Ebook
This book enables worship leaders to skillfully guide spiritual novices, skeptics, and Christian veterans to the grace embedded in the timeless liturgy. Offering winsome worship hospitality, these pages provide seasoned wisdom, often in the form of pithy introductions (Adams calls these "frames") that alert worshipers to the character and purpose of various service elements. Readers get the tools to create their own frames, informed by the church of all ages, and customized to their congregation and neighborhood. This book will serve well anyone who wants to increase their missional worship IQ.
"Kevin Adams writes with great richness, passion, and verve.
Above all, he writes with enormous Christian wisdom. Every
Christian worshiper should read this book."
--Cornelius Plantinga, former president, Calvin Theological
Seminary, author of Not the Way It's Supposed to Be
"Kevin Adams has written a gem of a book: one that renewed my love
of the church, increased my respect for its imperfect-but-dedicated
leaders, and bolstered my confidence in our ability to worship
together across lines of significant difference. I laughed, winced
in recognition, or nodded my head in agreement on every page. The
Gospel in a Handshake should be required reading--not only for
worship teams and pastors, but also the congregations that they
serve."
--Melanie C. Ross, Associate Professor of Liturgical Studies, Yale
Divinity School
"Kevin Adams is a veteran participant, observer, and professor of
worship. If you find yourself desiring a fresh vision for worship
and are kicking the tires of liturgy, sacrament, and the church
calendar, you will find The Gospel in a Handshake a winning and
winsome guide."
--Todd Hunter, founding bishop, The Diocese of Churches for the
Sake of Others
"Kevin Adams' wisdom is dispersed in these short but sweet letters
to worship ministry leaders, both young and old alike. He brings
encouragement, knowledge, and hope with a perfect balance of
theology and pastoral advice in this book."
--Angie Hong, worship leader, speaker, writer, urban
liturgist
"Kevin Adams is a 'master carpenter' when it comes to the use of
'framing words' to help strengthen the worship life of any church.
. . . The Gospel in a Handshake is a rich resource that will help
build up a church and provide counsel to those called to lead and
guide the worship mission ministry of the church."
--Jul Medenblik, President, Calvin Theological Seminary
"Worship is a public act--it is a corporate response to the public
truth that Jesus is Lord. But many elements of Christian worship
will seem strange to the new believer or those curious about Jesus.
With clear wisdom and conversational warmth, Adams helps Christians
understand and explain how worship is itself a way that we bear
witness to the kingdom of God in the world around us."
--Glenn Packiam, Associate Senior Pastor, New Life Church, author
of Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands
of Jesus
"Kevin Adams is like a seasoned sherpa who provides essential
expertise and deep understanding of how to lead others in worship.
This book of liturgical catechesis is a map for moving forward, an
indispensable guide to finding our way in worship."
--Tim Blackmon, Chaplain, Wheaton College
Kevin J. Adams is the author of 150: Finding Your Story in
the Psalms and The Book That Understands You. Kevin and
his wife Gerry Ann planted Granite Springs Church, a congregation
that has helped inspire a movement of church planting in the
Sacramento area. He serves as senior pastor, as a Program Affiliate
at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, and as an adjunct
professor in university and seminary settings.