crowns, we see that God is enthroned with true worship from beings that desire to give him their undivided worship and praise. The visions of heavenly worship presented throughout scripture are the most concrete images that the Bible gives the church for interpreting how we should conduct earthly worship in our corporate gatherings. Practice for Heaven looks at the role of music in the bible, the corporate consensus of what has been acceptable for public worship in the past, and why church music should look to heaven for creating music to aid the churches ongoing worship. Just as a musician practices his or her instrument, all of our worship--and all of our music in corporate worship--is essentially practice for heaven.
The Serious Business of Worship
Author: Melanie Ross
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2011-11-03
Total Pages: 413
ISBN-13: 0567006093
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe study of liturgy has received criticism from scholars and practitioners alike: the academic discipline of liturgiology has been compared to the hobby of stamp collection, and proponents for liturgical renewal argue that worship must be made more accessible and relevant. Bryan Spinks has been an important moderating voice in this discussion, reminding both academic and ecclesial communities that Christ is made known in the liturgical riches of the past as well as in contemporary forms of the present. Inspired by Spinks' work, this volume brings together biblical, historical, and theological scholars to discuss the theme of continuity and change in worship. Its historical range begins with the early church, extends through the Reformation, and concludes with a discussion of issues facing contemporary liturgical reform. In recognition of the fact that Professor Spinks' work has been widely influential in both Europe and the United States, the editors have solicited liturgical perspectives from scholars with international reputations on sides of the Atlantic.
The Drama of Preaching
Author: Eric B. Watkins
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Published: 2017-02-16
Total Pages: 275
ISBN-13: 1498278590
DOWNLOAD EBOOKPreaching is dramatic. Through it, we hear the voice of the living God as he speaks to us both through the reading and the preaching of the word of God. But where do the hearers of sermons fit into the drama? This book suggests ways in which the drama metaphor may help to address age old questions about the centrality of the gospel and the place of the hearer in preaching. As God in Christ is the central character in the biblical drama of redemption, he also calls hearers to understand their role in creatively, yet faithfully living according to the biblical script. Thus, no sermon is complete until God's redemptive work is powerfully proclaimed, and his people are instructed in how they too are participating in the Missio Dei. In this work, Hebrews 11 is employed as a means of showing how God not only reveals his redemptive work to his people, but also through them. As postmodernism sets the stage of contemporary preaching, The Drama of Preaching interacts with some of the particular challenges preachers face in engaging postmodern listeners, that they might not only be hearers, but doers of the preached word.
