WRSP 845 Pastoral Roles of the Worship Leader

A philosophical study of the use and function of music in the worship practice of the local church. Particular emphasis is given to the goals, motivations, responsibilities, parameters, and aesthetics of music in the evangelical church community.

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

Developing a philosophy of music and Christian worship is vital to the student serving in a leadership position in ministry. Understanding music and liturgy and the role that each plays in the formation of corporate gatherings is tethered to a proper theology and determines the methodology of worship. 

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

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 classmates’ threads. While there are no required word counts, students normally write between 250–300 words for the original thread and 150 words for the replies. There are no required citations. 

Optional Live Discussions may be offered for this course. Should the student choose to attend a Live Discussion, the student will need to download a free version of Microsoft Teams (this is available in Canvas). A link with instructions on how to download and use Microsoft Teams is included under the Resources header for each Discussion.

Using the Turabian Chart of Citations as a guide, the student will create sample footnotes and bibliography samples for each of the textbooks for the course. The student will also create a footnote and bibliography entry for a journal article and course lecture, as well as provide a sample parenthetical citation for a Scripture reference. This assignment provides preparation for the detailed formatting work required in other course assignments. 

In this assignment, the student will write a 2-part reflection consisting of a Summary at least 3 pages and a Response and Application of at least 2 pages in length in current Turabian format. The required content for this assignment are assigned course readings in the text, We Become What We Worship, by G.K. Beale. The purpose of this assignment is for the student to recall and respond to the concepts presented in the assigned readings and discussed in the course as a point of preparation for applying them in a worship ministry context. The summary must be written in third-person perspective, while the response and application may be written in first-person perspective. While direct quotes from the text should be avoided, the student is encouraged to paraphrase key themes and offer additional support from the Bible and scholarly sources. All paraphrases and cited content should be properly formatted in Turabian. The total page count (title page, summary, response and application, and bibliography) for this assignment should not exceed 8 pages. 

In this assignment, the student will create an annotated bibliography with a minimum of 15 sources that could be utilized in the Philosophy of Music and Worship Paper Assignment. These sources must include all current course texts (5); 5 sources from his or her personal library or past courses, and 5 sources discovered from his or her search in Microsoft Copilot. The sources must be varied in type, including texts, journal articles, and dissertations. Course Lectures may also be used for this submission, where appropriate.

Sources should address the following topics:

• Focus of Worship: True Worship and the Danger of Idolatry
• Worship as Formation: Loves, Habits, and Liturgies
• Congregational Song and Worship Ordo: Music within Liturgy
• Worship Arts, Beauty, and Faithful Craft
• Hope, Eschatology, and Worship Oriented to the World to Come

The assignment instructions provide detailed information on how to utilize Microsoft Copilot to aid in the search for qualified sources (10–15). A copy of the student’s Copilot search must be included in the final submission in Canvas. The student will select the 5 most relevant sources from their AI search to include in the bibliography. Original annotations (3–5 sentences) must be provided for each source. The assignment must follow current Turabian Formatting. An Annotated Bibliography Template and other resources are provided in the Annotated Bibliography Resources in Canvas. 

In this assignment, the student will select a song that is currently being used in their church during congregational worship. The song may be drawn from any style or tradition (hymnody, contemporary worship, global song, etc.). The student will analyze the selected song based on insights gained from the Lemley text, including Textual and Theological Content, Formational Direction, Congregational Function, and Critical Reflection. The reflection must be 3–4 pages in length (excluding title page, bibliography, and appendix). The assigned course text by Lemley must be cited, along with Scripture. The Appendix must include the song lyrics. 

This assignment invites the student to practice theological and pastoral judgment by evaluating congregational song use within a real or realistic ministry scenario. The Case Study should begin with a brief description of the worshiping community, highlighting factors that influence song selection (culture, theology, congregational history, pastoral goals). The student will then identify 1 current or proposed congregational song that raises a discernment question. Using Lemley, Chapters 5–8, the student will evaluate the song in light of theological coherence, formational impact and long-term implications for congregational worship. The student must demonstrate clear engagement with Lemley’s later chapters, particularly regarding discernment, responsibility, and pastoral leadership. The Case Study should conclude with a clear pastoral recommendation to address the discernment issue. The Case Study should be 4–5 pages, excluding title page, bibliography and appendix. The appendix must include the song lyrics (single-spaced). The Lemley text (chapters 5-8) must be cited, as well as Scripture. The assignment must follow all requirements for Turabian formatting. 

Based on the module readings in Glimpses of the New Creation by Taylor, the student will write a 3–4-page reflection (excluding title page and bibliography) that responds to 1 of 4 required prompts listed in the instructions. The reflection should begin with a clear thesis statement and a brief introduction paragraph (3–5 sentences). The reflection must show clear connection to the text by Taylor (direct quote or paraphrase) as well as at least 1 Scripture verse. In addition, the reflection must provide at least 1 insight from the Taylor text that the student plans to incorporate into his or her Philosophy of Music and Worship Paper Assignment and 1 specific way this insight could shape worship practice or song selection. The reflection must close with a concluding paragraph of 3–5 sentences. Turabian formatting is required. 

Based on insights gained throughout the course, the student will craft a 12–15-page paper (excluding title page, contents, and bibliography) outlining an individual Philosophy of Music and Worship for use in future ministry applications. The paper should include topics discussed in the course with specific application to the following topics: 

• Focus of Worship: True Worship and the Danger of Idolatry
• Worship as Formation: Loves, Habits, and Liturgies
• Congregational Song and Worship Ordo: Music within Liturgy
• Worship Arts, Beauty, and Faithful Craft
• Hope, Eschatology, and Worship Oriented to the World to Come

The paper must include support from at least 12 of the 15 scholarly sources identified in the Annotated Bibliography Assignment, including all course textbooks, external texts, journal articles, and the Bible. The student should use the template provided in the instructions. The paper must be written in current Turabian format.