We are living in a time when worship has become a distinct priority for the Christian community. For years the church has emphasized evangelism, teaching, fellowship, missions, and service while neglecting the very source of its power--worship. Recently, however, many churches are experiencing a Spirit-led renewal in their understanding and practice of the praise and worship of God.
"Rediscovering the Missing Jewel" is a small-group course of study designed around thirteen easy-to-understand sessions. Part One, "The Biblical foundations of Christian Worship, " explores worship in two sessions--one for the Old Testament and one for the New. Part Two, "Worship from the Time of the Early Church through the Nineteenth Century, " consists of six sessions that trace important developments from Justin Martyr to the congregations of African-American slaves in North America. Along the way, sessions are devoted to Eastern Orthodox, medieval Catholic, Reformation, and Protestant free church worship. Part Three, "Worship Renewal in the Twentieth Century, " traces strands of Christian experience that directly influenced worship in many congregations today: Pentecostalism and the charismatic renewal, liturgical renewal stemming from Vatican II, the "praise and worship" movement, and a more recent approach that deliberately blends newer and older elements of the Christian worship tradition.