Worship Library Essays & Blog
Explore over three hundred curated essays on the Christian year, ancient-future worship, sacramental practice, and sacred music.
History of the Church, Part 4: Defending the Faith
In the face of persecution, ignorance, and hostility, the Church needed to provide a stout defence of its practice and beliefs. The writers who provided this defense are somet…
History of the Church, Part 3: Challenges to the Early Church
From the beginning, the Church met with many challenges to its beliefs, both from within and without. First, the fledgling Church had to avoid being swallowed up by some of th…
A Worship Leader Must Be Someone Who Actually Leads Worship
A Worship Leader Must Be Someone Who Leads How do you lead worship? The Holy Spirit, as counselor and as guide, directs the worship through the worship leader. The leader acts…
History of the Church, Part 2: The Birth of Christianity
By the end of the first century, Christians had developed a clearly defined way of worshiping. The Church was growing fast and was becoming increasingly involved with the worl…
Planning a Hymn Festival
A hymn festival is a worship service devoted especially to congregational singing. It is a type of service especially well suited to the celebration of important events in the…
The Origin and Meaning of Sacred Actions
Sacred actions, however they may be named, have been significant in every worship tradition. This article examines the history and meaning of such actions as they have functio…
A Quick Overview of Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Trinity Sunday, a principal feast day in the church, is different from other principal days in that it does n…
History of the Church, Part 1: The Birth of Christianity
Encouraged by the teaching and example of the Apostles, the first Christians appointed bishops, presbyters, and deacons to govern their communities and ensure their developmen…
Seven Tips for Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost Sunday is both an end and a beginning. It’s not only the culmination of the season of Easter, it also represents the dawn of a new day in the life of the church. Jus…
Praise: The Prelude to Worship
The phrase “praise and worship” is frequently used by Christians, and yet these two words are rarely mentioned together in the Bible. Is there a distinction between praise and…
The Use of Biblical Songs
Biblical songs for corporate singing are to be found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The earliest recorded song is the Song of Moses Exodus 15:1–18 , and the last …
Engaging Children in Worship
Any program of worship education will need to have several areas of focus. The content of worship can be taught to children in some manner regardless of age. The preschooler e…
Ushering and the Art of Hospitality
Every art requires a special skill that gives it particular form and beauty, including the artistry called forth in the ministry of hospitality. All who come together in worsh…
The Rise of the New Pietism
What we identify as “celebration” today may be partly a reaction to the traditional movements of yesterday. Laypersons who are expected to take a larger part in worship may we…
An Overview of Worship in the Church of the Nazarene
Although rooted in the Holiness tradition, Nazarene worship has been influenced in its historical development by the revivalistic approach to worship. Revivalism has been dire…
What Was the Style of Ancient Israelite Music?
The crucial task in determining matters of style is one of identifying relationships that are found in available music and that can be shown also to have been present in music…
The Seven Styles of Morning Worship
Broadly speaking, the contemporary renewal of worship in the Western world can be classified as follows: (1) liturgical; (2) traditional Protestant; (3) creative; (4) charisma…
Ministry to the Sick
MINISTRY TO THE SICK Offering care and solace for those who are sick are essential ministries of every Christian pastor and of the whole Christian community. The sick need the…