Worship Resources

Worship Planning Notes
Revivals have changed in many respects over the years. Most are now held for three days, or during four days (but not back-to-back), during a particular month. The purposes for holding revivals vary from church to church, but most seek to bring into the church persons who have little or no Christian experience, and to bring back those who were once members of a church. The type of worship in which your church engages during its revival should be driven by the purpose(s)/aims of the revival as established by the pastor and/or the spiritual leaders of the church. Following are some pointers to keep in mind when planning worship for a revival:

• Begin planning your revival far enough in advance to invite guest choirs, guest churches, and persons from your community. During the planning phase you may also want to select a theme and colors, and you may want to tie the revival to other church efforts, etc. Planning is critical to any successful revival.
  
  
• The typical revival service held in the evening should be no longer than two and a half hours, if persons are expected to return for multiple nights during the week.
  
  
• Youth revivals should not be treated in the same manner liturgically as a revival for adults. Youth revivals are occasions for adults to be taken outside of their comfort zones; these services should cater to their target audience—youths. It is expected that a youth revival will feature praise dancers, Christian mime groups, step teams, and youth worship leaders and preachers.
  
  
• Just because congregants arrive late does not require that worship begin late. Always start at the time that was advertised. This is especially important for choir members and other members of your worship ministry. Also, ensure that members of the music and arts ministries who have disabilities arrive early to allow time for them to be properly seated and provided with necessary materials to participate in the worship service.
  
  
• Revivals are not opportunities for choirs, praise teams, guest psalmists, or other areas of the music and arts ministries to give concerts. Work out a schedule and stick to it, while also being flexible. Guest preachers may arrive late. This should also be considered as you plan for the revival. Additionally, to avoid lengthening a service, when guest churches or artists are to sing or contribute in other ways during a service, treat them as your guests and give them sufficient time to participate in the service. This may mean the host church sings very few songs and/or shortens their participation in worship in other areas.
  
  
• If possible, obtain the texts that the preacher(s) will use each night and ensure that the music and/or other ministries are in keeping with the texts selected by the preacher(s).
  
  
• Prepare the music in advance, coordinate attire in advance (this includes an assessment of whether jewelry is to be worn, what colors are to be worn, robes, etc.), and ensure that hymnals, song books, and folders, if used, are prepared in advance.
  
  
• Do a thorough testing of all media equipment at least 72 hours before the revival is slated to begin. This also includes equipment used to videotape or record services in any manner.
  
  
• If the services are to be streamed, prepare for all aspects of worship 72 hours in advance. This includes preparation by persons who are part of the media ministry.
  
  
• Also, if your revival will include guest psalmists, especially if they are recording artists, ensure that persons have been assigned to work with the psalmists from the point of their arrival in your city, at the church, to the completion of their involvement in the worship service.
  
  
• Prepare to sing an assortment of music during your revival. Revivals are teaching opportunities and occasions during which rarely used genres of African American music can be introduced and re-introduced to persons attending the revival.

1. Litany

REVIVAL

Leader:	Oh God, you are my God; early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no living water.
Congregation:	I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory.
Leader:	Because your loving kindness is constant, my lips will praise you.
Congregation:	I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.
Leader:	My soul shall be satisfied and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips.
Congregation:	Because you have been my help, therefore do I rejoice in your faithfulness.
Leader:	Oh, give thanks unto the Lord for the mercy of God endures forever.
Congregation:	Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Leader:	We cried out to the Lord and the Lord heard our cry and led us out of distress. Oh, magnify the name of the Lord with me.
Congregation:	Oh, that men and women, the young and the old would give thanks to the Lord for marvelous grace and because God forgives us as swiftly as we ask for forgiveness.
All:	Let those who know this mighty God now worship with our mouths, our All: hands, our feet, our minds, and our hearts. Amen.

