Updated Worship Sourcebook Available Soon

Update (April 8, 2013). The new Worship Sourcebook has been published and is now available for order.

Faith Alive Christian Resources, the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Baker Book House will soon release an updated version of the popular, interdenominational Worship Sourcebook.

Faith Alive Christian Resources is the publishing ministry of the Christian Reformed Church.

First published several years ago, this edition of the sourcebook features a singificant portion -- about 40 percent -- of new and updated material.

Set for publication on April 13 and available for order now, the book is geared especially for those churches that consider themselves to be Reformed and evangelical and yet have not necessarily focused on use of liturgy in their services.

Here is a little history.

Following the time of Martin Luther and John Calvin, there had been a European tradition of liturgical-based worship for most evangelical and many Reformed and Presbyterian congregations.

But when these groups came to North America, they resisted for various reasons, including the influence of the Puritans, the use of formal service books and set liturgies.

But in recent years, according to the prologue of the updated book, there have been "remarkable changes in the practice of worship." This has meant that many congregations have been looking for new ways and materials that honor the rich history of the church and yet are appropriate for modern worship.

The Worship Sourcebook seeks to address this need.

“This book is something of a unique experiment. It is designed to be used by Christians who value free-church, low-church, non-liturgical, evangelical approaches to worship but also want to learn from and draw on historic patterns of worship," says the prologue.

The second edition of The Worship Sourcebook contains more than 2,500 prayers, litanies, and spoken texts that can be used in worship services throughout the church year.

Changes in this edition include:

• a new section to "Prayers of the People"
• updates to resources drawn from the NIV, the Reformed confessions, and other contemporary texts
• a new appendix featuring "Worshiping the Triune God" adopted by the World Communion of Reformed Churches
• hundreds of new and replacement prayers and other readings for worship.

The resource is for anyone, but especially helpful for worship planners and pastors looking for texts that can be read aloud as well as worship outlines that can be adapted for local church situations.

Teaching notes offer guidance for planning each element of the service. Perspectives on the meaning and purpose of worship are offered for discussion and reflection.

Though designed to be ecumenical within the Reformed and Presbyterian traditions, the book is helpful in denominations beyond those traditions.

In a review of the book posted on amazon.com, one reader says: “I am frankly amazed that this resource is available at its price, and I am happy to recommend this to anyone involved in planning Sunday worship for any church in the Presbyterian and Reformed worship tradition.”

A companion CD contains the entire text of the book for easy cutting and pasting into bulletins, PowerPoint slides, orders of worship, and more.