Worship and Mission After Christendom

by Alan Kreider

Today, as Christendom weakens, worship and mission are poised to reunite after centuries of separation. But this requires the church to rethink both “mission” and “worship.” In post-Christendom mission, God is the main actor and God calls all Christians to participate. In post-Christendom worship, the church tells and celebrates the story of God, enabling members to live in hope and attract outsiders to its many tables of hospitality. In this passionate and thoughtful study, Alan Kreider and Eleanor Kreider draw upon missiology, liturgiology, biblical studies, church history, and the vast experience of today’s global Christian church-to say nothing of their long tenure as teachers and writers in contemporary England and the United States. Academically responsible but also practical and accessible, Worship and Mission After Christendom is a much-needed guide for people who take seriously God’s call to be the church in a world where institutional religion is no longer taken for granted.

Genres: Theology, Church

328 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

Reviews

[Alan Stucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan and Eleanor Kreider's new book that draws on worship and mission in the early church to gain insights for what church can/should/will be in the changing religious landscape as Christendom comes to an end. So far, it's fantastic. Although, anything by these authors is pretty much fantastic.

[Jacqueline Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Informative. Extremely helpful for my paper on missions and worship as necessary to and informing one another. Glad I read it, but it had a bit too much repetition for my taste.

[Sagely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I opened this book first and foremost for the "after Christendom" portion of the title. I'm involved in a conversation in my denomination about how we are to be and do church in post-Christendom.

While the Kreiders didn't disappoint in their overview of the shifts between pre-Christendom, Christendom, and post-Christendom (their scholarship was up to snuff), I appreciated far more Worship and Mission After Christendom for its reflections on the interplay of worship and mission, especially in a global perspective.

This book is well worth a read to anyone involved in shaping the worship habits of a Christian community.

[James Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has some incredible moments of clarity and beauty in what they try to put across.

However it's repetitive, dull and cliched in the argument it puts across.

It's right to combine worship and mission and it's right to question how we make out acts and life of worship match up.

[Dan McCosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read about the liturgy of the early church and the impact of the end of Christendom. Practical chapters on how the church needs to consider if it is to be disciples for Christ. I recommend to anyone interested in what we need to do to spread the kingdom of God.