In our first episode of this new season of the Worship/Theology podcast, called Kids in the Mix, Dr. Jeremy Perigo dialogues with Rev. Dr. Nelson Cowan on key ideas from his new book, Let the Children Lead. Cowan is the Director of the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.

Together, they dive into a deep discussion about the importance of integrating children into corporate worship, exploring formative experiences in worship, and the need to unlearn transactional models of ministry. In this episode, Cowan emphasizes the role of children as leaders in worship, the significance of agency, and the biblical foundations for including children in worship. Their conversation also addresses the needed balance between excellence and participation in worship. Finally, they encourage worship leaders to start small and frame initiatives as experiments to foster engagement.

This season is produced by the Dordt Children's Worship Initiative.

In this special episode, guest host Dr. Kyle Dieleman, Associate Professor of Theology & History at Dordt University, gathers a panel of preachers and historians to explore how Church history can help us see the work of God in the long history of God's people, which can help preachers and churches better understand and proclaim the work of God in unique contemporary lives and contexts.

Joining Dr. Dieleman, Dr. David Komline (Professor of Church History, Western Theological Seminary, Holland, MI), Dr. Kenneth J. Woo (Associate Professor of Church History, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA), and Pastor Gail Ashmore, Bridge of Hope Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Center, IA) explore issues including the obstacles that preachers face in trying to incorporate church history into their preaching and the practical steps for ministry leaders who desire to preach historically grounded sermons. Don't miss this unique episode exploring preaching as a central act of Christian worship.

In this episode, recorded live in Seattle, join Dr. Jeremy Perigo and Dr. Truls Åkerlund as they discuss Åkerlund’s recent scholarship around the Foucauldian understanding of discourse as it intersects with worship and ministry leadership. Dr. Åkerlund is Professor of Leadership at the Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology. He has authored numerous articles on ecclesial leadership and several books, including A Phenomenology of Pentecostal Leadership (2018) and his most recent work, Tråden heter trofasthet (2024).

Though pastors and worship leaders in independent churches and nondenominational networks may not have the same denominational power structures and pressures, powerful forces are still at work. Åkerlund argues that dominant discourse impacts how leaders set goals, engage in ministry, perceive their vocation, and measure ministry success. In this conversation, hear discussions on the need for reflexivity and beneficial critical discernment, which helps, not hinders, Christian leaders as they work to partake faithfully in the biblical story rather than dominant discourses. Join this thoughtful discussion, interacting with various topics on ministry leadership, including burnout, celebrity worship, faithfulness in ministry, cultural discernment, resting in liturgy, how to navigate criticism, and how worship is shaped by and shapes culture.

Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he hosts Revd. Prof. Mark Cartledge, Principal of the London School of Theology, to discuss worshipping online. Dr. Cartledge is a professor of practical theology with research interests in digital ecclesiology. This discussion draws from Cartledge’s recent work in singing online, diving into theological and practical issues in this relatively new phenomenon.

Together, they unpack topics such as digital worship as a “third” space, arguments against digital corporate worship, constructive approaches to engage everyone in hybrid liturgical spaces, and much more. They wrestle with questions such as: 1) is online church, church? and 2) how should churches think differently about streaming worship? Don’t miss this exciting and vital conversation.

Kicking off the third season of the Worship/Theology podcast, Dr. Jeremy Perigo and guest co-host Dr. Angela Perigo engage with Nick and Becky Drake to explore the importance of including children in worship.

Nick and Becky lead Worship for Everyone, a ministry that brings together the big family of God in worship. In addition to leading this ministry, Becky works as a School Chaplain at The Blue Coat School in Birmingham, while Nick is ordained in the Church of England and ministers at Gas Street Church in Birmingham, UK.

This episode focuses on the challenges and opportunities of creating an intergenerational worship experience that elevates children and engages adults as they enjoy Jesus. The Drakes share insights from their journey, emphasizing the need to see children as active participants rather than mere performers. Additionally, they delve into the theological foundations of all-aged worship, highlighting the significance of children in biblical narratives and the importance of fostering a community where everyone can worship together. The Drakes encourage church and worship leaders to consider the importance of belonging for children and youth in their churches and the mutual joy that comes from worshipping together across generations.

In this episode of the Worship Theology Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Perigo and the Reverend Professor Steve Walton discuss Christian worship from the book of Acts. Walton is a leading New Testament scholar and the Senior Research Fellow in New Testament at Trinity College, Bristol. He has published numerous books and articles on Acts and is authoring the forthcoming three-volume series on Acts for the Word Biblical Commentary series.

In this podcast, they explore numerous topics around the unique contributions of the Book of Acts to a biblical theology of worship. The conversation delves into the role of Jesus in Christian worship, the activity of the Holy Spirit in worship gatherings, the practices of the first Christians, the impact of Gentiles on early Christian worship, and a Lucan critique of modern worship practices. This discussion emphasizes the importance of Scripture in shaping worship and the need to focus on God above personal worship preferences.

In this episode of the Worship/Theology Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Perigo interviews Pastor Michael Miller, founding pastor and senior leader of UPPERROOM. They discuss the theology, worship practices, and story of a church community centered around the presence of Jesus. UPPERROOM is known for its commitment to prayer and worship, with prayer meetings happening morning, noon, and night. In this podcast, they explore the importance of God's presence in worship, the value of prayer, and the cultural impact of being a house of prayer.

Pastor Miller shares his background growing up in a conservative church and his encounter with the Holy Spirit that led him to embrace the work of the Holy Spirit in worship. The conversation explores themes such as ministering to the Lord, worship as a resting place, the "in and out" lifestyle, the power of the Lord's Table, and the hope found in this emerging generation.

In this Worship/Theology Podcast episode, Dr. Jeremy Perigo interviews Dr. Joshua Busman about his article titled “A Fun and Funky Disco Pastiche: David Crowder Confronts Evangelical Performance Anxiety.” They discuss the concept of performance anxiety in evangelical worship and how it affects both worship leaders and congregants. They explore the tension between authenticity and performance in worship, the role of control and authority in worship spaces, and how worship leaders navigate the divide between performance and worship. In the article and podcast, Busman highlights David Crowder as an example of a worship leader who “deftly negotiates this divide by embracing moments of performance within his worship sets.” Busman and Perigo explore these tensions and also give practical solutions for engaging as church musicians and worship leaders