Worship come to its senses

Book Description

In a time when many find their worship experiences lacking depth and authenticity, Don E. Saliers offers a profound exploration of what makes Christian worship both meaningful and transformative. This thoughtful examination reveals how congregational gatherings can become genuine encounters with the divine rather than empty rituals.

Saliers identifies four essential "senses" of God that should permeate authentic worship: awe, delight, truth, and hope. Through this framework, he addresses a pressing concern facing modern churches across denominational lines. Whether in traditional or contemporary settings, high church or low church environments, many worshipers find themselves yearning for something more substantial than what their current liturgical experiences provide.

The author argues that qualities like wonderment, surprise, truthfulness, and expectancy have become diminished in today's worship practices, yet these elements remain vital to both spiritual life and meaningful liturgy. Rather than accepting this spiritual emptiness, Saliers demonstrates how congregations can rediscover these foundational aspects of worship.

Drawing connections between Scripture, baptism, and communion, this work shows how these central Christian practices can shape authentic faith that extends beyond Sunday services into daily living. Saliers recognizes the deep human longing for genuine communion with God and provides practical insights for worship leaders and congregants seeking to cultivate more profound spiritual experiences.

This accessible guide offers hope for revitalizing worship in ways that honor both tradition and contemporary spiritual needs.