Elyse FitzpatrickDid you attend church on Sunday? If so, you’re part of an increasingly rare minority. In fact, fewer people regularly attend church now than at any time in American history. Why is this? What follows is a testimony—a confession—of my five decades...
Casey BedellG. K. Chesterton claimed he never discussed anything except politics and religion stating there was nothing else to discuss. By this, he meant these two topics compass the whole of human activity and thought. I believed that valuing religion and...
JoAnna HoytSaint Photini, so named in the Orthodox tradition, was an especially blessed woman. You may know her simply as “the woman at the well” from John 4. Her story tends to be remembered for two reasons: her shockingly high number of marriages, and Jesus’...
Ryan LyttonWhat is the role of the Holy Spirit in worship? I often tell my students that my default answer to theological questions is, “It’s more complicated than you think.” A guiding framework for me in that regard is Gregory the Great, who describes the...
Zac HicksA “doxology,” etymologically speaking, is “a word of glory.” It is an eruptive statement of praise to the God who is worthy of all glory-words, and more.
Mary Jahnke“Is this worship?” That’s not a thought I expected to have nearing the end of my first 15K race, but there it was. As I watched seagulls soaring overhead and one foot fell in front of the other, my reasoning went like this:...
Katie FrenchI heard the word “discipleship” frequently growing up. My Bible teachers and pastors spoke on this topic, explaining how it bolsters the Christian life. However, not until recently did I hear the related phrase “spiritual formation.”...
Christmas hymns spring to mind as freely as coffee flows on a Sunday morning, but Thanksgiving worship songs can be harder to come by . . . Here are 24 to consider as you invite your congregation to “sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises...
Jennifer GrishamWhat’s the first part of your church’s worship services? Chances are, it’s a call to worship—even if your church doesn’t actually refer to it as a call to worship. What is a call to worship? Simply put, a call to worship is the beginning of a...
Logos StaffChristian worship is big business. From Christian radio stations to massive international tours to the entire Christian recording industry, worship is no longer confined within church walls; it has a global reach. But what does Scripture teach us...
In this webinar, hear from worship leaders Shane & Shane who discuss their process of writing worship songs and the centrality of Scripture as well as how their ministry, the Worship Initiative, resources the Church. Head to faithlife.com/live...
Bible Study MagazineChris looked around the room full of pastors, ministry directors, and administrators, offered thanks and a winsome smile, and began to speak. He wore a t-shirt that read: “Dis·a·bled /ˌdisˈāb(ə)ld/ adjective: equally human.” A second-year seminary...
Paul describes the Christian life as the process of “being transformed into the same image [of Christ] from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18). There is an upward and downward reading of this text. One reading will transform and the other...
Christmas is just a few weeks away, and that means it’s the season for carols and Christmas hymns. We compiled this list by identifying the most-used songs in Proclaim last December, plus a few more that thematically fit well (covering themes of the...
Matthew BoffeyReleased this year by Passion, “Whole Heart” is an anthem about Jesus’s love for us and our hope in Him. It was recorded live at the Passion Conference this January in Atlanta, with more than 30,000 college students in attendance. There are so many...
Andre KazadayevPlanning a Christmas service can be overwhelming—especially when Christmas is less than a month away. God’s Word, prayer, and theological convictions should shape the way you plan your Christmas services, but there are practical considerations as...
Shane Barnard and Shane Everett—better known as the popular worship duo Shane & Shane—have spent a lot of time in the Psalms lately. Their latest album, Psalms II, is the result of a close study of the Psalter. I sat down with the guys, and...
Over the last decade, media has played a more prevalent role in the church than ever before. And it shows no sign of slowing down. By media, I mean everything from websites and worship presentations, to bulletins and podcasts. That flyer your...
Naomi DevinySound checks can be an area of contention and, let’s face it, frustration. Let’s take back our sound checks and transform them into a time of honoring God and each other. Here are three ways you can improve your sound-check experience: 1. Come...
Ryan Nelson“Worship” is a broad term. But all too often, the worship team is perceived as a band. Praising Jesus with our voices is a powerful way to glorify and connect with God—but a worship team is so much more than that. The body of Christ is...
Taylor BlomquistThe thorn in the side of every sound engineer and worship leader is dealing with their worship center’s terrible acoustics. Many of us worship in old buildings, cathedrals, town halls, cellars, garages, and who knows where else. What we do know is...
Ray Deck IIIEvery week—sometimes two or three times a service—we speak directly to the king of the universe while the congregation listens in. That’s a tall order, and it should probably scare us a little more than it does. Thankfully, Jesus set an...
If your ministry and livelihood depend on your ability to speak or sing on a regular basis, it only makes sense to take special care of your voice. Here’s how to go about keeping your larynx in prime condition. Protect your instrument You...
J. D. Greear is the lead pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC, and the author of several books, including Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart. We had a few minutes to chat with him about how they approach worship at The Summit Church...
A worship leader juggles a lot of responsibilities on Sunday mornings. Between choosing songs, putting together presentations, arranging music, managing teams, and traversing the actual worship experience, effective leaders need to deliver in many...
So, you want to be a worship pastor. You want to lead people to the throne of heaven and get paid for it. People do make a living that way. It’s possible. Let’s talk about how to do it. Serve where you are Worship leaders lead worship...
The latest album and tour from liturgical post-rock artist Gungor has been far from conventional. In a recent interview with Relevant Magazine, group frontman Michael Gungor explained the group’s decision to subdivide their artistic efforts...