WMUS 400 Tools, Techniques and Literature for Worship

Today’s worship leaders are responsible for developing and administrating comprehensive music and worship programs. These responsibilities require experience in a variety of areas related to ministry, including roles as: teacher, singer, producer, pastor, evangelist, internet technician, audio and video specialist, worshiper, artist, counselor, and skilled musician. This course evaluates many of the week-to-week skills and concepts necessary for the worship leader to develop into these roles.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

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Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course 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 for each discussion. Each thread must be 200–300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge with at least 1 scholarly or ministerial resource published in the last five years or from the list of approved sources provided in the Discussion Assignment Instructions. All key components of the Discussion prompt should be addressed. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads to expound on their points. Each reply must be 100–150 words. Current Turabian format must be used. In both the thread and replies, major points should be supported by Learn materials, pertinent examples, and thoughtful analysis.

Planning Center Project Assignments (2)

At the beginning of the course, the instructor will place the student into a group on Planning Center, an online database system oriented to corporate worship. The student is required to establish a worship team, songsets, and media links and files using Planning Center’s tools. The student will submit Planning Tool links to his or her finished tasks to complete the assignments.

Planning Center Project: Sunday Service Planning Assignment

The student will schedule a hypothetical Sunday service through Planning Center and establish a worship team by inviting 5 classmates to join as team members on various instruments. The student will also invite the WMUS 400 course instructor to be the audio director for the worship team. The student must choose three songs from Planning Center’s song list to include in the planned service.

Planning Center Project: File Uploads and Links Assignment

The student will add two songs to the Planning Center song database, one from each course textbook. The student will upload song lyrics as a PDF, designate the song format order for the song arrangement, and paste a YouTube link presenting the song into Planning Center. Each song must include a minimum of three sections (verses, choruses, bridges, or refrains).

Monthly Overview Outline Assignment

The student will complete an outline form for four weeks of songlists, including general rationales for ministry decisions, rehearsal necessities, and thematic design for corporate worship services. For each week, the student will develop an overarching theme or idea (1 sentence), list 3 songs (including each song’s key), provide a general rationale for key musical decisions (2–3 sentences), and detail rehearsal and preparation concerns (50–100 words). The themes and song choices must adhere to evangelical worship concerns and a biblical worldview.

Christian Copyright Licensing International Evaluation Project Assignment

The student will write an 1,800–2,200-word, research-based paper in current Turabian format that focuses on the evaluation of the lyric content and tessitura demands of 10 worship songs from the CCLI Top 100. At least 5 of the 10 songs must be included in the course textbooks. The paper must include at least 10 references in addition to the Bible. These references will be worship song lyrics, melodies, and arrangements. A title page and bibliography are required. The paper must be organized with clearly delineated headings/topics. The paper must include a well-organized opening paragraph for each song that explores the theme(s) of the lyric content, provides at least 1 scriptural reference relevant to the song, and covers the tempo/style/groove/distinctive production features of the arrangement. For each song, the paper will also describe the intervallic range of the melody, evaluate the congregational effectiveness, and detail the song’s ministerial purpose in a church service.

Weekly Planning Project Assignment

The student will outline and detail musical, production-based, and technical specifics needed to prepare for the corporate worship program for 2 different churches’ Sunday services—a traditional/blended type of service and a trending/contemporary type of service. For each service, the student will develop an overarching theme or idea (1 sentence), list 2 Scripture references pertinent to the service with rationales for their relevance or importance (50–75 words), select 5 songs that meet the service criteria, articulate musical and non-technical resourcing needs that meet service criteria (50–75 words), and address at least 3 technical specifics for success, such as sound, lighting, video, and lyric display (50–75 words). For the traditional/blended service, 2 songs must be from the course hymnal. For the trending/contemporary service, 2 songs must be from the course fake book. The themes, Scriptures, and song choices must adhere to evangelical worship concerns and a biblical worldview.

Church Evaluation Case Study Assignments (2)

Church Evaluation Case Study: Blended/Traditional Assignment

The student will complete a 1,000–1,200-word evaluation of a blended/traditional church on the use of a variety of tools, techniques, and resources for ministry based on 4 weeks of observations of online services. At least 2 references must be included (not counting the Bible or course textbooks), and current Turabian format must be used. A title page and bibliography are required. The paper must include a well-written introduction, conclusion, and clearly delineated headings/topics.

Church Evaluation Case Study: Trending/Contemporary Assignment

The student will complete a 1,300–1,500-word evaluation of 2 trending/contemporary churches in select categories on the use of a variety of tools, techniques, and resources for ministry. At least 4 references must be included (not counting the Bible or course textbooks), and current Turabian format must be used. A bibliography is required. The paper must include a well-written introduction, conclusion, and clearly delineated headings/topics.

Quizzes (2)

Each quiz will cover the Learn materials for the assigned modules. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes and contain 3 short answer and essay questions. The answer to each essay question must be 250–300 words and include at least 1 citation in current Turabian format. The time limit is 2 hours. Each quiz allows 1 attempt.