Worship Arts Major (BA)

At LBC, we’re passionate about training students to lead God’s people in corporate worship grounded in a Scriptural understanding of arts and the church. As you learn, you’ll also be sharpening your own musical skills and developing as a servant leader.

On top of LBC’s unparalleled biblical instruction, you will gain tools and knowledge to engage people through the arts as you participate in the story of God together. You will be mentored by caring and experienced professors as well as local leaders, with ample hands-on opportunities to lead your peers and gain real-time ministry experience. Our students graduate prepared spiritually, academically, and professionally to serve in churches, retreat & conference centers, parachurch organizations, and beyond.

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Majors: Worship Arts, Biblical Studies 

Major Mission: The Worship Arts major is designed to facilitate the spiritual and artistic mentoring of students, with the goal of offering to local ministries anywhere in the world, a high standard of biblical, artistic, and professional worship leadership.

Program Requirements:

Continuation in MWPA Programs

Upon completion of 42 credits and/or during the second semester Sophomore year, the MWPA Faculty will vote on the student’s formal acceptance into the specific program leading toward graduation.

Criteria for formal acceptance:

• Satisfactory evaluation of jury performance (2 semesters) 
• Cumulative GPA of 2.0 (C average)
• Professional GPA of 2.7 (B- average)
• Applied GPA of 3.0 (B average)
• Attendance at required departmental events
• Participation in and attendance at departmental performance events

  

Probation

For freshmen, if applied gpa is between 2.0-3.0 and/or professional gpa is between 2.0-2.7, student will be on probation for sophomore year. 

For sophomores, if applied gpa is between 2.0-3.0 and/or professional gpa is between 2.0-2.7, student will meet with the department chair to determine continued action plan. 

If applied and/or professional gpa is below 2.0, students will be asked to find another major.

 

Program Director:

Ryan Shenk, M.A. Theological and Cultural Anthropology

20 years in worship ministry leadership, 7 years leading Worship Arts program at LBC. 

 

Faculty List:

Ryan Shenk, MA

  

Program Outcomes: 

Students will:

1. Technical: Demonstrate basic musicianship skills in sight-singing, dictation, conducting, voice and piano.
2.  Faith Integration: Describe and demonstrate the integration of Biblical faith in life and career as artists.
3. Synthesis: Apply historical and theoretical understanding to the analysis, performance, and creation of musical forms, processes, and structures found in representative examples from the western music tradition.
4.  Design diverse corporate worship settings for response to God's revelation and formation of the community.
5. Exhibit leadership skills in mentoring and administration

 

Worship Arts Major Curriculum

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

LBC 100	Foundations Seminar	1
BIB 106	Interpreting the Bible	3
THE 105	Prelude to Biblical & Theological Studies	3
LAN 101	College Composition and Research	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUL 101	Piano Lab I	1
MUL 121	Contemporary Voice Lab	1
MWP 102	Intro to Music, Worship, & the Performing Arts	3
Total Credit Hours:		17

Spring Semester

BIB 103	Creation & Covenants: OT I	3
LAN 104	Public Speaking	3
MAT ____	MAT Core	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUL 102	Piano Lab II	1
MUS 101	Music Theory I	3
MUS 101L	Musicianship I Lab	1
PRO 101	Introduction to Electronic Media	3
Total Credit Hours:		16

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

BIB 104	Israel's Life & Literature: OT II	3
HUM 340	Music History II	3
LIT ____	LIT Core (100/200 Level)	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUS 102	Music Theory II	3
MUS 102L	Musicianship II Lab	1
WOR 401	Biblical & Theological Issues in Worship	3
CSV 201	Christian Service I	0
Total Credit Hours:		18

Spring Semester

BIB 203	Life of Christ: NT I	3
HUM 212/COM 212	Media: Conveyor of Cultural Ideas	3
MAT ____	MAT Core	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUL 111	Guitar Lab I	1
MUS 221	Conducting I	2
MUS 221L	Musicianship Lab III	1
MWP 301	Worship & Performing Arts Internship I	0
CSV 202	Christian Service II	0
Total Credit Hours:		16

Junior Year

Fall Semester

BIB 204	Early Church: NT II	3
BOT 210	Psalms	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUL 112	Guitar Lab II	1
MUS 212	Contemporary Theory & Arranging	3
MUS 301L	Musicianship Lab IV	1
MUS 312	Rhythm Section Methods	3
MWP 400	MWPA Cross Cultural Externship	0
Total Credit Hours:		17

Spring Semester

THE 223	Christian Narrative I: Creation & Fall	3
HIS 224	History of Christian Song	3
SCI ____	SCI____ Science with Lab 4 credits	4
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
MUS 231	Songwriting	3
MWP 302	Worship & Performing Arts Internship II	0
WOR 402	Administrative Process in Worship Arts	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Senior Year

Fall Semester

THE 224	Christian Narrative II: Redemption	3
THE 302	Biblical & Theological Issues in Worship	3
____ ____	Arts & Sciences Elective (400 Level)	3
HUM 330	Survey of American Popular Music: 1900s to Present	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MAP ____	Applied Music Lesson	1
MAP 100	MPWA Forum	0
WOR 499	Senior Project	1
____ ____	Major Elective	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Spring Semester

BNT ____	Bible New Testament Exegetical Elective	3
THE 320
HUM 240, 245, 440	HUM ___ - Music History Elective	3
____ ____	Arts & Sciences Elective	3
ENS ____	Ensemble (primary)	1
ENS ____	Ensemble (NC)	0
MWP 450	Worship and Performing Arts Practicum	1
Total Credit Hours:		14