Vertical Habits: Worship and Our Faith Vocabulary

Faithful speech is central to the Christian life. God is not just interested in having us contemplate him or appease him. God is interested in the dynamics of life together, shaped by good communication. Just as words form our habits in relationships with other people, the words of worship can form the habits of our relationship with God and way we live out our faith. Consider these eight parallels:

Featured Resources

Vertical Habits: Missional Churches at Worship
John D. Witvliet
video, audio, and outline of presentation to the Calvin Symposium on Worship

Vertical Habits: Relational Words That Expand Worship Language
feature story about worship and the habits of faith

The Vertical Habits Story
Betty Grit
article on the history of the Vertical Habits program

The Vertical Habits Story: Slideshow
Betty Grit
slideshow about the history of the Vertical Habits program

Vertical Habits: Practical Wisdom for Teaching Worship
panel of pastors, artists and educators

Additional Resources

Vertical Habits Partners and Resource Development Specialists
list of worshiping communities and resource specialists working on this theme

Worship in New Churches: Developing a Faith Vocabulary
feature story about worship and the habits of faith

Words to Grow Into (The Banner)
John D. Witvliet
Article about what toddler talk can teach us about Vertical Habits and authentic worship

Slideshow: Vertical Habits in the Visual Arts at Covenant Life Church
slideshow of how one church explored Vertical Habits during Lent

UpWords: Devotions for Lent
devotions on the theme of Vertical Habits from Third Christian Reformed Church

Related Links
Vertical Habits weblog devotions and artwork from Cornerstone CRC
Vertical Habits resources from Clifton Baptist Church