The Next Worship Bible Study

Our destiny, Scripture reveals, is worshiping together as the multiethnic, multilingual, multinational family of God. Our worship here on earth should reflect, point to, and prepare for that ultimate experience.

In these five studies, Sandra Maria Van Opstal dives into biblical perspectives on worship that shaped her groundbreaking book The Next Worship. Focusing on key passages throughout the New Testament, she invites readers to consider how worship relates to diversity, reconciliation, hospitality, unity, and more.

As companions to the IVP Signature Collection, IVP Signature Bible Studies help individuals and groups explore and apply biblical truths found in classic books. Each session features quotations from The Next Worship matched with Scripture passages, reflection questions, and application ideas that will equip readers to connect the text to their own lives. A leader's guide is also included.



Sandra Maria Van Opstal is a second-generation Latina pastor, an activist, an author, and a powerful leading voice on the intersection of faith and justice. She is executive director of Chasing Justice, a movement that mobilizes Christians to live justly. Sandra's distinctiveness comes from working in both local and global contexts as a practitioner and an academic. She has reached audiences around the world on topics of reconciliation, global justice, and worship.

Getting the Most Out of The Next Worship Bible Study


Introduction: A Foretaste of the Future


Session 1. Heaven on Earth: Revelation 7:9-17; 21:1-5


Session 2. Reconciled Community: Luke 14:15-24


Session 3. Hospitality: Luke 14:1-14


Session 4. Solidarity: Ephesians 2:11-22


Session 5. Mutuality: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26


Leading a Small Group


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