Contemporary worship is a form of
Christian worship that emerged within
Western evangelical Protestantism in the twentieth century. It was originally confined to the
charismatic movement, but is now found to varying extents in a wide range of churches, including many that do not subscribe to a charismatic theology. Contemporary worship is generally characterised by the use of
contemporary worship music in an informal setting. Congregational singing typically comprises a greater proportion of the service than in conventional forms of worship. Where contemporary worship is practiced in churches with a
liturgical tradition, elements of the liturgy are frequently kept to a minimum. The terms
historic worship,
traditional worship or
liturgical worship are sometimes used to describe conventional worship forms and distinguish them from contemporary worship.