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Masters Theses

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Full-Text Articles in Liturgy and Worship

"I Will Not Hear The Melody Of Thy Viols": Opposition To Instrumental Music In Historic Presbyterian And Puritan Worship, Sean Patrick Michael Mcdonald Sep 2026

"I Will Not Hear The Melody Of Thy Viols": Opposition To Instrumental Music In Historic Presbyterian And Puritan Worship, Sean Patrick Michael Mcdonald

Masters Theses

The parallel movements of Presbyterianism in Scotland and Puritanism in England began and developed in the 1500s. Early on, both of these movements established their opposition to musical instruments in the public worship of God. This was not merely incidental to their worship, as though instrumental music could be added without any significant alteration to Presbyterianism or Puritanism as such. Rather, the rejection of musical instruments (usually organs) was essential to their worship, and inseparably tied to key theological principles.


The Image Falls Apart, Alexa N. Curran May 2026

The Image Falls Apart, Alexa N. Curran

Masters Theses

The Image Falls Apart is a phenomenological account of my collision with Rogier van der Weyden’s The Descent from the Cross (ca. 1435). In an ever-expanding landscape of visual stimuli, how do we make sense of images that are an encounter with the sacred? Of what use to a modern viewer is an altarpiece of the late medieval period that, in its miraculous rendering of each of its human figures, reflects the impending iconophobia of the Protestant Reformation? And what does falling have to do with it? With careful attention to the assembly of bodies in space, this multidisciplinary project, …


Fostering Worship In A Countercultural Setting: An Ethnodoxological Approach To Secular Heavy Music, Jacob Lewis Ream Feb 2026

Fostering Worship In A Countercultural Setting: An Ethnodoxological Approach To Secular Heavy Music, Jacob Lewis Ream

Masters Theses

Despite stylistic musical diversity within the evangelical church, many secular musicians and music fans have little to no desire to participate in corporate worship music. Specifically, those that engage in “countercultural heavy music (CHM);” namely, hard rock, punk rock, and heavy metal. Music that is often played for the purpose of corporate worship in the local church fails to resonate with many musicians in the corresponding local community. In addition, most evangelical worship ministries do not strive to reach the music communities outside of their local church. This study examines the reasons for this disconnectedness. “Worship as missions” is not …


Gospel-Centric Liturgy For Contemporary Worship: A Biblical Basis For Locally Crafted Worship Songs, Adriane M. Blanco Dec 2025

Gospel-Centric Liturgy For Contemporary Worship: A Biblical Basis For Locally Crafted Worship Songs, Adriane M. Blanco

Masters Theses

Despite a cultural shift toward creating original worship music in churches today, there remains a need for new songs that reinforce biblical theology and foster spiritual formation through an intentional gospel-centric liturgy contextualized for the local congregation. Such a gospel liturgy consists of a cycle of songs that, with each weekly gathering of the church body, reiterates the revelation of God's presence, humanity’s sinful nature, Christ’s work of salvation, and the believer’s response in worship. At the same time, it is essential to emphasize spiritual songs that express the heartfelt emotions of the worshiper, maintaining a balance in properly worshiping …


Means Of Evangelization In The Catholic Church Through Music, Patrice Metcalf Aug 2025

Means Of Evangelization In The Catholic Church Through Music, Patrice Metcalf

Masters Theses

There are numerous resources for Catholic churches today to encourage a congregation’s full involvement in musical participation, but there is little guidance or information on how these practices help with evangelization. The evangelization process is essential to the healthy growth of the church on Earth and for the salvation of believers. Musical resources give an eclectic variety of music, all of which is methodically written by its composers. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many church choirs have struggled to return, with some churches abandoning the use of large choirs and opting for a single soloist to lead the congregation. This leads …


Differentiation In Artistic Expressions Of Worship: A Study Of The Front Royal Church Of The Nazarene, Stephanie L. Blakely Aug 2025

Differentiation In Artistic Expressions Of Worship: A Study Of The Front Royal Church Of The Nazarene, Stephanie L. Blakely

