Books
The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services
Second Edition Recently Released
Used as a required text by more than 160 institutions of higher learning worldwide (graduate and undergraduate) representing more than 40 denominations. Available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Indonesian.
There are many books available on the topic of worship today, but few provide a comprehensive, practical method for worship design. In The Worship Architect, worship professor and practitioner Constance Cherry offers worship leaders a blueprint for designing worship services that foster meaningful conversation with God and the gathered community.
Professors and students in worship courses will appreciate the book’s thorough and systematic approach, while pastors, church leaders, and worship planning teams will value its practical guidance on structuring a worship service.
“Cherry shows us that pastoral theology and the practice of theology is never an ‘either-or’ but always a ‘both-and.’ Let’s follow her lead and rediscover the unity that exists between the two.”
– Robert E. Webber, author of Ancient-Future Worship“Many books about corporate worship focus on style and technique, neglecting theological substance. Others are substantive but neglect the vital role that stylistic choices and approaches to planning have in the week-in, week-out life of congregations. Cherry approaches her task by inviting us all to make regular border crossings between theory and practice. The result is a book well suited to promote the lifelong learning needed for any effective ministry leader.”
– John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary
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Also available in Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, and Spanish
The Special Service Worship Architect: Blueprints for Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms, Holy Communion, and Other Occasions
A sequel to The Worship Architect (Baker Academic, 2010), The Special Service Worship Architect applies the foundational worship principles found in the first book to the special occasions for worship common among many Protestant worshipers.
The book begins with an introduction to the concepts and terminology of church rituals in general as practiced for centuries. Then a chapter is dedicated to each of these occasions, emphasizing that each one is a type of corporate worship experience.
The chapters include:
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The Christian wedding
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The Funeral Service
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Holy Baptism (both believer’s and infant)
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Holy Communion
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The Foot Washing Service and Love Feast
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The Healing Service
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The Child Dedication Service (and three alternative rites)?
The book concludes with a chapter that guides the reader in creating services related to any other special occasion appropriate for a service of worship.
“This book is much like Constance Cherry herself: a wonderful combination of a theologian’s wisdom, a pastor’s sensitivity, and an artist’s creativity. All worship planners—musical or pastoral—will benefit from it.” – Lester Ruth, Duke Divinity School
“Some of the most profound pastoral and prophetic moments in church life happen during occasions of significant transition and change. This book provides a vision for thinking about these and other occasions that draws deeply on a biblically shaped imagination, wisdom from historic practices, and concern to respond in contextually appropriate ways to specific circumstances. Pastors and worship leaders who read this book may well learn to think of these occasional services as events not on the periphery of their ministries but rather at the center of them. – John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary
The Music Architect: Blueprints for Engaging Worshipers in Song
This third book in the Worship Architect series completes a trilogy of thought related to worship leadership in the church. Published by Baker Academic, this book offers solid theological underpinnings and practical advice for all leaders who have any responsibility for any aspect of music in worship including pastors, musicians, media techies, other artists, etc.
The Music Architect chapters include:
- Becoming a Pastoral Musician
- God-Focused Song
- Music’s Role in Worship
- Selecting Songs for the Movements of Worship
- Evaluating Worship Music
- Maximizing Shorter Song Forms
- Maximizing Longer Song Forms
- Discovering the Congregation’s Worship Voice
- Leading Congregational Song
- Helping Worshipers to Engage through Singing
- Forming Disciples through Song
- Pursuing Spiritual Leadership through Excellence?
“What I love about this book is the clarity of thought it brings to its subject. Written with wisdom and grace, The Music Architectwill energize and equip those who seek to lead their congregations with intelligent authenticity week by week in truly Christian Worship.” – Graham Kendrick, well-known worship leader and songwriter
“Few can match Cherry’s education, experience, and ecumenical perspective. The Music Architect situates the selection of music for worship in the broader context of being a pastoral musician who makes musical decisions with pastoral sensitivity and theological integrity as well as musical skill and insight.” – C. Michael Hawn, University Distinguished Professor of Church Music and Director of the Sacred Music Program, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
Selecting Worship Songs: A Guide for Leaders
By Constance Cherry, Mary M. Brown, and Christopher T. Bounds
Wesleyan Publishing House, Fishers, Indiana, 2011.
Also available in e-book.
Also available in Chinese and Indonesian
Selecting songs for worship is one of the most important things that worship leaders do, because we are formed by the songs we sing. Today, more than ever, worship leaders have a wide range of choices. On what basis will we make our selections? The popularity of the song? The worship leader’s favorite? The request of a parishioner? The hottest worship band on tour?
Selecting Worship Songs: A Guide for Leaders was co-authored by three Indiana Wesleyan University professors: a theologian, a poet, and a musician. It provides clergy and musicians with an objective method to use for determining the quality of any song while considering three aspects: theology, lyrics, and music. A rubric is presented, along with detailed explanation, which provides criteria for judging the viability of any worship song for one’s context. Numerical values are given for various categories within each of the three areas of consideration. It’s a great way to establish a conversation among leaders, helping them to arrive at consensus for good choices.
“As a minister of music and mentor to young worship leaders, I have found that Selecting Worship Songs: A Guide for Leaders is a practical and meaningful tool for opening up conversation on a wide range of topics that need to be discussed when choosing songs for worship. The number of likes on YouTube or the CCLI ranking cannot be our only rubric for what makes a song suitable for worship in the church. I have seen firsthand the wheels of thought turn and stretch as a result of taking teams through this book.” – Jeremy Rose, DWS, Director of Worship and the Arts, Lake Avenue Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA
Worship Like Jesus: A Guide for Every Follower
By Constance Cherry
Perfect for Small Group Studies
Worship in local churches has changed dramatically over the past fifty years, not only in North America but in many places on every continent. Have these widespread and varying shifts left us with vague or even false impressions of what the weekly worship event is all about? Do followers of Jesus Christ grasp the importance of their role in worship? Do they know how to become fully engaged participants? Do they realize Jesus himself is our best guide and model for worship?
Worship Like Jesus guides Christ-followers through the essential features of Christian worship, transforming the reader’s understanding and experience of worship. This leads people—even entire congregations—to experience worship in exciting and profound ways as never before. This type of worship also leads people into deeper and more committed discipleship. Imagine a community of fully engaged, deeply committed disciples!
Revered author and scholar Constance Cherry offers this practical and foundational resource for ministry leaders and their worship communities.
Each chapter follows the same helpful structure:
- Introduction
- Description of the chapter topic and its importance
- Discovery of Jesus’s own practice
- Deliberation or reflection on how Jesus’s model makes a difference
- Determination—readers consider how their worship will be shaped as a result of this chapter; includes questions for reflection
- Prayer
At the end of each chapter, an exercise is suggested to help people take a practical step toward greater participation and engagement. This book is for every layperson who truly desires to become an active, devoted worshiper of the triune God.
“Worship Like Jesus is not just for musicians and worship leaders! Worship Like Jesus is appropriate for all followers of Christ, regardless of age, culture, denomination, perceived spiritual maturity, or experience in leading worship. In fact, I can only imagine how fruitful it would be for all people to take this book to heart. The seeming simplicity and brevity of this book is deceptive; each chapter feels like a rare treasure in the conversation of Christian worship. Stirring discussion questions and challenges to personal reflection and action help people apply content to everyday life. In our church, Worship Like Jesus cultivated powerful conversations regarding worship and Christian discipleship.” – Valerie Grissom, DWS Worship Pastor, Calvin Presbyterian Church – Shoreline, WA; Vice Chair for InterGenerate
