This volume brings together an ecumenical team of scholars to present key theological concepts related to worship to help readers articulate their own theology of worship. Contributors explore the history of theology's impact on worship practices across the Christian tradition, highlighting themes such as creation, pneumatology, sanctification, and mission. The book includes introductions by N. T. Wright and Nicholas Wolterstorff. A forthcoming volume will address the historical foundations of worship.
This volume brings together an ecumenical team of scholars to offer a historical overview of how worship developed. The book first orients readers to the common core elements the global church shares in the history and development of worship theology and historical practice. It then introduces the major streams of worship practice: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant, including Reformation traditions, evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism. The book includes introductions by John Witvliet and Nicholas Wolterstorff. A previous volume addressed the theological foundations of worship.
Christian Worship deals with the importance of the Word and sacrament in a time when congregations are questioning the form and relevance of worship. Does it matter what happens in worship? What is the motivation for worship? Can more than one generation worship together? Commissioned by the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), this volume suggests that the answers to these and other questions have always been available in the rich treasury of the Church's theology. That treasury need only be reexamined in light of contemporary faith to provide renewal and a sense of vitality to worship.
Beyond sound equipment and music charts, eleven noted worship leaders from around the United States write about the ministerial part of their work as it relates to the gospel, mission, disciple-making, liturgy, the Trinity, justice, creativity, family, and more.
Providing structure for thinking seriously about worship as a part of Christian faith and experience, Foundations of Christian Worship addresses the question, what is Christian worship and why do Christians worship as they do? Beginning with an overview of the theological, biblical, historical, and anthropological foundations of Christian worship, Susan J. White then turns to discussing its components--prayer, creeds, music, time, ritual, and art. Later, she delves into the nourishment of the Christian life and the major worship events throughout the human life cycle. Finally, she discusses contemporary challenges to Christian worship and concludes with case studies for further exploration. With helpful appendixes and a glossary of liturgical terms, Susan White's Foundations of Christian Worship is an excellent primer for seminary students and ministers early in their careers.
Here, a team of award-winning teaching scholars has come together to create an introductory text that offers a truly unique and innovative contribution to the discipline of theological studies. This "first book" provides students of any religious tradition with the foundational skills, vocabulary, conceptual understanding, and research abilities that they need to succeed in theology and religious studies. Theological Foundationsprovides the following: Ten chapters that introduce the major sub-disciplines of theology creating a well-rounded source for understanding the discipline as a whole Contributions that are clear, accessible, and steeped in content A strong basis for vigorous intellectual and personal exploration of life and our relation to God Flexibility that allows the instructor to assign readings in any order that fits his or her syllabus A one-of-a-kind, integrated library research component, "From the Reference Librarian," which teaches students the foundational skills needed for successful study in theology and in any academic discipline
In one systematic volume, James Montgomery Boice provides a readable overview of Christian theology. With scholarly rigor and a pastor's heart, Boice carefully opens the topics of the nature of God, the person and work of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit in justification and sanctification, and ecclesiology and eschatology. This updated edition includes a foreword by Philip Ryken and a section-by-section study guide.
Why cell church? Is it because David Cho's church, the largest church in the history of Christianity, is a cell church? Is it because someone said the number twelve will bring blessings and growth? Is it because cell church is the strategy that many "great" churches are using? Ralph Neighbour repeatedly says, "Theology must breed methodology." This book sets forth the biblical theology for cell based ministry. Without biblical truth, we don't have a firm under-pinning upon which we can hang our ministry and philosophy. On the other hand, we can plod through most anything when we know that God is stirring us to behave biblically. Cell church is not the latest, greatest church growth strategy. If it were, it would simply be a passing fad until the next hotter, more relevant strategy comes along. In fact, in many places around the world, cell church transforms the church through a purification process. Church growth is slow but cell church helps Christ's church go deeper. Joel Comiskey has been studying the cell church movement since 1991 and has discovered that the cell church strategy doesn't produce rapid growth in itself. God reserves growth for himself. He wants to receive the glory for all church growth. The first section of this book covers the Trinity, the model for all small group community. The good news is that the Trinity works within believers to mold and shape them into his image. This section explores God's emphasis on the family, starting from Genesis, Christ's formation of a new family, and then the early church's focus on family. Comiskey believes that family is the principal image of the church in Scripture. The last chapter in this section explains Jesus and his kingdom and more specifically how Jesus trained his disciples to evangelism through home-based outreach. Section two reveals how the early church met in homes. It explores what they did in those home meetings, the size of the house churches, and how home evangelism took place through ancient oikos relationships. Comiskey looks at how New Testament leadership developed naturally through the house church structure and how the early church connected the house churches into celebration gatherings (large group meetings). The last section applies all eight chapters to the church today. This last section draws out the New Testament insights that are applicable to the 21st century church.
Pastors and others who lead Christian worship want to offer worship that is truthful and hopeful. They yearn to create worship that involves and includes everyone in their midst. To develop new approaches to planning, so that their worship can reflect and respond to the realities of the community. To create worship for the church that is becoming. A Worship Workbook introduces crucial and under-examined liturgical and social concepts for students and leaders of worship. Each chapter offers a brief lesson, teaching new skills and inspiring creativity for honest, faithful, and versatile worship leadership.
This work addresses worship themes developed in both the Old and New Testaments in four separate parts: an introduction to worship in the Bible, focusing on both the Hebrew tradition and the primitive Christian Church; a survey of the history and institutions of Biblical Worship, specifically the Tabernacle, the Synagogue, and the New Testament Church; the Biblical role of festivals in worship; music and the arts in worship.