Masters Theses

While music is globally recognized as a common tool for expressing worship in both academia and the evangelical church, it is not the only art form mentioned in the Bible regarding acts of worship. The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations recognizes four main disciplines of fine and performing arts, including Music, Art and Design, Theatre, and Dance; however, in the twenty-first century evangelical church, music takes precedence as the main expression of worship. This qualitative study will gain insight into the pursuit and understanding of utilizing various art forms as expressions of biblical worship in modern-day worship settings within the …


Theological Themes And Musical Influences Of Worship In Indonesian Immigrant Churches In The United States, Agnes Keren Bale Jan 2025

Theological Themes And Musical Influences Of Worship In Indonesian Immigrant Churches In The United States, Agnes Keren Bale

Masters Theses

Beyond evoking emotional experience, theologically sound songs are crucial for evangelizing, edifying the church, and congregational spiritual growth. This study examines worship in Indonesian immigrant churches in the United States, analyzing recurring theological themes in the most regularly featured songs in the worship repertoire. Additionally, it explores the influence of Western worship music which shapes the blended identity of these churches. Via the data gathered through worship service observations from a few churches and a survey for platform ministers, twenty-two congregational songs were coded and analyzed for their theological themes. Findings included the omnipotence and sovereignty of God, victory/battle, faith, …


The Phenomenological Effects Of Fidel Castro’S Communist Revolution On The Christian Church In Cuba, Daniel Orama Aug 2024

The Phenomenological Effects Of Fidel Castro’S Communist Revolution On The Christian Church In Cuba, Daniel Orama

Masters Theses

The claims that religious freedom in Cuba can coexist alongside the Communist, Marxist, Socialist regime without hindrance contradicts the Word of God and eyewitness testimonies of those who serve in the Cuban Christian church. Church pastors in Cuba often suffer imprisonment as long as twenty years before being allowed to return to their homes and communities. This study regains the views of countless pastors and those serving in churches throughout Cuba, whose opinions concerning Christians who put themselves in harm’s way against the communist authorities are expurgated. Using the qualitative research paradigm, this study utilizes qualitative artistic and creative research …


Training The Volunteer Technical Artist For Their Role In Worship Ministry, Stephanie Wilkinson Feb 2024

Training The Volunteer Technical Artist For Their Role In Worship Ministry, Stephanie Wilkinson

Masters Theses

Church technical artists have an integral role in modern worship services due to the use of technology in church production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of different aspects of the role a technical artist has in worship ministry, as well as to explore current training practices and determine effective ways to train the volunteer technical artist holistically beyond their technical role. Church technical directors, technical volunteers, and worship pastors were interviewed and surveyed to collect data used to determine the level of importance of a volunteer’s different roles and responsibilities and how they affect worship …


Worship In Modern-Day Society: Evaluating Music Of Corporate Worship, Lindley Christine Cameron Aug 2023

Worship In Modern-Day Society: Evaluating Music Of Corporate Worship, Lindley Christine Cameron

Masters Theses

Background Church services today incorporate a wide variety of worship music, stylistically and lyrically, depending on the congregation. Some churches place great importance on the gospel being included in the songs, while others focus more on the emotions felt during the songs. While there are churches that maintain an eclectic mix of the two, other churches have a significant imbalance in the worship songs they choose to sing each week. Matt Boswell says, “Every worship experience, in its order and content, is an expression of the congregation’s liturgy. It communicates something about your church, your doctrine, and the order of …


Instances Of The Spirit (Glossary), Kamari A. Smalls Jun 2023

Instances Of The Spirit (Glossary), Kamari A. Smalls

Masters Theses

This thesis offers a performative methodology to engaging with the worlds and ideas that these words have generated in the form of a glossary. The list of words include: Ancestor, Anointing, Attune, Breath, Conjure, Conversion, Dance, Erotic, Ephemera, Ethervism, God, Girlhood, Hallelujah, Imagination, Improvisation, Jazz, Knowledge, Love, Liturgical, Magic, Memory, Performance, Prayer, Remnant, Repetition, Ritual, Root, Sacred/Secular, Silence/Stillness, Sound, Spell, Spirit, Testimony, Water, and Witness. Personal reflections, contemplations and expansions from other writing, and passages that come out of Black feminist thought, Black girlhood studies, and Black performance theory exist here simultaneously. This glossary demonstrates the theory, theology and lineages …


