Beyond the Worship Wars: Building Vital and Faithful Worship

Almost every congregation in North America experiences tension over worship. Many congregations have been participating in a renaissance of worship, reclaiming worship forms that have served the church for centuries. Yet in today's radically changed cultural environment, many people in our society do not understand liturgical worship; thus, the church must find language, music, themes, and images that speak to unchurched, spiritually seeking people. How have churches responded to this collision of forces?

In this book, the author addresses these issues by looking at a wide range of "third way" congregations and discusses nine characteristics of the ways they worship: Experiencing mystery; practicing hospitality; recovering a sense of drama; emphasizing excellence, eclectic music; creatively adapting worship spaces; connecting worship and local mission; developing a repertoire of worship responses; moving the close of worship toward a joyous festival; and employing strong, charismatic pastors - all of which make for vital and faithful worship.