For some congregations started during the last twenty years, worship and liturgical forms were minimalized. Seeking to give congregants a transformational worship experience, “entertainment evangelism” sought to remove anything from the liturgy that might alienate individuals not familiar with Christian worship, for example, the Creeds of the Church, Confession/Forgiveness, Affirmation of Baptism, and making of the sign of the cross.
The items that were eliminated, the sacraments and sacramentals of the Church, hold within them the opportunity to encounter God. However, in order for them to be effective in that regard, the congregation must know what they are and what they mean.
The purpose of this project was to help congregants explore these sacramentals through the use of varied forms of preaching. By using mystagogical methods and varied preaching forms, the congregation found new or renewed meaning in these items as containers of the Paschal mystery, came closer to God, and expanded their understanding of the theology of the Lutheran Church.
