An exploration of what worship looks like from a biblical standpoint and why the topic of worship can be so contentious among Christians. Because worship is inherently theological--because it's a manifestation of humanity's response to God's holiness--it's important to take seriously how we worship and the roles it serves in personal displays of adoration and in community with other believers. Exploring the Worship Spectrum provides an overview, critique, and celebration of six prominent worship styles: Formal-Liturgical – represented by Paul Zahl Traditional Hymn-Based – represented by Harold Best Contemporary Music-Driven – represented by Joe Horness Charismatic – represented by Don Williams Blended – represented by Robert Webber Emerging – represented by Sally Morgenthaler This unique format allows those with a heart for worship to compare different perspectives and draw their own conclusions on what the Bible teaches. It allows readers to understand the various approaches to worship, carefully evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and make personal choices without adopting a judgmental spirit. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

“What is at stake is authenticity. . . . Sooner or later Christians tire of public meetings that are profoundly inauthentic, regardless of how well (or poorly) arranged, directed, performed. We long to meet, corporately, with the living and majestic God and to offer him the praise that is his due.”—D. A. CarsonWorship is a hot topic, but the ways that Christians from different traditions view it vary greatly. What is worship? More important, what does it look like in action, both in our corporate gatherings and in our daily lives? These concerns—the blending of principle and practice—are what Worship by the Book addresses.Cutting through cultural clichés, D. A. Carson, Mark Ashton, Kent Hughes, and Timothy Keller explore, respectively:· Worship Under the Word· Following in Cranmer’s Footsteps· Free Church Worship: The Challenge of Freedom· Reformed Worship in the Global City “This is not a comprehensive theology of worship,” writes Carson. “Still less is it a sociological analysis of current trends or a minister’s manual chockfull of ‘how to’ instructions.” Rather, this book offers pastors, other congregational leaders, and seminary students a thought-provoking biblical theology of worship, followed by a look at how three very different traditions of churchmanship might move from this theological base to a better understanding of corporate worship. Running the gamut from biblical theology to historical assessment all the way to sample service sheets, Worship by the Book shows how local churches in diverse traditions can foster corporate worship that is God-honoring, Word-revering, heartfelt, and historically and culturally informed.

This accessible yet comprehensive primer explores the breadth of viewpoints on major issues in evangelical theology by examining positions taken by evangelicals on seventeen seminal issues. The second edition retains the helpful features of the first edition and adds an appendix that addresses thirteen peripheral issues in contemporary evangelicalism. Praise for the first edition "The authors do what no book on the market does: In one volume they faithfully present divergent views on the crucial issues that divide evangelicals, and they do so in an unbiased, succinct, and lively manner. This book is perfect as a supplemental text in an introductory theology course or as a manual for church study groups. It will help everyone arrive at his or her own conclusions within the parameters of the evangelical tradition."--Dennis Okholm, Azusa Pacific University "Across the Spectrum succeeds with distinction in at least two respects. First, it represents a very useful tool for those who wish to begin grappling with different approaches to difficult theological problems. The book will be most helpful to beginning students in evangelical theology, the target audience. Second, the work presents various perspectives in fair and unbiased tones. . . . If used with care, it will repeatedly reward the reader with its fair and even treatment of different theological views."--Nathan D. Holsteen, Bibliotheca Sacra "I've been waiting for this book for some time. Due to its brief, nontechnical format, it can be used in a variety of ways in undergraduate theology courses. Although a concise volume, it succinctly outlines multiple arguments, both pro and con, for (incredibly!) over two dozen issues in disputed, largely non-fundamental areas of doctrine. The professor can present positions in favor of particular views or leave the issues open. It's settled--I'm requiring it!"--Gary R. Habermas, Liberty University "A collective sigh of relief will arise from the evangelical student body when it discovers this book! It helpfully and critically surveys the many legitimate evangelical theological options and convincingly demonstrates that there is no single authentically evangelical viewpoint on a wide range of controversial issues. It constitutes a small library between two covers."--Roger E. Olson, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

A reexamination of the actual practice of worship that goes beyond the merely academic to provide a practical perspective through the eyes of the worship leader and the congregation. The most effective approach to worship is one that blends historical and traditional practices with contemporary elements. Worship Old and New is a scholarly, up-to-date, and thought-provoking resource for anyone serious about exploring worship and how to bring about a worship renewal in the church. Now reformatted and updated for an easier, more logical approach to worship theology, this revised edition is divided into four major sections, addressing: The biblical foundation of worship—found in the Old and New Testaments as well as the early Christian movement. The biblical theology of worship—how worship is an enactment of the Gospel. A brief history of worship—from ancient and medieval, to twentieth-century renewal. An overview of how worship is practiced—from content and structure, to the role of music and art. New information is incorporated into each section to give you a better grasp of the biblical themes of worship, a deeper understanding of Old Testament customs, and a solid grounding in modern-day renewal movements. This book is ideal for ministerial, classroom, and congregational settings.

EXPLORING WORSHIP is a 240-page textbook that gives worshipers a balanced theology of worship, and trains your worship team in the art of leading worship. This book covers all the bases, both devotional and practical. Equip them with one of the most comprehensive tools available today for worship leaders, musicians, songwriters, and singers. First written in 1986, Bob completely rewrote the book in 2018, producing this THIRD EDITION. This new edition is stronger than ever and relevant for today’s changing worship landscape. Used as a text internationally, Exploring Worship is a “must read” for worshipers. It lays a scriptural foundation for understanding what praise and worship really is, and then provides a practical framework for implementing praise and worship in the local church. This is one of the foremost worship texts used today by Bible Schools, Universities, and local church worship ministries.

While plenty of books related to the conversations as well as controversies surrounding the emergent church have surfaced in recent years, no comprehensive evangelical assessment of the movement has been published until now. Evangelicals Engaging Emergent draws from a broad spectrum of conservative evangelicalism to serve as a clear, informative, fair, and respectful guide for those desiring to know what “emergent” means, why it originated, where the movement is going, what issues concern emergent believers, and where they sometimes go wrong theologically. Among the dozen contributors are Norman Geisler (“A Postmodern View of Scripture”), Darrell Bock (“Emergent/Emerging Christologies”), Ed Stetzer (“The Emergent/Emerging Church: A Missiological Perspective”), and Daniel Akin (“The Emerging Church and Ethical Choices: The Corinthian Matrix”).

Contemporary! Traditional! Divisive words - particularly when referring to methods of worship. Unhappily, the whole controversy about worship styles has degenerated into arguments based on personal preference. Given the intensity of this worship controversy that is increasingly dividing professedly Bible-believing churches into distinctive camps, I have felt inclined to make my contribution to the concern. I am convinced that the Bible does establish clear guidelines for both what we are to believe (issues of faith) and what we are to practice (issues of obedience) and that this direction includes matters of worship. If there is any overriding biblical truth that must circumscribe every worship practice, it is that worship is all about God and not about us. There is little hope of worshipping in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord if we do not start with the Bible and stress what it stresses. The Beauty of Holiness is a guide to what the Bible says about the object, manner, and the heart of worship. We must never shy away from what the Bible says regardless of how out of sync with culture it seems to be. God’s Word not culture - whether modern or medieval - defines the way of worship.