In February 2011 we graduated our School of Worship 2010 students. 8 students took the 3-month lecture phase and 6 of those went on the 2-month outreach to Taiwan. This was the second school Theron lead and his leadership skills were strengthened and encouraged. Can’t wait for the next school starting Sept 2011!
In February 2010 we finished the outreach with the School of Worship 2009. We took 7 of our 12 lecture phase students to Spain and Budapest for the 2-month outreach to lead worship, teach and put into practice the things learned in the lecture phase. It was an amazing time and we all grew a lot and saw lives changed. Click HERE for pictures of the outreach!
- – -
The School of Worship (SOW) is a secondary school in the University of the Nations and is made up of two parts: a three month lecture phase followed by a two month outreach. At YWAM Montana the SOW starts every September.
The purpose of the school is multi-faceted. For each of our students we seek to:
- Train, Equip and Develop worship leaders and those involved in worship ministry to be the most effective they can be in their area of influence.
- Help give the students a biblical understanding of what Worship is. Not what culture tells us or the thousands of books but what the BIBLE says about worship.
- Provide a place where the student can go deeper with God; to ignite and fan in to flame our Passion for Jesus.
The goal of the outreach is to apply what we have learned in the lecture phase.
How will we accomplish this?
The objective of SOW is to stir the heartand mind of the disciple to a response of loving God through a life of obedience. We do this through weekly foundational topics designed to explore the aspects of worship and current issues facing the church today.
The curriculum also includes: Team worship leading; Musical skill-development workshops; Individual song-writing; Reading and discussing 2-3 books related to worship; A weekly journal; Small groups; Class intercession; and studying the book Psalms. Our goal is to produce a confident worshiper who can teach and lead others in biblical worship, as well as help discover and develop the individual’s gifts.
Lecture Phase
During the three month lecture phase, we explore and discuss a wide variety of foundational topics relative to worship. From lectures on leadership and team dynamics to heart issues and personal discovery, this is a great time of preparing for biblical worship ministry. Topics include:
- The Heart of a Worshiper
- Worship and the Bible
- Prayer and Worship
- Ancient-Future Worship
- Musicianship & Songwriting
- God’s Presence in Worship
- Creative Arts in Worship
- Navigating by the Spirit
- Leadership & Team Dynamics
- Passion for Jesus
Outreach
The two month outreach provides opportunities for students to lead corporate worship in settings beyond the classroom. The ultimate goal is to apply what was learned during the lecture phase, but this can look different depending on the location and what is available to us. We try to be actively involved in various ministries to give the students a broad experience of local church ministry and worship ministry in Missions.
We seek to lead worship as much as possible so that students can continue to gain experience and grow in their skills. This often happens in a corporate setting; church, or youth group, and in our team. We set up preaching and teaching opportunities to meet a need in churches or at other YWAM locations for worship teams or youth so that our students can learn to communicate their heart for worship. We also try to serve in areas of need in the community and evangelize through street outreaches and personal relationships.
Outreach is always a time to draw closer to each other and God in situations and countries where we might be out of our comfort zone. In our experience, it is always a life-giving time and a safe place to be changed by God who is always seeking to define our character and grow our heart for others.
Testimonies
“SOW was an incredible school where the Lord met with me on a daily basis. I learned to respond to these meetings through worship and adoration. Coming in to the school I thought that SOW would teach me how to be a more skillful musician and how better to use my gifts in worship. These things are both well and good, and both happened to a small degree, but the greatest thing that I took away from the SOW was a biblical foundation for what worship is. Without this foundation even the most skillful musician would be worthless as a worship leader.”
Daniel Foote - SOW 2009
Akron, OH
“School of Worship was a pivotal point in my life. One of the secrets I learned more about was intimacy between God and I. The only way you can truly be intimate with God is by making time to be with Him! SOW Montana is one of the best places in the world to learn this. Learning to engage in worship anywhere, anytime, is invaluable and precious to the heart of God.”
Richie Root – Oaks of Righteousness
Nashville, TN
“The School of Worship was such an amazing time of life for me! The emphasis on character and relationships has deeply effected who I am today. If you are or plan on being involved in worship leading someday, I strongly recommend that you take 5 months of your life and do the SOW in Montana!”
Mike Hohnholz – 2006 Winner of ‘Breakthrough Artist’ Award
Worship Leader Magazine
