The Biggest Problem in Worship Education
Invest in Worship Ministries, not just Worship Services
I teach church music and worship at a seminary. Every week, churches contact me to fill their worship leadership needs. While I’m thrilled to see the demand for qualified individuals, there’s one big problem.
I don’t have students for them.
The Old Model
When churches contact a seminary looking for a worship leader, they’re doing what worked for a long time. A generation ago, there was an established system: students came to seminary to get a Master’s degree in Church Music (MCM) before becoming a music minister or worship pastor. This mirrored the path young men took, pursuing an MDiv degree before becoming preachers.
Historically minded readers could investigate Westminster Choir College’s influence on theological music education from the 1920s onward. This model influenced many seminaries across the country. Perhaps the peak of this movement came in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when enrollment at my seminary’s School of Church Music surpassed 530.
That’s a lot.
However, through changes in the church and cultural landscapes, this model faltered. By the 1990s, Westminster Choir College financially couldn’t keep its doors open. There are many contributing factors which we’ll discuss later, but the old system hit its heyday in the late 1980s and gradually ground to a halt in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The New Model
Now, a new model for musical theological education operates in a different order. Worship ministers already serving in local churches study at a seminary to “level up” their ministry and personal lives.
Have you seen this? By and large, worship leaders in today’s churches do not need a seminary degree to qualify for leading a congregation in worship.
As someone who trains worship leaders at a seminary, you might think that I’m worried. I am not worried. That’s because our seminary worship training program pivoted to help students who are already serving the Lord Jesus in their local church grow in their skills.
Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and join our program to take their next steps of growth for their lives and ministries.
Some have been trained as music educators but lack the biblical and theological knowledge or ministerial skills needed to serve in a church ministry.
Others are very skilled musical performers and producers who are adept at planning high-impact Sunday morning gatherings, but they recognize their need for further education if they want to become church leaders and elder-qualified pastors.
These are my favorite people on planet Earth!
So when churches contact me for a graduate to fill their job opening, I do not have students. Our students are already in churches, growing and flourishing within faith communities that are investing in them.
What Changed? Schools and Churches
As we consider how we got here, think with me about two changes that have drastically affected the ecosystem of worship.
First, public schools have drastically reduced music education. There was a time when I would meet with prospective undergraduate students who would tell me that they wanted to study worship ministry and become ministers of music in their local church, but they felt like they needed to pursue a degree in music education as a career fallback. Music education was seen as the safer, more viable career choice.
That is no longer the financial or vocational reality. Over the past 20 or 30 years, as public-school funding shifted towards STEM (mathematics, science, and computer-based) priorities, musical education and opportunities have dried up. Elementary schools once boasted dedicated music rooms with full-time teachers leading classes and singing groups. Now, strapped for resources, they rely on itinerant music teachers pushing a cart from classroom to classroom, offering limited exposure to music for their students.
Middle and high schools often relegate music to an elective, with limited access for most students. Even in wealthier, well-resourced, artistically minded schools, music rarely forms a core part of the curriculum.
Second, worship ministries shifted to a producer model. Because churches emphasized expertly performed music, churches hired impressive producers and performers to oversee their worship services. These people strived to deliver high-quality music and attractive atmospheres for their Sunday morning service. But quality music and cool vibes have never been the purview of music education. Contemporary worship ministries, by and large, ignored people who were not on their platforms, especially children and students.
Initially, this approach “worked” as churches grew. But the new system was not sustainable, leaving todays churches without a pipeline of young musicians.
How rough is it? My friend, Jason “Bubba” Stewart says that in Kentucky alone, there are 400 Baptist churches with no one to lead worship with voice or instrument.[1]
Now facing a talent gap, churches face the consequences of a short-sighted approach.
What Can We Do?
The gradual nature of this crisis means there are no quick answers. Band-aid responses don’t solve systemic problems. Churches need sustainable systems and long-term perspectives to navigate current and future challenges.
The bottom line is this: church leaders must invest in their worship ministries, not just their worship services. It might seem like hiring someone for basic needs—ten hours for Sunday services and rehearsals—is enough. But this approach overlooks the significant value and long-term benefits of a dedicated worship minister. With additional hours, a competent minister of music can build community, foster spiritual growth, and ensure the sustainability of a church’s worship program.
Consider three different ways that churches can address this issue.
First, invest in worship leaders when they are needy. No worship leader is all-knowing or omni-capable. The diverse responsibilities they manage require a wide range of skills. Naturally, they feel more comfortable and equipped in some areas compared to others. Church leaders, invest in your worship leaders. It’s crucial for their growth and the success of your ministry. Provide opportunities like conference attendance, book funding, mentoring and coaching, and, yes, even seminary education 😊. Supporting their theological development, leadership skills, and musical expertise empowers them to serve your church more effectively.
Second, support worship leaders when they are criticized. This is especially important during challenging situations involving congregational criticism/preference. Unfortunately, many worship leaders face the brunt of complaints without adequate backing from their leaders. While private support and personal encouragement is crucial, it’s equally important for pastors to offer public validation and stand by their decisions regarding worship matters.
Worship leaders have often been undervalued and left to navigate significant congregational changes without adequate support. A common example are churches who, after establishing separate traditional and contemporary services in the 1990s, now seek to unify them and expect a single worship leader to spearhead this complex transition. Expect a worship leader to navigate such complex transitions without adequate support? Not fair.Third, remember the next generation of worship leaders. Of course, it is urgent to be concerned with what is happening on your platform this Sunday, but what seeds are being planted by your church in the children’s and youth ministry that will be harvested in the future? Public education is abandoning music. The children in your church are probably not singing at school or at home. Are they singing at church? We should not be surprised when no crops grow in five years if no seeds are planted today.
How might the worship ministry of your church invest in the children’s ministry? While traditional methods like handbells might not be the answer, church music ministers shouldn’t abandon the musical aspect of children’s ministry. By actively engaging the youngest people in music and worship, they can cultivate a vibrant singing culture. This is their future congregation.
Youth ministry presents another under-utilized opportunity for nurturing future worship leaders. While not all teenagers are musically (or spiritually!) ready to contribute to Sunday morning worship teams, a wise worship leader can identify and invest in interested students.
This could involve meeting with students for encouragement, investing in their instruments and gear, and connecting them with talented musicians for mentorship. These actions demonstrate both care and strategic planning for the future of your worship ministry.
2034 just called. They wish we would train more leaders.
Conclusion
Every worship minister recognizes how music educators played a formative role in their lives. Two godly women helped me as an elementary schooler—Deb Dickey directed our church’s kid’s choir (Kids of the Kingdom) and Carolyn Hansen gave me piano lessons. My student pastor, Brad Chase, encouraged me to play keyboard for our youth group and our Sunday morning services. In college, Drs. Tom Hunt and Morris Faugerstrom (among others!) poured into me.
These opportunities helped me develop both my musical skills and my spiritual sense that the Lord could use someone like me to encourage his church on a Sunday morning. It was both nothing special, and the most special thing in the universe.
[1] See M. Brown, “Curriculum Changes,” 203.