School of Worship

Youth With A Mission – Tyler, Texas

In 2006 we started the first School of Worship (SOW) at our YWAM campus in Tyler, Texas. Over the last few years the structure and format of the school has crystallized. The SOW is a school that trains leaders in various forms of ministry, with a main focus on worship and worship ministry. We felt led to start a training venue for people who want to learn to live a 27/4 (Psalm 27:4) and a 33/3 (Psalm 33:3) worship lifestyle:

Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.”

Psalm 33:3“Sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy!”

The School of Worship aims to cover the three aspects of Psalm 33:3

1.New song (biblical foundations)

2.Excellence (skill development)

3.Shout of joy (personal and leadership development)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Biblical Foundations

The School of Worship strives for students to gain experiential truth and new revelations of the biblical meaning of worship, and to create a new song of praise in their hearts with the increase of knowledge about the character of God. We believe it is indispensable to have a clear foundation in the word of God and to know what we believe. In training future leaders in this school, we will spend a lot of time seeking for His revelation about His word and allowing His truths to form our faith-based values and behaviors. Students glean from experienced teachers and worship leaders who are invited to come and share their expertise.

One of the reasons why YWAM Tyler is a great location for a School of Worship is because God placed it in an area of great spiritual heritage. Well-known worship leaders including Keith Green, Paul Baloche, Brian Doerkson, and Lamont Hiebert have left their legacy here. In addition to attending the classroom sessions, the students will be reading several books that will deepen their knowledge and understanding on the various subjects. The students will be trained in what it means to lead through verbalizing learned truths by preparing sermons and then preaching and teaching them. Workshops and hands-on application of what the students are learning will help them to further and deepen their understanding.

Skill Development

Although worship is not to be equated with music alone, music is a great tool. The students will be instructed and challenged in their musical abilities and encouraged to endeavor for skillful playing and excellence. This will be accomplished through cell band practices, music lessons, voice lessons, music theory teachings, and hands-on opportunities to play and lead worship. Cell bands, for example, will be a good place for learning how to work together, lessons in team building, growing in humility, and character maturation and discipleship. There will also be the opportunities for students to learn how to use audio and visual equipment. We also try to bring practical applications of the arts, like dance, painting, flags, etc. into the classroom setting for students to experience the different ways to express worship to God.

However, this school should not be confused with a mere music or arts school. We try to further the giftings and talents God placed in each individual student to the best of our ability. We try to dedicate about a third of our time during the classroom phase to the musical and artistic aspects of worship ministry. We encourage the students to reach for excellence in every area of life and ministry. We want to train the students to work within the giftings and talents God has given them to become excellent agents of His kingdom in this world. The School of Worship is a five-month course for any person who considers himself a worshiper and wants to allow the Holy Spirit to accelerate the pursuit of God’s dreams. It is not necessary for a student to play an instrument or sing; however, we do use music as one of our main vehicles to worship God. Therefore we will have concentrated times of skill development and training in areas of song writing, vocals, musicianship, music theory, band development, worship leading, and leading and managing a worship music and ministry team.

Leadership Development

It is essential for all people, including those in worship ministry, to shift their thinking away from false conceptions and to be healed from hurts and fears in their lives. The freedom to respond to God in worship with a shout of joy is released at the same time in our lives as an increase of understanding and knowledge of the character of God and healing in our hearts. The School of Worship at YWAM Tyler will not just focus on the hands-on practical training, but we will also focus on inner healing, restoration of the heart, spiritual renewal, and first and foremost, leadership training. An integral part of the curriculum includes teachings like finding identity in Christ, the character of God in depth, experiencing and soaking in the Father’s love, and security in the Lord and in ministry. The developing of leaders is a very important part of this school. We want the student to know what it means to have an on ongoing love and passion for God by knowing the truth about God. Faith, servant leadership, humility, and integrity are just a few areas in which we want to grow. Additionally, the students will be involved as student leaders during the Field Assignment phase.

In this school we give the Holy Spirit all the space He needs to illuminate our dependency on Him and to establish His work in us. Students will learn, understand, and be trained to teach the biblical basis for worship, worship’s historical patterns, and those patterns’ relevance for today. We will develop a commitment to prayer and intercession in worship, including prophetic expressions, and an understanding of spiritual warfare. We also want to increase students’ leadership ability in cross-cultural situations, to build up awareness for the nations and people groups, and to see the nations worship God. During this school the students will be constantly challenged to step out in their leadership and trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them. We want to develop leaders who will be the best at what they do, who lead the nations to the throne room of God, and who know how to teach His kingdom principles in all spheres of society.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

LECTURE PHASE

Week 1:  Orientation

Cell band casting, school orientation, and student fellowship

Week 2:  Worship and Ministry, Track 1

Biblical foundations of worship and ministry, understanding the word of God, ups and downs of ministry, worship leadership, Old and New Testament worship part 1

Week 3:  Foundations

Music theory, public speaking and communication, band development, basics of leadership, song writing, sermon writing 

Week 4:  Leadership Training, Track 1

Identity in Christ, security in ministry, character development, personality tests, dealing with fears and other hindrances to freedom, inner healing and deliverance session

Week 5:  Worship and Ministry, Track 2

Worship and missions, worship and evangelism, worship and prayer, Old and New Testament worship part 2, David’s tabernacle

Week 6:  Worship and Ministry, Track 3

Ministry in the local church, team building, leadership development, pastor and worship leader relationship

Week 7:  Prophetic Worship

Worship and intercessory prayer, the ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit, living in the fruits of the Spirit, spiritual leadership

Week 8:  Ministry and outreach preparation week

Cell band practices, practical applications

Week 9:  Worship and Ministry, Track 4

Training in Audio and Visual equipment, learning about the different facets of worship ministry, worship and the arts, technical aspect of worship, deeper insight into Christian ministry

Week 10:  Leadership Training, Track 2

Leadership and authority, Christian ministry, working under leadership, excellence in ministry

Week 11:  Student ministry

Workshops, sermon presentations, church ministries, recording projects

Week 12:  Outreach preparations

Worship ministry, cross-cultural etiquette, team building

Extra-Curricular Activities

Book readingWork duties

Cell band practices Keeping a ministry journal

Research projects Skill lessons

Voice lessonsPrayer and worship meetings

Small group and discussion times Church workshops and youth group ministry 

Lecture Phase Hours per week

2 Ministry application

20Classroom teaching

5Prayer and intercession

5Book reports and research, sermon writing, song writing

3Class worship

5Cell band, small group

12Work duties

1Discussion and evaluation

4Personal devotion and development times

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

57Total hours

FIELD ASSIGNMENT (OUTREACH):

Weeks 1 – 2:  Ministry in the USA

Weeks 3 – 7:  Ministry in foreign location

Week 8:  Debriefing at YWAM Tyler