Essentials Blue explores ideas in Christian worship related to the nature of God (Creator, King, Trinity and Savior), the nature of human beings (sub-creators, image-bearers, community-builders, and salvific storytellers) and the nature of biblical worship (ideas in resurrection, atonement, cross, new creation, heaven, mission, etc.).

WEEK 1: A Story In Which We Can Live

In this introductory week of the course, participants will take in a number of resources that will a context for the weeks to come. Ideas in biblical worldview, cultural interface, postmodern shifts and more will be explored, specifically related to the calling of the creative influencer in our generation – the worship artisan.

WEEK 2: The Nature Of God

In this week, participants will focus on theological ideas vital to worship, particularly giving attention to the biblical nature of God. God as Creator (the God who makes), God as King (the God who reigns), God as Trinity (the God who relates), and God as Savior (the God who rescues) are among the many worship themes that will be explored.

WEEK 3: The Nature Of The Human Being

In this week, participants will focus on essential worship ideas related to origins of human beings according to the Scriptures, and both the nature and vocation of those created in the imago Dei – the image of God. Human beings are SubCreators, ImageBearers, CommunityBuilders and SalvificStorytellers – each idea will be explored as a reflection of the previous week’s glimpses of the God of the scriptures.

WEEK 4: The Nature Of Worship

In this week, participants will begin to integrate the ideas of the first three weeks into a more fully scoped vision of what worship is actually all about. Biblical theological ideas such as resurrection, the cross, new creation, eschaton and other ideas will be explored as well. Themes in worship related to both God and the humans who worship are explored.

Our final week of the module will also involve the creative reflection of our learning into a final project that will serve one’s local worshipping community – and others in our program. This is a favorite part of the course for all!

In ESSENTIALS RED, everything has a story – Worship has a powerful one. Consider the influence of just one worship song – Amazing Grace– in reshaping history. Consider how communion, a symbolic action in worship, has shaped lives for 2000 years! Consider how the art and music has led people of all ethnic groups in worship – across centuries. Consider the power of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany. Lent, Easter, Pentecost – in keeping the worship story alive across millenia. Our worship history has much to teach us for today.

WEEK 1: The Languages Of Time And Space

How have Christians used the language of time (daily, weekly, yearly and lifetime) to order their worship around Jesus over the millenia? What roles have holidays such as Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter played in the worship life of the Church? How have life journeys and passages such as birth, death, marriage, adolescence and other common human experiences played in the historic worship of the Church? What roles have landscapes, architecture, atmosphere and each age’s cultural experience played in cultivating a living worship expression in each age?

WEEK 2: The Languages Of Prayer And Scripture

From the early Church through to the 21st century, the importance of God’s people praying together, and hearing the Scriptures read aloud have played a vital role in engaging the Church in her mission with God in the world. What creative approaches to these forms of worship could strengthen us today?

WEEK 3: The Languages Of Baptism And The Eucharist

The language of sacraments and symbols may be unusual for many contemporary Christians growing up outside of liturgical churches. What are the real meanings, biblically and historically, behind the worship acts of Baptism and the Eucharist (communion)? In what ways could we reclaim their vitality in our worship expression today?

WEEK 4: The Languages Of Art And Music

The role of the creative leader expressing worship through the media of art and music has been diverse across the history of the Church – from early church symbols, to Michelangelo’s Pieta, to Isaac Watt’s hymns, to Newton’s stunning Amazing Grace. Snapshots of worship history give us insight into how the Church has utilized art to further the missional worship story of every generation.

Our final week of the module will also involve the creative reflection of our learning into a final project that will serve one’s local worshipping community – and others in our program. This is a favorite part of the course for all!

In ESSENTIALS GREEN, you’ll explore values in worship expression and the creative leader’s spiritual formation – refreshing values and habits essential to every 21st century worshipper and spiritual influencer.

The color green speaks of growth (plants and fields) and vitality (depth and devotion). In our minds, worship leadership is meant to be a living vocation, strengthened by skills and values, yet also enacted by a heart being formed by the Spirit of God.

Worship facilitation in a local faith community is all about God and the people who have gathered to worship. We can learn the arts of effective worship facilitation by listening to the wisdom of others who have gone before us, and by reflecting on the reasons we lead people in the worship experience. Values such as intimacy, integrity, accessibility, cultural relevance and Kingdom expectation must mark the effective worship leader, musician, spiritual influencer and worshiper in the world. These values flow out of a heart that has been spiritually formed; a life that has learned to listen, act and serve out of a blossoming interior life with God.

