Resources for Emergent Worship

Emergent worship often fuses modern with ancient practices, appealing to the senses.

Emergent worship in Christian practice refers to emerging styles and methods of Christian worship. Not associated with a particular denomination, theology or country, emergent worship involves recently surfacing trends. Although it is often associated with a younger demographic, it is not dependent on one generational expression of Christian faith. The term "emergent worship" has appeared since the late 20th century and is often used synonymously with "alternative worship" and occasionally with "postmodern worship."

Liturgy

Emergent, or "alternative," liturgical tools are important resources for pastors, church leaders and worshipers who want to implement emergent worship practices in their congregations. Often multi-sensory or sacramental in nature, these liturgical resources include contemplative prayer station ideas, Eucharistic liturgies, creative implementation of pop culture -- such as one church's "U2-charist" -- and sacramental use of the arts. Emergent worship liturgies fuse cultural interests with classical structures such as the church calendar and study of the saints.

Conferences

Since the turn of the millennium, with the spike of interest in emergent worship studies, emergent worship conferences have increased in popularity. Featuring speakers who represent leaders in the movement, emergent worship conferences highlight workshops, books and liturgical ideas that equip local church leaders. Vineyard churches are popular hosts for emergent worship conferences, though many other sponsors also remain active, including denominations and seminaries.

Seminaries

Church leaders interested in emergent worship can benefit from studies and workshops presented by seminaries. Sometimes funded by the Lilly Endowment or other nonprofit organizations, some seminaries seek to stay ahead of the curve through funded research, sabbaticals that allow faculty to write books on the subject, student theses and dissertations, and international student bodies that promote cross-fertilization of global worship trends. Special seminary lectures, presentations and seminars are valuable resources for understanding, observation, anticipation of trends and ideas for implementation.

Books and Blogs

Emergent worship authorities include writers Brian McLaren and Shane Claiborne, and scholar N.T. Wright, a few of the authors who represent popular and scholarly consideration of emergent worship and its significance for the next century of Christian worship worldwide. Blogs like "Emergent Village" provide forums for discussion, event notification, ideas and reflection on the recent popularity of emerging worship trends. Sometimes, these resources are labeled according to influences on emerging worship trends, such as Taize worship, Iona community worship and postmodern worship.

References

• Creative Prayer: Contemplative Prayer Stations
• Vineyard USA: National Leadership Conference; 2011
• Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center: Arts and Worship
• United Theological Seminary: Encountering God through Emerging Worship
• Gathering in Light: Emerging Church Resources -- A Beginner's Reference Guide
• Emergent Village: 2011 Events

Resources

• Amazon: "Alternative Worship: Resources from and for the Emerging Church"
• Amazon: "The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations"
• Amazon: "Sacred Space: A Hands-On Guide to Creating Multi-Sensory Worship Experiences"
• Amazon: "Redesigning Worship"