Spring 2016/Houston

WS518

Boyd

WS518: WORSHIP MINISTRY ON THE LORD’S DAY (4 Units: 160 hours). Kevin Boyd.

DESCRIPTION: This course explores both the practical and theological dimensions of worship leadership and examines issues relating to the planning and implementing of worship on the Lord’s Day (Sunday or Sabbath) in various Christian traditions. A significant part of the course will be devoted to the actual practice of worship leadership and the careful theological planning of worship on the Lord’s Day. Students will be given opportunity to participate in the planning process of worship services, will be exposed to the worship life of actual congregations, and plan worship for a particular church. Further, the course gives opportunity to develop skills in the public reading of Scripture; leading in prayer, extempore and prescribed; application of pastoral care to worship; musical selection and leadership.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Four goals for learning will drive this course: (1) the student will understand the importance and centrality of corporate worship to the mission and ministry of a congregation; (2) the student will understand the tasks required for liturgical leadership in a variety of liturgical styles; (3) the student will develop a greater understanding of his or her own gifts and skills for pastoral ministry and liturgical ministry specifically; (4) the student will be able to articulate and apply a praxis-theory-praxis methodology for liturgical ministry.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets for 4 weekends for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours. The course will involve lecture and discussion of reading material, observing and reporting on various congregational worship situations, and various forms of applying the concepts in this class to liturgical praxis. The course grade will be based on projects involving case studies and other exercises of applications of the course material.

REQUIRED READING:

Course Reader.

Bradshaw, Paul. Two Ways of Praying. OSL Publications, 2008. ISBN: 9781878009593, Pub Price: $19.95 [55 pp. assigned].

Caccamo, James, Todd Johnson, and Lester Ruth. Living Worship. Brazos Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781587432958, Pub. Price: $27.99. DVD-rom.

Cherry, Constance. The Worship Architect. Baker Academic, 2010. ISBN: 9780801038747, Pub. Price: $24.99 [200 pp. assigned].

Foley, Edward. From Age to Age, revised and expanded. Liturgical Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0814630785, Pub. Price: $29.95 (Recommended for WTA students) [220 pp. assigned].

Johnson, Todd. The Conviction of Things Not Seen. Brazos, 2002. ISBN: 9781587430329, Pub. Price: $30.00 [150 pp. assigned].

White, James. Introduction to Christian Worship. 3rd ed. Abingdon, 2001. ISBN: 9780687091096, Pub. Price: $33.99 [250 pp. assigned].

A book of worship and hymnal/songbook used in the student’s tradition (student’s choice).

RECOMMENDED READING:

Black, Kathy. Worship Across Cultures. Abingdon, 1998. ISBN: 9780687056521, Pub. Price: $25.00.

Costen, Melva Wilson. African American Worship. 2nd ed. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 9780687646227, Pub. Price: $18.00.

Gonzalez, Justo L., ed. Alabadle! Hispanic Christian Worship. Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 9780687010325. Pub. Price: $18.00.

Hawn, Michael. Gather into One. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 9780802809834, Pub. Price: $31.50.

Kimball, Dan. Emerging Worship: Creating Worship Gatherings for New Generations. Zondervan, 2004. ISBN: 978-0310256441, Pub. Price: $14.99.

Lathrop, Gordon W. Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Fortress Press, 1998. ISBN: 978-0800631314, Pub. Price: $29.00.

Long, Thomas G. Beyond the Worship Wars: Building Vital and Faithful Worship. Alban Institute, 2001. ISBN: 978-1566992404, Pub. Price: $16.00.

Malefyt, Norma deWaal and Howard Vanderwell. Designing Worship Together: Models and Strategies for Worship Planning. Alban, 2005. ISBN: 978-1566992961, Pub. Price: $16.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Assigned readings, attendance and participation in class discussions (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome 1 and 4.] [70 hours].

2. (DLAs) Interviews with two worship leaders, at least one of which are outside one’s tradition. (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1 and 2.] [10 hours].

3. A report of participant observation of two Christian worship services, at least one of which are outside one’s tradition (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3.] [15 hours].

4. Participation in the planning and leading of a prayer or worship service. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 3 and 4] 15 hours].

5. Craft elements of corporate worship in response to assigned case studies. (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 4.] [20 hours].

6. Final assignment: planning of an entire worship service for the church assigned to you by the instructor (annotated with reasons for choices) (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1,2,3, and 4.] 30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in General Ministry & Spirituality (MIN 1) and in Pastoral Ministry and Theology (MIN 6); required course for MDiv Worship, Theology and the Arts concentration and the MA in WTA; required course for MDiv Worship and Music Ministry concentration and the MA in WMM.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.