Preparing For the Next 50 Years of Ministry
If one thing can be said about music ministry of the twenty-five years of my teaching in higher education, it is that nothing stays the same. The field is constantly shifting, and how we do music ministry in the local church is all but static.
With few of the expectations of what music and worship leaders should know and be able to do falling off the plate and many more being added all the time, it is impossible to teach students all the knowledge and skills that might assure their success in the broad array of congregations they will serve – the field is simply too large and diverse. As I reflect on this topic, I have chosen to move beyond the obvious additions that have made their way into our curriculum – guitar, more work with praise bands and popular idioms, presentation software, electronic instruments, technology, updated worship models, and music software – and I have chosen to focus on some foundational skills and principles that I believe are important for our students to function effectively in ministries that will span the next fifty or more years.
If one thing can be said about music ministry of the twenty-five years of my teaching in higher education, it is that nothing stays the same. The field is constantly shifting, and how we do music ministry in the local church is all but static.
With few of the expectations of what music and worship leaders should know and be able to do falling off the plate and many more being added all the time, it is impossible to teach students all the knowledge and skills that might assure their success in the broad array of congregations they will serve – the field is simply too large and diverse. As I reflect on this topic, I have chosen to move beyond the obvious additions that have made their way into our curriculum – guitar, more work with praise bands and popular idioms, presentation software, electronic instruments, technology, updated worship models, and music software – and I have chosen to focus on some foundational skills and principles that I believe are important for our students to function effectively in ministries that will span the next fifty or more years.
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