Ran across this article (via Jordon Cooper) and thought it served as an interesting jumping off point … Here are some of the most thought-provoking points:

1) Worship is planned and led by a team. Various kinds of expertise are represented, including such areas as music, the arts, theology, philosophy literature, poetry, graphic design, and audio and video technology. Ordained persons may or may not be in the team.

3) The arts, including painting, sculpture, graphics, poetry, drama, dance and movement are used extensively to provide non-discursive, nonlinear expressions of thoughts and feelings.

4) Language is a key issue. Emphasis is given to “real” experiences and words; rote , “churchy” language is meaningless.

5) Worship is not over defined or prescribed. Spontaneity is important. Multiple interpretations are expected. Meanings are found not anticipated by the planners.

7) The worship space and time are usually not traditional. Part of the worship experience includes creating a sacred time and space, sometimes in an intentionally profane setting.

10) Suffering– personal, social, and environmental– is acknowledged as a critical part of reality.

11) There is a self-conscious awareness that new forms of worship are needed during epochal change. Christians talk of a “second reformation.” Jews seek an expression that is more than survival.

13) There is a sincere appreciation of diversity of age, gender, race, economic status, religious background or lack, sexual orientation, ethnicity. All human experience is valid.

15) Worship grows out of and creates community.

16) God is experienced as radical transcendence and radical immanence. All three members of the Trinity are given equal importance in Christian worship.

17) Preaching and teaching and texts of songs, hymns and rituals may be classically “orthodox.” An “ancient-future” connection between postmodern and premodern traditions may be felt and explored.

18) There is not a need to judge or condemn other faiths.

19)Worship includes an opportunity to connect personally with the “spiritual” through silent and directed meditation, silence, music, the arts, etc.

20) Real, actual experience — of the individual and of the group– is always paramount. Conceptual or theoretical descriptions are suspect.