The Role of the Worship Leader – WRSP 520

CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

A study of the many responsibilities and roles required for effective spiritual leadership and ministerial effectiveness as a worship leader in the local church. In particular, roles related to pastoral leadership, ministerial relationships, organizational development, theological perspective, and spiritual devotion are included.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

At the heart of successful worship leadership is the preparation and presentation of worship. This course seeks to help the worship leader accomplish these tasks on a regular basis by raising awareness of skills in various roles and relationships important to the position.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt. Each thread must be at least 250 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 150 words. (Outcomes: A, D)

Reflection Activity Assignments (3)

The student will read chapters from the The Worship Pastor by Zac Hicks and respond to the five weekly assigned reflection questions. Each answer will contain between 200-250 words. The total length of this assignment will be 1,000-1,250 words. (Outcomes: B, C, D,E)

Interview Project Assignment

Using the provided template, the student will interview 2 full-time worship pastors/ministers of music in order to help him or her define the role of a professional worship leader. Then the student will write a report of 8–10 pages (plus title page, table of contents, bibliography, and appendices) summarizing and comparing the 2 interviews. The paper must include at least 2 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. (Outcomes: A, B, D, E)

Summary/Analysis Report Assignment

Using the provided template, the student will write a 13-page Summary/Analysis Report on the Navarro text. Each of the first six weeks of this course, the student will write a summary, an analysis, and a 1-sentence statement of what they learned in the chapters, as laid out in the Summary Analysis Report Assignment Instructions. (Outcomes: A, B, C)

Capstone Project Assignments (2)

Bibliography Assignment
The student will submit a bibliography for the Capstone Project Assignment prior to the submission of the project to receive instructor feedback on his/her progress. The bibliography must include 13–15 references including the course textbooks and the Bible.

Paper Assignment
The student will imagine that he/she has been given the responsibility of searching for a new worship leader at a large church. The student must write a 12-page paper answering the following question: What is the role of the worship leader? The student must elaborate on several areas of responsibility in his/her answer and then make application to the local church ministry. The student must demonstrate a thoughtful presentation, thorough research, and personal application. The report must adhere to current Turabian format. The project must include at least 14 references including the course textbooks and the Bible. (Outcomes: A, B, D, E)

Quiz: Midterm

The student will take a Midterm Exam covering Navarro: Chapters 1–6 and the lecture presentations from Module 1: Week 1 - Module 4: Week 4. The exam is open-book/open-notes with 45 multiple-choice and 55 true/false questions. The student will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the exam. (Outcomes: A, B, D, E)