Mirroring Jesus’S Prayerful Approach To Interactions With Dissatisfied Followers Through The Lens Of The Modern Worship Pastor, Bryant Timothy William West Apr 2023

Mirroring Jesus’S Prayerful Approach To Interactions With Dissatisfied Followers Through The Lens Of The Modern Worship Pastor, Bryant Timothy William West

Masters Theses

This study shows the life and mission of Jesus through His interactions with conflict and will show how worship pastors can apply these lessons to the church. Detailing Jesus's prayer life and His approach to interacting with others, examining the approach worship leaders should have when interacting with similar people. The report will concentrate on three areas of study, including Jesus's prayer life, his ministry, and how the worship pastor can create a church that parallels Christ. Jesus' ministry and discussions with the Pharisees show worship pastors how they should approach church members. This discussion is due to the struggles …


The Impact Of Southern Baptist Worship Ministries On Denominational Effectiveness, Laura S. Brod Apr 2023

The Impact Of Southern Baptist Worship Ministries On Denominational Effectiveness, Laura S. Brod

Masters Theses

Worship ministries maintain prominent roles in Southern Baptist (SB) churches. Despite ample available literature for today’s church educational methods and congregational discipleship, little study has focused on ways SB music ministries can bolster the spiritual health of congregants. SBs currently experience the consequences of recent scandals alongside dwindling attendance numbers. To address this multifaceted, spiritually rooted issue, this historical qualitative study proposes to discover characteristics and methods of music and worship ministries (WM) and leadership qualities that can best promote spiritual growth within SB churches to strengthen the denomination’s health. To undertake this, the study will explore SB history and …


Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp Apr 2023

Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp

Masters Theses

Some of the most competent musicians in local communities are the music educators in local school districts. Since the Bible commands us to play skillfully to God, local music teachers may be an excellent resource for churches. Some churches cannot hire a full-time worship pastor from a seminary or Bible college. In these scenarios, a skilled music teacher looking for additional income and sharing convictions with their church may be a great candidate to fill a vacant worship leader role. Since music teachers primarily study classical and orchestral music, there may be challenges for classically trained music educators leading a …


Characteristics That Make An Excellent Worship Leader According To The Perspectives Of Baptist Congregants In North Texas, Carlos Jerome Benson Dec 2022

Characteristics That Make An Excellent Worship Leader According To The Perspectives Of Baptist Congregants In North Texas, Carlos Jerome Benson

Masters Theses

Despite many Baptists Churches in North Texas, most church congregants vary significantly in how they characterize an excellent worship leader. These congregants often rely on trial and error to establish characteristic traits that are acceptable for the whole of a particular church. There is a gap in the research study of characteristics that make an excellent worship leader according to the perspectives of Baptist congregants in North Texas. This study will find which attributes of worship leadership are most desirable according to the views of North Texas Baptist congregants. These literary examples do not specifically name what characteristics North Texas …


A Christmas Cantata, Garth Andrew Olson Dec 2021

A Christmas Cantata, Garth Andrew Olson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this worship ministry research project was to research, prepare for, and lead a Christmas cantata presentation for two worship services at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas, on Sunday, December 12, 2021. In this thesis, I identified the worship components and the accompanying potential challenges for successfully leading a vital and converging traditional Christmas Sunday worship in a way that promotes authentic, biblically-centered, Christocentric, and participatory worship services for a church community.” The Christmas cantata was a musical composition set for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices (SATB) with instrumental accompaniment including solos, chorus, chamber orchestra, …


Manger Throne: Worshiping Emmanuel At Christmas, Jonathan Mitchell Henderson Dec 2021

Manger Throne: Worshiping Emmanuel At Christmas, Jonathan Mitchell Henderson

Masters Theses

The overwhelming truth of the infinite, Almighty God coming to earth, clothing Himself in flesh in order to begin His grand plan for the redemption of mankind is often lost amid the festive celebrations of the Christmas season. The holidays are a time when joy and sorrow are intensified and people’s hearts are softened, making them more receptive to hear the message of the Gospel and the hope found only in Jesus. The following Worship Ministry Project seeks to elicit the overwhelming truth of God’s love to the unbeliever and to reignite the wonder and worship in the hearts of …


Worship Through Creation, Caleb Gudgeon May 2021

Worship Through Creation, Caleb Gudgeon

Masters Theses

Understanding the purpose of worship through the lens of creation. The creation story tells the story of God's design of worship and His heart for relationship with mankind. Sin broke the original design and set the Biblical storyline of the coming redeemer in motion. Jesus opened the door for all mankind to find new life in and only through Him. Now mankind can worship in that intended form of relationship as designed in the beginning.


