Convergence Worship Model

The convergence model, which draws from a variety of traditions, exists in nearly every denomination. Liturgical churches that incorporate praise music can be regarded as convergence models. So too can praise-and-worship churches that incorporate liturgical resources. All traditions contribute in some way to convergence worship. Liturgical resources, as well as traditional Protestant resources, provide order and depth; creative resources heighten communication; the praise-and-worship resources, especially the music and the rites of healing, create a sense of the immediacy of the Spirit. This growing tradition has made a break with the cerebral, didactic style that has characterized worship since the Enlightenment. Instead, convergence strives to engage the whole person in worship: mind, body, and senses. The Basic Pattern Acts of Entrance are those elements of worship that bring us into the presence of the Lord. Entering into God's presence involves a slow but deliberate shift in fo…