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What is worship renewal?

Worship renewal cannot be reduced to a formula or generated by a set of techniques. We invite you to prayerful consideration of the dynamics or hallmarks of worship renewal, which we continue to learn about from congregations:

• Worship renewal is not something that human ingenuity or creativity can produce or engineer, but is a gift of God’s Spirit. Renewal is a gift for which we pray, rather than an accomplishment we achieve.
• Worship renewal mines the riches of scripture and leads worshipers to deeper encounters with God and the message of the gospel.
• Worship renewal arises out of and leads to the full, conscious, and active participation of all worshipers—young and old, the powerless and powerful, newcomers and lifelong worshipers.
• Worship renewal leads a congregation beyond itself, to give itself away to minister to the needs of the local community and the world.
• Worship renewal happens best in healthy congregations, which are marked by honesty, integrity, unity, and pastoral concern for each worshiper.

Pastoral worship leaders who yearn for renewal begin by asking thoughtful questions about the purpose and meaning of worship before addressing the style or mechanics of worship. A worship committee, a board, pastoral staff, or worship team might begin by asking questions such as:

• How can we help our congregation to pray more honestly and deeply through the words we speak and the music that we sing together?
• How can we proclaim the gospel message more meaningfully through preaching, music, and the arts?
• How can we practice Christian hospitality in worship more intentionally?
• How can we celebrate baptism and the Lord’s Supper in more profound and significant ways?
• What practices will form our congregation more richly in the contours of the Christian faith?
• How can we improve patterns of communication among worship leaders and between our leaders and all members of the congregation?

These questions will eventually lead to suggestions regarding worship practices and style, but they begin by probing deeper issues about worship.