Corporate Worship in the Reformed Tradition


Book Description

Identifying and evaluating the characteristics of the Reformed tradition in worship, this book surveys the history of worship in the Reformed tradition from the sixteenth century to the present time. "Worship" in this book indicates a focus on the regular Lord's Day worship, services of preaching and Holy Communion, with some reference to weekday worship. The changing balance of function in public worship, whether evangelistic, educational, or expressive is explored, as well as the "felt" self concerns of the local congregation and the shared heritage with the church catholic. The author believes that worship is but one aspect of the life of religious service and must be seen in relation to the total ministry of a religious community. He attempts to interpret the Reformed tradition as expressing the prophetic, personalist religion of revelation. Non-theological factors-political, sociological, cultural-are also viewed as essential ingredients in the equation. The structure of the book is chronological, beginning with the formation of the Reformation liturgies and tracing these patterns through the phases of Puritanism, evangelicalism, rationalism, and romanticism. Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anabaptism are compared and explored, but the central theme is the worship of the Reformed churches of the Continent, and the major denominations of the English-speaking world seen ecumenically. The author shows that through the changing forms of its corporate praise, the Reformed tradition has been distinctively Biblical and personal. The worship of these churches has been an expression of a highly verbal, emotionally disciplined, intellectually critical mentality. "The Reformed," he claims, "have always laid chief weight on what is now most crucial, the actualization of fully responsible personal existence before God." This understanding of the history of Reformed worship points up the factors and dimensions to be considered today.




Worship by the Book


Book Description

“What is at stake is authenticity. . . . Sooner or later Christians tire of public meetings that are profoundly inauthentic, regardless of how well (or poorly) arranged, directed, performed. We long to meet, corporately, with the living and majestic God and to offer him the praise that is his due.”—D. A. CarsonWorship is a hot topic, but the ways that Christians from different traditions view it vary greatly. What is worship? More important, what does it look like in action, both in our corporate gatherings and in our daily lives? These concerns—the blending of principle and practice—are what Worship by the Book addresses.Cutting through cultural clichés, D. A. Carson, Mark Ashton, Kent Hughes, and Timothy Keller explore, respectively:· Worship Under the Word· Following in Cranmer’s Footsteps· Free Church Worship: The Challenge of Freedom· Reformed Worship in the Global City “This is not a comprehensive theology of worship,” writes Carson. “Still less is it a sociological analysis of current trends or a minister’s manual chockfull of ‘how to’ instructions.” Rather, this book offers pastors, other congregational leaders, and seminary students a thought-provoking biblical theology of worship, followed by a look at how three very different traditions of churchmanship might move from this theological base to a better understanding of corporate worship. Running the gamut from biblical theology to historical assessment all the way to sample service sheets, Worship by the Book shows how local churches in diverse traditions can foster corporate worship that is God-honoring, Word-revering, heartfelt, and historically and culturally informed.




Worship


Book Description

Hughes Oliphant Old masterfully summarizes the worship of Israel and the early church and traces the development of worship through the period of the Reformation. He provides a sterling historical study that will be highly useful for pastors and church study groups as well as for scholars and students interested in Reformed worship. An extensive bibliography of resources for the study of Reformed worship adds to the value of this book.




The Worship Sourcebook


Book Description

The Worship Sourcebook is a collection of more than 2,500 prayers, litanies, and spoken texts for every element of traditional worship services held throughout the seasons of the church year. This indispensable resource for worship planners and pastors includes texts that can be read aloud as well as outlines that can be adapted for your situation. Teaching notes offer guidance for planning each element of the service. Thought-provoking perspectives on the meaning and purpose of worship help stimulate discussion and reflection. This second edition includes new and revised liturgies, additional prayers for challenging situations facing today's church, and new appendices.




Reformation Worship


Book Description

Worship is the right, fitting, and delightful response of moral beings—angelic and human—to God the Creator, Redeemer, and Consummator, for who he is as one eternal God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and for what he has done in creation and redemption, and for what he will do in the coming consummation, to whom be all praise ...




Engaging with God


Book Description

Through careful exegesis in both Old and New Testaments, David Peterson unveils the total life-orientation of worship that is found in Scripture. Rather than determining for ourselves how we should worship, we, his people, are called to engage with God on the terms he proposes and in the way he alone makes possible.




Lifting Hearts to the Lord


Book Description

Bringing together a rich range of primary sources -- images, liturgies, sermons, letters, eyewitness accounts, and Genevan consistory records -- this book examines worship as it was taught and practiced in John Calvin's Geneva. Several of these primary sources are translated into English for the first time, offering new resources for studying Calvin and his context. Karin Maag uses Geneva as a case study for investigating the theology and practice of worship in the Reformation era. Covering the period from 1541 to 1564, the year of Calvin's death, Lifting Hearts to the Lord captures both Calvin's signal contribution to Reformation worship and the voices of ordinary Genevans as they navigated -- and debated, even fought about -- the changes in worship resulting from the Reformation.







Christ-Centered Worship


Book Description

The bestselling author of Christ-Centered Preaching provides a useful and accessible resource that traces the history of Christian worship and calls contemporary congregations to gospel faithfulness.




Gravity and Gladness


Book Description

This DVD and study guide will help believers journey toward a better understanding of how seriousness and happiness blend in godly worship. Perfect for Bible studies and community groups.