Customer Reviews

Dynamic Worship: Mission, Grace, Praise, and Power

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Kennon Callahan is a former parish pastor, former professor at Emory University, and current church consultant/author. "Dynamic Worship" builds off his previous book, "12 Keys to an Effective Church;" specifically, it fleshes out the third key--dynamic worship. It should be noted that one does not need to read "12 Keys to an Effective Church" in order to understand "Dynamic Worship."

In this book, Callahan argues that churches would do well to recognize that their congregation exists in a mission culture and thus worship services should speak to feelings that unbelievers and believers have in common: hope for the future, help for life's pains, a feeling of community, making sense of life, and God's power/majesty. By concentrating on addressing these subjective emotional longings in an aesthetically pleasing way (while also advancing denominational doctrine), believers will be energized and encouraged to go forth in mission and unbelievers will be served effectively.

The majority of this book gives the reader practical advice for creating such a worship service and the rationale behind it. Much of Callahan's advice is good and this traditional, conservative pastor appreciated the fact that Callahan argues that traditional music in a worship service can be just as effective as praise-band or gospel music.

While this book is certainly not intended to advance a theology of worship, Callahan's theological assumptions bleed through; some of them are helpful for a church leader who is interested in growing the mission of the church, but the underlying assumptions that worship should begin from the standpoint of emotional needs, that it should be primarily uplifting and powerful, and that it should be focused on sanctified (righteous) living as opposed to the person and work of Jesus Christ (justification, forgiveness) challenges this reader's assumptions about worship and (as of this writing) do not prove to be helpful challenges. Furthermore, Callahan uncharacteristically fills this book with fuzzy, amorphous words like "hope," "Easter people," and "dynamic" without ever explaining what these words mean. How does a song or sermon express hope? How does an Easter Christian differ from a Good Friday person (who, in turn differs from a Pentecost season person)? How does one go about determining whether or not his worship service is dynamic...whatever dynamic means. How does one design and execute a worship service to reach a specific unchurched target group? Some objective definitions, criteria, and measuring tools would have made this book more helpful and less confusing.

This is not to say that this book is not worth the time it takes to read it. Callahan approaches worship from a unique, holistic perspective (based on the previously cited book), bases his book on research and anecdotal trail-and-error consulting, and continually reminds the reader of his main points. If you're considering this as your first Kennon Callahan book, I would advise you not to base your opinion on his body of work off "Dynamic Worship" alone. This book is mildly recommended as I'm sure there are better worship books out there, but it force the reader to ask himself a number of critical questions about the design and execution of worship services.

A short and to-the point presentation of critical factors in planning for successful worship services in protestant churches of all sizes. Written by a consultant in this area who knows congregations, churches, and people.