Worship: Beyond the Hymnbook: A Communication Specialist Looks at Worship

What is worship? Are the things we do in worship mere ritual, or do they have meaning? Why do we do these things, anyway? Worship is one of our most important acts, and it serves several purposes. In worship, we honor the God who has done so much for us. We communicate to him that we are on his side. We educate our children, leading them into a deeper relationship with Jesus. And we communicate to Satan that we're on God's side, for worship is both an act of solidarity and an act of war. But how best to communicate in worship? Traditional singing is often simply a transition to another part of the service, and for some worshippers, the songs' very familiarity can be deadening. Into this context of familiarity comes contemporary worship with guitars and drums--as well as the new life found in new appreciation for a contemporary understanding of God. New music spawns renewal of our excitement, our appreciation of our relationship with Jesus, and our involvement in his program. We can no longer sit, heads down, as we read old thoughts in old hymnals. He is alive, and so are we. ""In Worship, Kraft calls us to a higher standard of worship, one which we as leaders in the church need to take note. Serving God's church for the past nineteen years in the worship leader role, I am no stranger to many of the issues he tackles head on, and whether you have been serving ninety years or today is your first day; read, wrestle with, and digest this book. It will surely serve you well as you serve God's people."" --Thomas Hale, Pastor for Worship, Arts & Technical Advancement, Pasadena Covenant Church, Pasadena, CA ""Worship is vintage Kraft! His penetrating analysis of worship drawing on cultural approaches and communication principles gives us a rich resource for going deeper in our relationship with God and what we do in church services. From issues in 'hijacking worship' to worship as relationship that is formal, informal, or deceitful, Chuck Kraft stimulates us to get beyond the hymnbook in his engaging, inimitable way."" --Roberta R. King, Associate Professor of Communication and Ethnomusicology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA Charles H. Kraft is Professor Emeritus at Fuller Seminary after forty-one years as Professor of Intercultural Communication. He has taught anthropology, communication, contextualization, and spiritual warfare to missionaries and prospective missionaries, in addition to serving as a missionary in Nigeria. He holds degrees from Wheaton College (BA), Ashland Theological Seminary (BD), and Hartford Seminary Foundation (PhD) and is the author of thirty-two books and numerous articles in his fields of expertise.