book details

Book: Spiritual Anorexia - How Contemporary Worship Is Starving the Church by Doug Erlandson

categories: Book, Nonfiction, Christian Music, Worship, Church, Liturgy, Christianity, Sacred Music, Pastors, Theology

Doug Erlandson

about this book: For more than a decade, my family and I attended a church that gradually transformed from a true worship service into an hour and a half of glitzy entertainment. The title of my book describes the effect of this type of service on the people: they begin to spiritually starve. Instead of being spiritually robust and attractive they become spiritually gaunt and ineffective.

From the start, I felt passionate about this project; I did an extensive study of the history of worship, contrasting traditional liturgies in all their fullness with what passes as worship in many contemporary churches.

Spiritual Anorexia contrasts the historical role of preaching as the proclamation of the Gospel with various contemporary models (e.g., the moralistic, therapeutic, and teaching models) and shows how these models deprive the congregation of spiritual nourishment.

This book is for Christians who know their church worship service is missing something but aren't sure what it is. Worship leaders and pastors may also find this book helpful.