Worship with Gladness: Understanding Worship from the Heart (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW))

In this invitingly written, deeply joyful book, Joyce Ann Zimmerman makes Scripture her foundation as she explores the meaning and purpose of authentic Christian worship today. Intended for Christian communities across the denominational spectrum,Worship with Gladness will appeal to a wide audience of pastors, worship leaders, college students, and lay readers.Zimmerman discusses such subjects as the common elements of worship that transcend denominational boundaries, what Scripture tells us about participating in worship, and how authentic worship expresses itself in daily living. Each section concludes with thoughtful prompts that will encourage readers to reflect on and apply what Zimmerman discusses. Throughout the book she encourages readers not only to better understand worship but to better understand -- and rejoice in -- the One we worship. Review Theology Today "Zimmerman is a Roman catholic with a deep understanding of Protestant worship, and an academic scholar with a clear love for congregations and practitioners. Her pastoral and ecumenical sensibilities are among the book's great strengths."John F. Baldovin, S.J. - Boston College "Anyone who is searching for a way to understand the worship that really goes on in our churches - and how our worship can be improved - would do well to consult this book. Filled with Joyce Ann Zimmerman's characteristic insight, commitment, and passion, this volume is meant not only to be read but to be used by Christian communities who want to gain a deeper engagement with God, each other, and their worship."Jill Crainshaw - Wake Forest School of Divinity "Invites readers to reflect on worship's deepest meanings, meanings that go beyond matters of worship style and cut across denominational lines. . . . Zimmerman challenges us to consider again how worship stirs up and renews our baptismal identities as people who long for encounters with our Creator and who seek to live Spirit-filled, gospel-shaped lives."William Dyrness - Fuller Theological Seminary "For those looking for an accessible and ecumenically sensitive discussion of worship, this is the book they have been looking for. Zimmerman provides a wonderfully clear picture of what all Christians share in worship and how they can think together about their worship. The book's special value is its lay focus and its ability to make complex issues understandable, even engaging. . . . Perfect for a church study group."C. Michael Hawn - Perkins School of Theology "Exuding biblical truth, theological insight, and historical understanding, Joyce Ann Zimmerman guides us through the rich mystery of the gathered body of Christ. This book is the product of a seasoned writer and worshiper who knows how to be accessible without being simplistic."Martha Moore-Keish - Columbia Theological Seminary "Transdenominational, practical, and irenic. . . . Zimmerman offers a clear portrait of the complexity of worship in the current North American context and opens a path to reenvision worship that is rooted in baptism, inspired by Scripture, and full of gladness. Useful for worship leaders, worship committees, and students of all kinds."James Abbington - Candler School of Theology "Unapologetically Catholic and unabashedly ecumenical. . . . Through biblically based, historically informed, and theologically rooted insights and wisdom, Zimmerman clearly defines worship and its constitutive elements. . . . A must-read for clergy, laity, worship leaders, church musicians, and any serious student of worship!"Lamplighter "A sincere attempt to draw us into a more intimate relationship with God through our worship rituals, and liturgical worship in particular. It addresses strategies to renew and embrace the regeneration found at the baptismal font and carry that with us through worship and out into our world to share with and encourage others. . . . I would recommend this book."T