Non-Traditional Means Of Worship, Courtney Ann Blanchard Apr 2021

Non-Traditional Means Of Worship, Courtney Ann Blanchard

Masters Theses

The purpose of worship is to praise the God of all and give Him thanks for all He has done. Based on the Old Testament and the New Testament, one thing is certain: God has always desired to have a relationship with His people. However, it was not until the death, resurrection, and ascension of God’s only Son that believers could worship God freely. Now, worship is unhindered. Jesus Christ broke every chain and has become the bridge-way for all God’s people to have a free relationship with Him. This research paper will uncover the biblical principles discovered in the …


Going Deeper With God Than King David: Cultivating Intimacy Using Hymns, Classical Sacred Songs, And Contemporary Christian Music, Ivy Elizabeth Cole Jan 2021

Going Deeper With God Than King David: Cultivating Intimacy Using Hymns, Classical Sacred Songs, And Contemporary Christian Music, Ivy Elizabeth Cole

Masters Theses

In the time of King David, a worshipper did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit to enhance worship as worshippers have today. At present, the modern church age worship leader utilizes mostly contemporary Christian music to help lead a congregation into the presence of God. However, the Psalms, hymns, and classical sacred songs may also be used in the exploration of enhancing a worship experience. This study explores the concept of music evoking an emotional response that may allow a worshipper to surrender to an intimate relationship with God. With studies in emotion related to music, Scriptural references, professional writings …


Christmas In The Lutheran Tradition: A Worship Service Of Music And The Word, Brian E. White Dec 2020

Christmas In The Lutheran Tradition: A Worship Service Of Music And The Word, Brian E. White

Masters Theses

Christmas in the Lutheran Tradition is a worship ministry project originally designed to fulfill the desire for a Christmas Cantata with a focus on the Lutheran love of music as part of worship service. The thesis includes discussions about the early origins of the Christmas celebration and Martin Luther’s incorporation of congregational singing as part of worship service. The thesis details the author’s original concept and the multiple alterations that became necessary as the community, state and nation continued to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020. The thesis briefly discusses the North Dakota responses to the increasing …


The Power Of Gratitude (A Worship Service), Joe G. Wehunt Dec 2020

The Power Of Gratitude (A Worship Service), Joe G. Wehunt

Masters Theses

“So then just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness”. The house of God should be overflowing with thankfulness. This overflow should begin in the parking lot and extend all the way inside the building. With the “Power of Gratitude” service, the plan is to outline a worship event that reminds God’s children of the blessings that He has given through His son, Jesus, and to provide a way for God’s children to worship …


Methods And Motivations Of Multigenerational Churches In Selecting A Worship Music Identity, Joshua Charles Morton Dec 2020

Methods And Motivations Of Multigenerational Churches In Selecting A Worship Music Identity, Joshua Charles Morton

Masters Theses

Churches in the twenty-first century come in all types, shapes, and sizes. The church plant movement is bringing many new churches into existence. With many of these church plants, the assumption is that a contemporary worship style comes with it. This could be viewed this way, because of the high population of younger people that attend these churches. Churches like Elevation Church, North Point Church, Passion City Church, and Saddleback Community Church are all church plants. These churches are magnets for newly established Christians and those seeking to answer questions about God for the first time. They are magnets for …


A Curriculum For Teaching Collaborative Worship Songwriting Inspired By Village Hymns, Craig Alan Osterhus Sep 2020

A Curriculum For Teaching Collaborative Worship Songwriting Inspired By Village Hymns, Craig Alan Osterhus

