Pastors

Maybe it's a catch phrase, but the concept is catching on: experiential worship. It's worship that's not just seen or heard, but experienced. Bill Carroll defines it as "interactive, bringing ideas to life, and taking people to a place where they've never been."

People in Naperville, Illinois, call Bill's church "the yellow box" because it's, well, a canary-colored cube. But Community Christian Church is better known for what happens inside. Each worship service is a hands-on experience built on a single theme, the "big idea."

Here are a few of 27 experiences Bill describes at next-wave.org. While many of CCC's experiential services are much more involved, these may serve as a good introduction for any size congregation.

The Potter's hand: During a message about what we believe God wanted to mold our career lives into, we gave everyone a small piece of clay and asked them to form something that represented their true passion. One made a test tube. One made a Bible. Someone even made a convincing ...

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