The authorised service book of the Baptist Church in England and Wales contains complete service outlines for holy communion, weddings, funerals, presentation of infants, adult baptism and much more. Introductions to the origins and significance of the rites are included. A CD version is to follow for use with Powerpoint and other media.

In this addition to the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series, Matt Merker explores the biblical understanding of corporate worship as an activity where God gathers the church by his grace, unto his glory, for their mutual good, and before the world's gaze.

A study of theological reflection and the nature of worship, from a Free Church tradition. Provides extensive extracts from historical writings in Free Church spirituality. Offers an original contribution to the history of Christian worship, the history of Free Church and Evangelical spirituality.

Kimball guides church leaders on how to create alternative services from start to finish in a very conversational narrative full of anecdotes about his own experiences at Graceland.

At the start of the gay rights movement in 1969, evangelicalism's leading voices cast a vision for gay people who turn to Jesus. It was C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Schaeffer and John Stott who were among the most respected leaders within theologically orthodox Protestantism. We see with them a positive pastoral approach toward gay people, an approach that viewed homosexuality as a fallen condition experienced by some Christians who needed care more than cure. With the birth and rise of the ex-gay movement, the focus shifted from care to cure. As a result, there are an estimated 700,000 people alive today who underwent conversion therapy in the United States alone. Many of these patients were treated by faith-based, testimony-driven parachurch ministries centered on the ex-gay script. Despite the best of intentions, the movement ended with very troubling results. Yet the ex-gay movement died not because it had the wrong sex ethic. It died because it was founded on a practice that diminished the beauty of the gospel. Yet even after the closure of the ex-gay umbrella organization Exodus International in 2013, the ex-gay script continues to walk about as the undead among us, pressuring people like me to say, "I used to be gay, but I'm not gay anymore. Now I'm just same-sex attracted." For orthodox Christians, the way forward is a path back to where we were forty years ago. It is time again to focus with our Neo-Evangelical fathers on care--not cure--for our non-straight sisters and brothers who are living lives of costly obedience to Jesus. With warmth and humor as well as original research, Still Time to Care will chart the path forward for our churches and ministries in providing care. It will provide guidance for the gay person who hears the gospel and finds themselves smitten by the life-giving call of Jesus. Woven throughout the book will be Richard Lovelace’s 1978 call for a "double repentance" in which gay Christians repent of their homosexual sins and the church repents of its homophobia--putting on display for all the power of the gospel.

“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.

Help your church community engage with God through authentic, life-changing worship From Dr. Jon Duncan, Music and Worship Specialist, Georgia Baptist Convention, Atlanta, Georgia: Holy Gatherings is an effective worship education tool that should be on the shelf of every serious worship planner-leader. There are plenty of theological and theoretical discourses on the subject of worship. This work stands apart as it not only deals effectively with the "why" of worship; it serves well as a "how to" field manual that never erodes biblical footing. The result is a relevant work which will strengthen and deepen worship engagement among God's people. From Ron Willoughby, Lecturer in Contemporary Christian Studies, Cliff College, University of Manchester, UK: Finally! A clear, accessible primer on worship leadership. This book rescues worship leadership from the trap of performance-based crowd pleasing and the clutches of sterile worship models. Do yourself a favor: buy this book. Read it. Highlight it. Put it into practice. From Dirce Cooper, International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, Worship Leadership Training, CUBA: Beginning with a solid foundation of a biblical understanding of worship, the authors offer practical steps to the designing and leading of corporate worship. Throughout the pathway, probing questions engage the reader in the pursuit of transformative worship. The combined experiences and distinct perspectives of a skillful musician/worship leader and a seasoned theologian/pastor have resulted in a treasure of insights that will serve worship teams as well as serious worship students around the world. From Graham Smith, Director of the Church Music Department, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board: What a blessing to have Dr. Argile Smith and Dr. Michael Sharp combine their many gifts from our Lord, which blest by the Holy Spirit, give such synergy to this much needed book on the highest priority of the human spirit---the worship of our Creator-God! We have needed such a defining book among worshippers and worship leaders for some time. Here, by the grace of God, is a gift from Him to us through these two worshippers and worship leaders! From Will McRaney, Ph.D, Director of Evangelism Strategy, Florida Baptist Convention: As scholars, practitioners, and local churchmen, Argile Smith and Michael Sharp have served us well by providing a great resource to help us worship God and lead others to worship God in both spirit and truth. You will be both inspired and informed by the work of their vast collective experience.