Gathered before God: Worship-Centered Church Renewal

by Jane Rogers Vann

What is the central purpose of the church today? How can churches experience renewal through worship? In Gathered before God , Jane Rogers Vann answers these important questions by studying ten vibrant small, medium, and large churches. Her findings, she argues, show that worship is the most important thing churches do and is vital to the renewal of congregational life. Vann explores how these congregations changed into worship-centered churches and how their experiences can help other churches do the same. Gathered before God offers resources for pastors, worship leaders, and Christian educators to reflect on their worship, leading to an openness to change and processes to help church leaders support each other during the periods of reform and renewal. Moving beyond the "contemporary versus traditional debate," Gathered before God is an earnest call for us all to reclaim worship as a central act of our life together as Christians that expresses clearly what the church believes about God, itself, and the world.

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2004

Reviews

[Ryan Dufoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were a Presbyterian or were suggesting this book to one, I would have given 5 stars. Vann does an excellent job urging lay people, worship and church leaders alike to inspire and be transformed by worship renewal in churches, but as someone who has never regularly attended a Presbyterian Church, I felt a little like an outsider. She starts frequent statements with "Most churches start their service with...", and finishes them with something I've never seen in a church I've regularly attended.

That being said, her education background comes through in a strong, helpful way. Her models of learning, embodying, and asking questions are helpful to people in any denomination, and I especially loved the last few chapters, one about missions and ministry, and the other about leadership.

This definitely didn't turn out to be the book I expected, but it was a very helpful, encouraging, deep book about worship that opened my eyes to new goals, strategies, spiritual disciplines, and ideas that I may not have found without.

I would suggest this book to pastors or high level volunteers, but it will probably be too dense for most lay people.

[Katie Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vann gets a bit lost in the weightiness of other educational theories, but all-in-all it's a great book with an eye-opening message to churches. It's also a good tool for new church developments...what to avoid as you grow your new church.