Theology of Worship Certificate

Worship is a dialogue, not a monologue, and as such, it is about a relationship. God is the instigator, creator, and sustainer of that relationship, and his words are crucial to our understanding of worship. For this reason, we ground worship in theology—the contemplation of God.

“The words ‘I am thy God’ are the standard and measure of everything that can be said about worship.” – Martin Luther

The words leaders put into the mouths of the church either enrich faith or impoverish it. Design, therefore, is the most powerful tool of worship leaders and is wielded for the sake of teaching, expressing, encountering, and evangelizing.

“Designing a liturgy, however, is no light or easy undertaking. It demands the best and most careful work of…scholars, theologians, and musicians.” – Gene Veith

Worship forms us through the power of habit, and yet, we perceive everything through our own cultural lenses. Even with the best intentions, worship curators can incorporate unhealthy patterns or inadvertently disrespect important local customs. As leaders of worship, therefore, we must respect and utilize the power of culture.

“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” – Warren Buffet