Masters Theses

The scriptural injunction to “sing to the Lord a new song” motivates the church to create new worship songs that are Biblically based, musically excellent, and reflective of God’s unique gifting and purpose for the church in its time. Village Hymns, a collective of worship leaders and songwriters serving in South Florida churches, has developed a platform for building skill in collaborative worship songwriting through their CREATE events. Through the experience of hosting over 50 CREATE events and recording three EP CDs, Village Hymns has developed best practices for collaborative worship songwriting. The aim of the case study research was …


Diversity In Worship: The Integration Of Historic Works Into The Contemporary Worship Service, As Illustrated By The Oboe, Bethany Eileen Butler Aug 2020

Diversity In Worship: The Integration Of Historic Works Into The Contemporary Worship Service, As Illustrated By The Oboe, Bethany Eileen Butler

Masters Theses

Since the times of the New Testament, the church has inevitably found itself entangled in “Worship Wars,”1 sparked by the introduction of new styles of music. Today, contemporary churches often only present one style of music while neglecting the rich history of sacred, instrumental music. When a single style of worship is exclusively offered in worship, the service can neglect to be multigenerational and multicultural, only relatable to some of the congregation, rather than the whole Body. If contemporary churches took a blended worship approach and integrated historic works into their worship services, the church would see growth in outreach, …


United Hispanic Congregations In Worship Of Christ, Ronald Alexis Carias Lopez Jun 2020

United Hispanic Congregations In Worship Of Christ, Ronald Alexis Carias Lopez

Masters Theses

United Hispanic Congregations worshipping in Spirit and Truth. Churches gathered to offer a relevant and Biblical worship. They carried out a seasonal ministry project.


Discipling Instrumentalists For Worship And Evangelism, Nicole Fasco May 2020

Discipling Instrumentalists For Worship And Evangelism, Nicole Fasco

Masters Theses

The worship ministry has the ability to disciple and evangelize to people within the congregation and to members of the ensembles. This study focused on the instrumental ensembles of two congregations to analyze the impact they had on the members of these ensembles and the congregations in which they serve. Surveys were sent via email to the members of the instrumental ensembles and the members of the congregations. Seventy-six people participated in the survey with twenty-one of those participants being instrumentalists and fifty-five people being members of the congregation. Survey questions contained general questions about the instrumental ensembles and specific …


Contextualized Songwriting In The Japanese Church, Katie Ann Mcwilliams May 2020

Contextualized Songwriting In The Japanese Church, Katie Ann Mcwilliams

Masters Theses

The Christian Church of Japan has very few songs written in their own language and style. Most songs are translated from English or another language. While Japan is a very westernized country, this is a problem because things can get lost in translation and these songs are not always representative of their musical style. Furthermore, they have a unique voice of worship that is currently missing from the global Church. My research project was intended to identify songwriters and encourage songwriting for the local church with the intention of expanding the Japanese voice in the global context and raising awareness …


Principles For Creating Original Content For The Worship Service, Ian Schumacher Black May 2020

Principles For Creating Original Content For The Worship Service, Ian Schumacher Black

Masters Theses

This paper offers observations and guidance for creating original content for the worship service. The project involved creating an Extended Play Recording for Eagle Church in Whitestown, IN. After an introduction to the project and its author, five principles for creating original content for the worship service are discussed. These include: Lyrics Before Melody and Creativity, Embrace the Context of the Local Church, Collaboration is Critical, Strive for Excellence as an Artist, and Worship in Spirit and Truth. Following a discussion of these principles, the conclusion offers reflections and future plans.


Principles For Starting A Song-Writing Ministry, Carson Ka Siu Li Jan 2020

Principles For Starting A Song-Writing Ministry, Carson Ka Siu Li

Masters Theses

With the approval of Dr. Keith Currie and Dr. David Schmal, I have chosen to complete the Music & Worship Ministry Project as the Final Thesis for the Masters of Art in Music and Worship. The objective of the project is to produce an Extended Play Record (EP) that contains five original worship songs written specifically for this EP. The components of this project include: songwriting, arranging, performing, recording, and producing. This project will achieve two purposes: first, the songs in this EP are meant to be sung in my local church – Koinonia Evangelical Church (KEC); second, this project …