What We’re Learning About Young People and Worship at Animate: Themes from Our Findings
Teenagers are not just the Church of the future—they are the Church of right now. And we need to hear their perspectives. This is part three of a five-part series on our learning about young people at Animate. Based on our research with teenagers at Animate, the theme that consistently stood out in our learning was the teenage worshiper’s near-universal delight in experiencing liturgical difference as well as worship practices that were new or foreign to them.
Healthy Congregational Worship – is Timely and Timeless
Continuing our Worship Check-up series, Jonathan Rodgers explores the challenge of making worship both timely and timeless. Drawing upon biblical wisdom, we must learn from the past and the worship practices of our predecessors while addressing the present needs of our congregations as they gather for corporate worship.
Our Already and Not-Yet Advent
Amidst the busyness of the Christmas season, let's explore the real-world Advent that speaks to our souls year-round. Advent, with its countercultural message, invites us to embrace the world as it is and be present while waiting patiently in hope.
Redeeming Wood and Wounds: Worship Through Woodworking
As a longtime worship pastor with a passion for woodworking, Michael Adler believes that imperfections can be transformed into something beautiful. Every piece of wood in the hands of a carpenter—regardless of its size, shape, and flaws—has unique character and value because of those irregularities. Similarly, our own wounds can be viewed as exceptional features that, once entrusted to God, can become beautiful symbols of redemption for his glory.
What We’re Learning About Young People and Worship at Animate: What Our Research Study Looked Like
Teenagers are not just the Church of the future—they are the Church of right now. And we need to hear their perspectives. This is part two of a five-part series on our learning about young people at Animate. If you missed part one, you can find it here. Last summer at Samford while Animate 2023 was taking place, a team of four researchers conducted focus groups and informational interviews with almost all our teenage participants to better assess their liturgical curiosity, formation, and experience of difference through the worship of Animate.
Coming Home to Diverse Worship Practices – A Fuller Picture of the Glory of God
As a Samford senior majoring in music and minoring in biblical studies, Libby Criswell reflects on her experience serving as an Animate student staff member, and how she found a deeper understanding of how diverse worship practices can come together to create a fuller picture of the glory of the Lord.
What We’re Learning About Young People and Worship at Animate: What is Animate Again?
Teenagers are not just the Church of the future—they are the Church of right now. And we need to hear their perspectives. Animate, our flagship program, is the place where we most fully embody our mission to engage intergenerational and artistic worship practices. In summer 2023, we set out on a qualitative research study with Animate participants to better assess their liturgical curiosity, formation, and experience of difference through the worship of Animate. Today we start a new blog series on our learning about young people at Animate.
