An Introduction to Disrupting Worship
Disrupting Worship is a set of conversations about the future of gathered worship. Lockdown and the Coronavirus pandemic offer us an unprecedented opportunity to pause, reflect, and reshape what it looks like to meet and engage with God, the world and another.
Hosts Rev Grace Sentamu Baverstock and Sam Hargreaves are joined by guests from varied backgrounds and experiences of gathered worship - church leaders, worship leaders, theologians, songwriters and more.
Stream the episodes directly from this website, or via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other Podcast providers.
Each episode has its own page - click for more information including any relevant links and a set of reflection questions for personal or group use.
Listen now:
2.5 Noel Robinson
In this episode, Grace and Sam are catching up with Noel Robinson, a songwriter, worship leader and producer. Besides talking about his recent projects, Noel unpacks a phrase that he sensed as God’s word for this pandemic season: ‘Control-Alt-Delete’ - a reset for the body of Christ. Throughout the conversation, Noel’s passion for the church and his wisdom from 20+ years of worship ministry shine through. An episode not to be missed! Links and reflection questions can be found on engageworship.org/disrupting-worship.
2.4 Bethan Newman, Lucie Shuker: Youth & Worship
Bethan Newman (Youth For Christ) and Lucie Shuker (Youthscape) provide the latest research as well as practical tips on how to (re)build a post-pandemic youth ministry which goes beyond just entertainment. The conversation covers Zoom fatigue, family relationships, evangelism, creativity and many other topics. Not to be missed! As ever, Links and reflection questions can be found on engageworship.org/disrupting-worship.
2.3 Kate Middleton: Worship and Mental Health
What does it look like to lead a church in the aftermath of lockdown where many people are dealing with cognitive fatigue, PTSD and prolonged high levels of stress caused by uncertainty and a loss of routine? In this episode, Sam and Grace talk to Kate Middleton, a psychologist, church leader and director of the Mind and Soul Foundation.
Kate offers psychological backgrounds to the common experience that many of us are going through (did you know there is a ‘tip-of-the-tongue-syndrome’?) and provides simple tools of how to respond to these challenges.
2.2 Jay Kim: Analog Church
What does it mean to be an analog church in a digital age? In this episode we speak to Jay Kim about the balancing act that many churches currently find themselves in: Is ‘digital church’ here to stay? And if it is, will it eventually replace the physical ‘analog church’? Should it?
Jay is a pastor at Westgate Church in Silicon Valley, California and has recently released his book ‘Analog Church’. Reflection questions for each episode can be found on engageworship.org.
2.1 Grace Sentamu Baverstock, Sam Hargreaves and Timo Scharnowski: Season 2 Intro
We’re back! In this episode, Grace, Sam and Timo are picking up the conversation about worship, the pandemic, and the future of the church. Timo tells us about his ‘Disrupting Worship Stories’ project and we get a little taster of some of the great episodes that are coming in this new season of the podcast. As in Season 1, reflection questions to each episode can be found on engageworship.org/disrupting-worship.
1.6 Karen Campbell: Multicultural Disruption
Rev Karen Campbell chats to Grace and Sam about God disrupting worship in the Bible, and how the disruption of today is bringing down cultural barriers in her local church's worship. She brings her experiences as an ethnomusicologist, missionary and theologian to her current role of Pastor at Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, a multicultural city church.
1.5 Jeremy Williams, Sara Hargreaves: Outdoor Worship
In this conversation with engageworship leader Sara and writer and activist Jeremy Williams, we are exploring a different way of worshipping which ‘disrupts’ our conventions and helps us to engage with a God-filled world.
1.4 Geraldine and Carey Luce, Gemma and Timo Scharnowski: Song & Story
In this episode, Grace and Sam talk to songwriters and worship leaders Geraldine and Carey Luce as well as Gemma and Timo Scharnowski about the role of sung worship during the pandemic. What impact will it have on our songs? What is so special about music anyway? What on earth can we learn from ‘Og of Bashan’?
1.3 Andy Flannagan: Hurt & Honesty
In this episode, Grace and Sam talk to Andy Flannagan (Songwriter, Worship Leader, Director at Christians in Politics) about rediscovering lament in our private lives as well as in our gathered worship.
1.2 Hannah Hodges, Peter Phillips: Embracing Disruption
Hannah Hodges (Nexus ICA, worship leader) and Peter Phillips (Centre for Digital Theology, Premier Digital) chat with Grace Sentamu Baverstock and Sam Hargreaves about embracing the opportunities of disruption for the future of gathered worship.
1.1 Grace Sentamu Baverstock and Sam Hargreaves
Grace and Sam have a chat about where the idea for this podcast came from, what is on their hearts for the future of worship and what you can expect from future conversations.
