The Next Worship Quotes

“A church may be successfully multiethnic whether it changes the worship style or not, but the congregants may not feel fully ministered to. These congregants’ playlist and the church’s are completely different. On their own they pray in their own tongue and listen to podcasts of Christian teaching from their cultural context. They learn from the majority, but no one gets to learn from them.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“(Remember, multiethnic means 20 percent or more of the congregation is not from the majority group.)”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Intentionality about which style to use in worship is often missing. It seems many of us prefer a buffet rather than having a chef prepare a good meal and pair it with a perfect wine. When we have too many styles and too many leaders, we can cause confusion or indigestion.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Collaborative rotation is limited by the leadership at hand and their ability to not just mimic music but provide true worship leadership.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“This model requires musicians who are composers. As with the other models, it keeps the focus on the music, not the entire worship experience. This develops a façade that the worship is a new culture altogether, yet the liturgy and practices themselves are rooted in modern concert-and-sermon approaches.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Whatever our reasons for not sharing leadership, we have to examine ourselves. Ask the Lord what is keeping you from inviting the gifts and narratives of others into worship. Consult with a friend on how you are doing in this area. Repent if the reason is that you merely enjoy the spotlight. The application here is simple. Empty yourself and make space for other people to serve with their gifts.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“The fourth level of leadership begins as the first does; the worship leader selects the songs and assigns the person(s) to lead in singing them. The person is likely chosen not for his or her sound or style but for the ability to pastor and guide the moment (celebration, reflection, repentance). This person’s gifts will shine as he or she introduces the song via Scripture, words of exhortation or prayer. The singer shapes the form of the song and conducts the band from beginning to end. When the moment is finished, he or she passes leadership back to the worship leader (maybe with a nod).”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Hospitality. “We welcome you.” Inclusive worship services for underrepresented. Solidarity. “We stand with you.” Prayer and song that affirm unity around major events in community and world. Mutuality. “We need you.” Being led by one another.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) We stand with one another, as communities and individuals, in lament that leads to hope. We rejoice with one another when we see glimpses of the power of the gospel transforming situations. In solidarity we hope for this coming reality:”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“It therefore should not surprise us that “members of the minority racial group in a congregation were significantly less likely to feel a sense of belonging, to have close friends in the congregations.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Sarita, like most of us, was looking for a place where hospitality is experienced in worship.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Some leaders within multiethnic church-plant movements seem to believe that the goal is to gather all in the same room. They believe the ultimate reflection of diversity is a church with all cultures at one table. If this is true, then pragmatically most of what we do in worship would be aimed at meeting that goal.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Crosscultural worship is just what it sounds like: we are crossing over (a bridge) to another way of doing things, which creatures of habit rarely like to do. As Spencer Perkins, the late reconciliation leader and coauthor of More Than Equals, used to say, “Bridge building hurts!”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“What do you mean by normal ?” I asked. “You know, normal worship, regular worship,” he said and went on to describe contemporary Christian singers and movements that were all white.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“Jesus is the Savior of all people; every culture has gifts, and he welcomes their treasure as ways to honor and glorify him.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World

“As people of faith in a multiethnic world, we must all practice the discipline of anthropology, which studies the development of human culture at the level of beliefs and behavior.”
― Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World