contemporary worship
Today's church music
Contemporary worship is a style of Christian religious music and church service that emerged in the late twentieth century, featuring modern instrumentation like electric guitars, drums, and keyboards rather than traditional hymns with organ or piano.
The songs tend toward accessible melodies with repetitive, emotionally direct lyrics: The church has two services—traditional at nine and contemporary worship at eleven.
Sometimes called praise and worship or praise music.
- megachurchesVery large Protestant congregations
- praise songsDevotional musical compositions
- livestreamingReal-time internet broadcast
- prayer circlesGroup forming ring to pray
- hands raisedLimbs elevated above shoulders
sound systems · fog machine · youth ministries · welcome team · coffee bar · vocal harmonies · multimedia presentations · acoustic guitar · scripture readings · altar calls · LED lighting · drum kits · prayer · synthesizers · band · baptism ceremonies · live performances · community events
- American ProtestantismBaptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian
- Christian MusicMercyMe, praise music, CCM, Avalon, praise songs
- Church Worshiphymnal, hymnals, pulpit, preacher, pew
- Evangelicalismevangelicalism, born again, born-again, evangelists, evangelist
- gospel musicgospel hymns, gospel quartet, mass choir, praise songs, gospel choir
- Megachurchlead pastor, praise band, campus, satellite campus, Sunday service
contemporary worshiptraditional hymns
Established religious songs
hymnody · organ music · sacred choral music · Gregorian chant · plainsong
contemporary, worship, tempo, temporal, temporality, temporarily, temporary, contemporaneous, contemporaneously