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Teaching of Worship

This is a growing collection of resources that are available for congregations, colleges, seminaries, and graduate schools. If you have any questions or contributions, please send us an email.

Resources, including articles, questionnaires, interviews, lectures
Instructional Videos
an annotated selection of videos useful for teaching
Top Teaching Books
an academic selection focused on the history of worship
Teaching Music CD Chart
a selection of CD's organized by tradition and genre
Worship in the Movies
'liturgical moments' captured in popular films
Worship: Taking a Closer Look (Reformed Worship)
a four-week teaching series with resources
Opportunities for Teaching Congregations about Worship
article and links for integrating the teaching of worship into congregational life
John D. Witvliet
Teaching Worship as a Christian Practice
essay on the importance of worship and practical theology in Christian higher education
John D. Witvliet
Teaching Church History 101 in a Congregation
essay and syllabus for an introduction to church history
David Wood
'I'll Bring You More Than a Song': Workshop on Leading Dorm Worship
outline of a workshop on the basics of worship for leaders in college residences
Paul Ryan
Participant-Observer Exercises
questions for reflection on worship
Video of Worship Services
video files of worship practices

Syllabi
Academic courses on worship
received from various professors

Essays on Worship and Pedagogy
Can the Path Forward Start Backwards? How Having to Reinvent Pastoral Liturgy Courses Reinvigorated My Teaching
Lester Ruth, Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore)
Pedagogy Ponderings
Greg Scheer, Northwestern College

Multimedia
Music as Soul Food
video clips from seminar on music in worship led by Dr. John Witvliet
Christian Worship
Podcast of a course from Covenant Theological Seminary

Seminars
Christian Formation for Participation in Worship
reports and resources from a two-week seminar on preparation for teaching worship
Teaching Hymnology
reports and resources from a seminar on the study of congregational song

Projects
Worship Alive (working title)
Todd E. Johnson, coordinator

This project is creating an in-depth, multidimensional congregational study. This DVD will contain video recordings of three entire worship services from multiple camera angles that can be changed instantaneously.  It will also include video of planning sessions of these liturgies and interviews with congregants about their experience of those services.  Further, it will have interviews with pastors and staff, congregants at-large, and scholars who comment on the pastoral practices.  This is supplemented by video recordings of pastoral rites (weddings, funerals, baptisms, dedications, etc), historical background, and a thorough sociological survey.  The result is a virtual congregation which the student can put in their PC and can envision being the pastor and plan worship services for an actual congregation with its gifts and limitations.  This "flight simulator for liturgy students" seeks to improve the resources available in teaching liturgy, specifically its application.

Other Links
BuildingChurchLeaders.com
articles and materials gathered by Christianity Today
The Divinity Library
a reference site upkept by Vanderbilt University
The Wabash Center
for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
Religion and Music

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