What is worship? Biblically-speaking, worship might mean a lot of things: a celebration of God and his glory, a display of reverence and awe, an act of humility or prostration before our Creator. But what does this look like today? And do churches of today—of any tradition or denomination—really worship in a way that's biblical? Called to Worship is a deep dive into what worship means in the Bible. Vernon Whaley—Dean of the school of music at Liberty University—investigates each individual book of Scripture to uncover the tapestry of instruction and insight into God's idea of worship. With this book, you'll learn: How to see through the comfort zones of the modern church's worship rituals and routines. The biblical principles of worship and why understanding these principles is essential in our discipleship and important to our creator. How the life of Christ serves as a living guide to worship throughout the entire Bible and the history of Christianity. The Bible describes a rich history of Yahweh worship—offered first by the hosts of heaven in eternity past, and then by mankind, from Creation to present day. This book is a call to understand and participate in that richness.

IS HOW WE WORSHIP TRULY BIBLICAL? There's only one way to find out: see what the Bible has to say. And that's exactly what Called to Worship is all about. From Genesis to Revelation, every book in the Scriptures gives instruction and insight into God's plan for worship. With this book, you'll learn from Biblical heroes and ordinary people. Compare Old and New Testament practices. Glean insight from Biblical poetry and the Books of Wisdom. And most important, you'll see how the life of Christ serves as a living guide to worship. "A must read book for every student of worship, Vernon M. Whaley has completed a monumental task gathering the principles, processes and practices of worship drawn from scriptural narratives spanning the entire Bible." --Charles E. Fromm, Ph.D., Publisher of Worship Leader Magazine "Called To Worship is the most comprehensive book on Worship I've ever read. The depth of scriptures on Worship is incredible." --Dr. Ricky Skaggs, Bluegrass Musician and Worshiper of Jesus Christ

“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.

The bestselling author of Christ-Centered Preaching provides a useful and accessible resource that traces the history of Christian worship and calls contemporary congregations to gospel faithfulness.

Modern worship leaders are restless. They have inherited a model of leadership that equates leading worship with being a rock star. But leading worship is more than a performance, it's about shaping souls and making disciples. Every worship leader is really a pastor. The Worship Pastor is a practical and biblical introduction to this essential pastoral role. Filled with engaging, illustrative stories it is organized to address questions of theory and practice, striving to balance conversational accessibility with informed instruction. Part One presents a series of evocative "vignettes"--intriguing and descriptive titles and metaphors of who a Worship Pastor is and what he or she does. It shows the Worship Pastor as Church-Lover, Disciple Maker, Corporate Mystic, and Doxological Philosopher. Part Two covers specific roles related to ministry within the worship service itself--the Worship Pastor as Theological Dietician, Caregiver, Mortician, Emotional Shepherd, War General, Prophetic Guardian, Missional Historian, and Liturgical Architect. Part Three looks at ministry beyond the worship service--the Worship Pastor as Visionary Teacher, Evangelist, Artist Chaplain, and Team Leader. While some worship leaders are eager to embrace their pastoral role, many are lost and confused or lack the resources of time or money to figure out what this role looks like. Pastor Zac Hicks gives us a clear guide to leading worship, one that takes the pastoral call seriously.

Nothing is more essential than knowing how to worship the God who created us. This book focuses readers on the essentials of God-honoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in a way that works in the real world. The author, a pastor and noted songwriter, skillfully instructs pastors, musicians, and church leaders so that they can root their congregational worship in unchanging scriptural principles, not divisive cultural trends. Bob Kauflin covers a variety of topics such as the devastating effects of worshiping the wrong things, how to base our worship on God's self-revelation rather than our assumptions, the fuel of worship, the community of worship, and the ways that eternity's worship should affect our earthly worship. Appropriate for Christians from varied backgrounds and for various denominations, this book will bring a vital perspective to what readers think they understand about praising God.

In this prophetic call to the contemporary church, pastor Mark Labberton redefines Christian worship in the language of justice. He calls us away from individualized worship and into worshiping communities that give expression to righteousness, justice and compassion.