2. Hymn or Anthem
(a) Even Me. Traditional

(b) Revive Us Again. By William P. Mackay and John J. Husband

3. Spirituals
(a) Dem Bones. Arr. by Larry Nickel. SATB, a capella

(b) Dry Bones. Arr. by Dave and Jean Perry. Could be sung by a children’s or youth choir

(c) Come Out the Wilderness. Traditional

4. Modern Songs
(a) Sanctify Me. By V. Michael McKay

(b) My Love, My Life, My All. By Kirk Franklin

(c) I Speak Life. By Donald Lawrence. For soloists

(d) It’s Your Season. By Norman Hutchins

5. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Revive Us. By Da’D Crawford-Greathouse, Mark Heimermann, and Steve Crawford

(b) I am on the Battlefield for My Lord. By Sylvana Bell and E. V. Banks. Tune, (BATTLEFIELD).

6. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Breath of the Spirit. Rebecca Peck. Arr. by Larry Goss

(b) I Must Tell Jesus. By Elisha A. Hoffman

(c) If You Call on Jesus. Traditional

7. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand. By Jennie Wilson

(b) Stand by Me. By Charles A. Tindley

(c) Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove. By Isaac Watts. Tune, (ST. MARTIN’S), by William Tansur

(d) Send the Fire. By William Booth

8. Youth Revival Songs
(a) I’ve Got a Right Now Praise. By John P. Kee

(b) Work It Out. By Troy Sneed

(c) It’s Not About Us. By Noel Jones

(d) Let Go, Let God. By P. J. Morton

(e) Praise Up. By Karen Clark Sheard

(f) I Need You Now. By Smokie Norful

9. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Let It Breathe on Me. By Magnolia Lewis-Butts

(b) Let It Breathe On Me. Arr. W. O. Hoyle

10. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) The Overflow. By Stephen Hurd

(b) Oh How He Loves You and Me. By Kurt Kaiser. Tune, (PATRICIA).


1. Litany
This litany is a paraphrase of Responsive Reading #53 from the The Hymnal of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Memphis, TN: CME Publishing House and Triad Publications II, Inc., 1987. Used with permission.

2. Hymn or Anthem
(a) Even Me. Traditional
Location:

(b) Revive Us Again. By William P. Mackay and John J. Husband
Location:

3. Spirituals
(a) Dem Bones. Arr. by Larry Nickel. SATB, a capella
Location:

(b) Dry Bones. Arr. by Dave and Jean Perry. Could be sung by a children’s or youth choir
Location:

(c) Come Out the Wilderness. Traditional
Location:

4. Modern Songs
(a) Sanctify Me. By V. Michael McKay
Location:

(b) My Love, My Life, My All. By Kirk Franklin
Location:

(c) I Speak Life. By Donald Lawrence. For soloists
Location:

(d) It’s Your Season. By Norman Hutchins
Location:

5. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Revive Us. By Da’D Crawford-Greathouse, Mark Heimermann, and Steve Crawford
Location:

(b) I Am on the Battlefield for My Lord. By Sylvana Bell and E. V. Banks. Tune, (BATTLEFIELD).
Location:

6. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
Songs
(a) Breath of the Spirit. By Rebecca Peck. Arr. by Larry Goss
Location:

(b) I Must Tell Jesus. By Elisha A. Hoffman
Location:

(c) If You Call on Jesus. Traditional
Location:

7. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand. By Jennie Wilson
Location:

(b) Stand by Me. By Charles A. Tindley
Location:

(c) Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove. By Isaac Watts. Tune, (ST. MARTIN’S), by William Tansur
Location:

(d) Send the Fire. By William Booth
Location:

8. Youth Revival Songs
(a) I’ve Got a Right Now Praise. By John P. Kee
Location:

(b) Work It Out. By Troy Sneed
Location:

(c) It’s Not About Us. By Noel Jones
Location:

(d) Let Go, Let God. By P. J. Morton
Location:

(e) Praise Up. By Karen Clark Sheard
Location:

(f) I Need You Now. By Smokie Norful
Location:

9. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Let It Breathe on Me. By Magnolia Lewis-Butts
Location:

(b) Let It Breathe on Me. Arr. by W. O. Hoyle
Location:

10. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) The Overflow. By Stephen Hurd
Location:

(b) O, How He Loves You and Me. By Kurt Kaiser. Tune, (PATRICIA).
Location:

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