Sustainable Worship: Finding Context Within the Story of God

Because many worship planners, pastors, and leaders fail to recognize the postmodern shift from informational oriented, fact-filled worship, to a narrative, story telling, and relational worship, this session will seek to identify shifts in scientific, philosophical, and communication theories that characterize the world-view and thought system of the typical Gen-X and Gen-Y worship participant. With particular attention to the thoughts of Jean-Francois Lyotard, the father of Post-Modernism, the session will explore the characteristics of worship services that allow the worshipers to find the meaning of their individual lives within the story of communal worship, and more importantly within the context of God’s divine narrative.

Bio:

Rodney Shores serves as Pastor of Worship and Arts at Tampa Covenant Church. Dr. Shores holds bachelors and masters degrees in piano performance with further training in choral conducting, as well as the advanced graduate certificate in piano pedagogy from USF. In 2005, Rodney completed the Doctor of Worship Studies degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, and continues study for the M.A. in Christian Thought at Reformed Theological Seminary. Rodney also serves as chair of Worship Ministries at Trinity College of Florida, has served as Adjunct Professor of Music at USF, and is President of the Conservatory for the Arts at Tampa Bay.