Spring 2016/Pasadena

WS518

Johnson

WS518: WORSHIP MINISTRY ON THE LORD’S DAY. (4 Units: 160 Hours). Todd E. Johnson.

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 all-seminary chapels, will be exposed to the worship life of an actual congregation, and plan worship for that 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 articulate the importance and centrality of corporate worship to the mission and ministry of a congregation; (2) The student will understand many and rehearse some of the tasks required for liturgical leadership in a variety of liturgical styles; (3) The student will explore by practicing their own gifts and skills for pastoral ministry and liturgical ministry specifically; (4) The student will be able to engage and apply a praxis-theory-praxis methodology for liturgical ministry.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion. It will involve lecture and discussion of reading material, as well as 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. (On eReserves through Moodle, 245 pp.).

Bradshaw, Paul. Two Ways of Praying. OSL Publications, 2008. ISBN: 9781878009593. Retail price: $19.95. (55pp.)

Caccamo, J. F., Todd E. Johnson, & Lester Ruth. Living Worship: A Multimedia Resource for Students and Leaders. Brazos Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781587432958. Retail price: $27.99. DVD-rom.

Cherry, Constance. The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services. Baker Academic, 2010. ISBN: 9780801038747. Retail price: $24.99. (200 pp.).

Johnson, Todd. E., The Conviction of Things Not Seen: Worship and Ministry in the 21st Century. Brazos, 2002. ISBN: 9781587430329. Retail price: $30.00. (150pp.).

White, James. F., Introduction to Christian Worship., 3rd ed., Abingdon, 2000. ISBN: 9780687091096. Retail Price: $33.99. (250 pp.).

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

CHOOSE ONE:

Foley, Edward, From Age to Age: How Christians Have Celebrated the Eucharist, revised and expanded. Liturgical Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780814630785. Retail Price: $29.95. (Recommended for WTA students) (220 pp.).

OR

Ramshaw, Gail. Christian Worship: 100,000 Sundays of Symbols and Rituals. Fortress Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780800662332. Retail price: $30. (200 pp.).

RECOMMENDED READING:

Black, Kathy. Worship Across Cultures. Abingdon, 1998. ISBN: 9780687056521. Retail price: $25.

Costen, Melva Wilson. African American Worship. 2nd ed. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 9780687646227. Retail price: $18.

Gonzalez, Justo L., ed. Alabadle! Hispanic Christian Worship. Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 9780687010325. Retail price: $18.

Hawn, Michael. Gather into One. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 9780802809834. Retail price: $30.

ASSIGNMENTS:

  1. Assigned readings, attendance and participation in class discussions. 10%. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-4] [120 hours].

  2. A report of a participant observation of a Christian worship service outside one’s tradition. 20%. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2] [6 hours].

  3. Participation in the planning and leading of a prayer service or chapel. 10%. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2-4] [4 hours].

  4. Craft elements of corporate worship in response to assigned case studies from the Living Worship DVD. 30%. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-4] [15 hours].

  5. Final assignment: planning of an entire worship service for the church in the Living Worship DVD (annotated with reasons for choices). (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-4] [15 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.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.