⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Recommended Reading on Worship
Deepen your understanding. Strengthen your worship.
These resources are curated to help readers grow in theological depth, historical awareness, and spiritual discernment as they seek to worship the Lord in spirit and truth.
Core Titles
- Worship Matters – Bob Kauflin
A foundational book on worship leadership, heart posture, and theological clarity. Accessible and practical for worship leaders and members alike. - God-Centered Worship – Bryan Chapell
A theological and historical guide to gospel-shaped worship, with liturgical examples and doctrinal depth.
Deeper Study
- Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present – Jonathan Gibson & Mark Earngey
A treasure trove of historic liturgies and commentary from the Reformation to help recover biblically ordered worship. - Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship – David Peterson
Traces worship through the whole Bible—from creation to new creation—with clarity and depth.
Discernment & Cultural Engagement
- True Worshipers – Bob Kauflin
A short, practical book focused on the heart of worship and how we can glorify God in all of life. - Strange Fire – John MacArthur
Offers a pointed critique of charismatic worship excesses and affirms the sufficiency of Scripture.
General Introductions to Christian Worship
- A Taste of Heaven – R.C. Sproul
A warm and compelling introduction to Christian worship from a Reformed perspective. - A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of Christ-Centered Worship – Michael Horton
Examines the structure and meaning of worship through the lens of word and sacrament in contrast with modern trends. - Worship – Hughes Oliphant Old
A historical theology of Reformed worship offering deep insight into liturgical development and theological principles. - Gospel Worship – Jeremiah Burroughs
A Puritan classic on the reverence and seriousness of worship—rich with timeless application. - Recalling the Hope of Glory – Allen P. Ross
A comprehensive biblical theology of worship from Genesis to Revelation—thorough and devotional.
I hope that these books will encourage you and strength your walk with the Lord.
In Christ alone,
Dave Jenkins, Executive Editor, Theology for Life Magazine
Truth in Worship: Discernment, Theology, and the Songs We Sing
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
