Reviews
“Deeply personal, wise, and practical, this book by Debra and Ron Rienstra provides trustworthy guidance to all who seek to employ faithful and energized language in worship. Their insights on the words of prayers, hymns, and sermons move us from the chatty excesses of much worship today to language that is lively, crisp, inviting, profound, and full of wonder.”
–Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
“I keep only classic worship books on my shelves. Worship Words will be there, assuming I ever get it back from my worship musician friends. Who knew! Music isn’t everything!”
–Sally Morgenthaler, author, Worship Evangelism
“In an age when well-chosen words can be misinterpreted as inauthentic, Worship Words makes a dramatic case for the opposite. Followers of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, need to be attentive to the words used in worship. Theological and practical insights work hand in hand in this volume as it shatters the myth about the powerlessness of our words. See and hear the possibilities for well-chosen worship words in a text that is itself a fine example of verbal craftsmanship.”
–Lester Ruth, Lily May Jarvis Professor of Christian Worship, Asbury Theological Seminary
“This book is an extraordinarily rich treasure chest of new insights, the best of research, and time-tested wisdom. Because of the unusual combination of their brilliant literary, musical, and theological gifts, the Rienstras offer phenomenal contributions to all of us who care about the church’s worship. I most heartily recommend this book to everyone who seeks to glorify God fittingly.”
–Marva Dawn, author of Reaching Out without Dumbing Down, A Royal “Waste” of Time, and Talking the Walk
“What a stretching book full of rich ideas and thoughtful challenges to all of us who design worship experiences! I will put Worship Words in a spot on my bookshelf where it can be reached easily and used often as a resource for my own thinking and planning and to remind me of the profound significance of the language we use to call people to worship, to sing praise and lament, and to offer prayers to a holy and sovereign God. I am deeply grateful for the wisdom, experience, and research shared with us by the Rienstras.”
–Nancy Beach, executive vice president for the arts, Willow Creek Association teaching pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
“In Worship Words, the Rienstras present an elegantly written and masterful study of words that will assist the 21st century Christian worship leader. Learning how to use words meaningfully in worship is vitally important, and the Rienstras bring fresh, clarifying, practical insight to that endeavor.”
–Charles E. Fromm, publisher, Worship Leader magazine, Song Discovery, and Worshiper
“Debra and Ron Rienstra carefully articulate the importance of words used in a worship setting, and the effects our preaching and song language have on our congregations and our faith. . . . After the first page or two, you will be pulled in by a deep conviction to watch what you say, or sing. . . . Designed for teams, complete with exercises for both worship leaders and pastors, as well as exercises to be done in worship, this book gives what many of us lack in our daily life: space and time for discussion and wrestling with the text. Discussions on metaphors, descriptive language, naming God, gender language, Trinitarian worship, and tradition are a few of the topics in this rich resource. There is no way that it can be read, or should be read in one sitting. With love and care, [the authors] challenge the leadership in the Church to be accountable for the words they choose, their biblical faithfulness, and to think deeply about the historical and societal implications of these words. By drawing upon theology, history and modern worship trends, the Rienstras present a thorough dissection of the words used in worship and their unending importance to the body of believers.”
–Worship Leader