Deus Misereatur

Story-Shaped Worship: Following Patterns From the Bible and History   Robbie F. Castleman IVP Academic (imprint of InterVarsity Press) PO Box 1400 Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 www.ivpress.com Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-0-8308-3964-3; $16.00 Reviewed for Deus Misereatur by: Rev. Dr. Michael Philliber Foundational Formularies - 4 Stars out of 5      In my experience, after years of sitting in the pew and now years of standing in the pulpit, many people have given little thought to the "why, wherefore, and how come" of Christian worship. If there is any gauge by which to decipher the rightness or wrongness of any worship service, it is usually a subjective, "Was I blessed" or "I really felt like it encouraged me" kind of decoder ring. That's what makes "Story-Shaped Worship" by John Brown University associate professor of biblical studies and theology, Robbie F. Castleman, an important resource. This easily readable, 224 page paperba...

{Tonight's Pastoral prayer. Feel free to use it in your church and in your personal prayer time - Mike} Adoration and Intercession:  One of the blessings and benefits of our being made sons and daughters of God through Jesus’ redemptive work and the Spirit’s filling, is that we have an open door to unburden our concerns into the care of our Father, as the Psalmist writes; “Cast your burdens on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Ps. 55.22). Lord God, the Almighty, you are firm, resolute and unwavering in Your goodness, love and justice, for which we raise our hearts and hands and voices in thanksgiving! We gather up our prayers and offer them to you through our high Priest, Jesus Christ. We voice our grave alarms at the turmoil in our world, especially in Egypt and Syria; and then we glance across our own national border and hear how brutal and vicious drug cartels are. Give peace in our time, O God, give peace. And bring the dru...