WEEK 1: The Values Of Intimacy and Integrity

Effective worship ministry is marked by one’s capacity to lead others into a rich engagement with the God we worship. Intimacy is a posturing of one heart toward another, in full disclosure and vulnerability. Integrity speaks of how connected the songs we sing are with the lives that we lead. How should the values of intimacy and integrity in worship leadership form how we lead worship in our local community?

WEEK 2: The Values Of Accessibility And Cultural Connection

From the early Church through to the 21st century, most forms of corporate worship have ventured to be accessible to the widest demographic of those who have gathered to worship. To work toward some level of accessibility in corporate worship is to serve the “we” that is a diverse family approaching God as one. Additionally, Christian worship has always been done in context – in a culture, a time and a place. How should the values of accessibility and cultural relevance guide our thinking about how to guide gathered worship activity in our local church?

WEEK 3: The Value Of Kingdom Expectation

To be an effective worship musician, leader or worship influencer is to be an expectant leader – expectant that God can and will move in our midst as we set our focus on our highest calling. As worship influencers, we also bring spiritual guidance to our unique community, calling us all toward participating as missional people offering the love of God to the world. How can we lead worship from a place of enthusiasm and hopeful joy, looking toward the age to come as we influence our community week after week?

WEEK 4: The Value Of Our Own Heart Formation

Leadership is an essential skillset for the impartation of values to any community, and the training of our hearts is deeply connected to how we lead. In this final week of the course, we explore (in an introductory way) the essentials “heart” skills that enable a leader to welcome others to embrace the values we care about. In this week, we open up some ideas about your own discipleship, and introduce you to the world of spiritual formation thinking. (This week is an introductory taste to our full essentials course on the topic of Spiritual Formation).

This section, as does the entire course, applies to all musicians, and worship team participants in your community.

Our final week of the module will also involve the creative reflection of our learning in a final project that will serve one’s local worshiping community – and others in our program. This is a favorite part of the course for all!

In ESSENTIALS IN SONGWRITING, you’ll explore the foundational skills and tools that strengthen you as a songwriter.

Songwriting is all about digging into the heart of the creative process, taking a song from the early stages of inspiration all the way to the final stages of completion and usage. Participants will write and craft a song based on input from the course leader, peers and DVDs such as Songwriting For Worship (Dan Wilt, Matt Redman, Brenton Brown, Kathryn Scott, Brian Doerksen, Andy Park, Tim Hughes), Worship Songwriting (Brian Doerksen) and Paul Baloche’s God Songs.

Meant to be enhanced by Essentials Blue, Red and Green, Songwriting is a powerful entry into the craft of writing, and delivers to the participant a tried and true process for crafting powerful, vital songs for worship or performance.

WEEK 1: It All Begins With An Idea

In this week, we begin with a study on the creative process, and how we can continually create an inspiring environment for those “little ideas from heaven.” Participants will reflect on some of the stories behind favorite songs, and the importance of effective documentation of song ideas.

WEEK 2: From Idea To Song

In this week, we will explore together the process of moving an idea into the framework of an effective song form. Verses, pre-choruses, choruses, bridges, and song forms such as VC, AAA, and AABA will be learned, as well as vital keys in the craft of lyric writing.

WEEK 3: From Song To Rewrite

In this week, participants will learn the (sometimes grueling) art of the rewrite. Fighting for the best lyrics, melodic motif and section distribution will be our focus, with an emphasis on sharing songs with others for input. Participants will receive peer input, and professional input, on their song at this stage of the course.

WEEK 4: From Rewrite To Final Song

In our final week, we will bring all of the elements of songwriting together in the final crafting of our song, and post these to our Creative Exchange. Feedback will then be invited from the wider Learning Community and final rewrites (at least for the course itself) will begin.

Worship Leading is all about unpacking the skills and motivations of the effective worship leader, all the way from honing your musical craft, to building a set and rehearsing a group of musicians. Participants will craft a worship set based on input from the course leader, peers and DVDs such as Leading Worship (Vineyard Music, with Dan Wilt, Matt Redman, Brenton Brown, Kathryn Scott, Brian Doerksen, Andy Park, Tim Hughes), with Andy Park’s To Know You More . Those taking the course for university credit will also use other books.

Meant to be enhanced by Essentials Core: Blue, Red and Green, Worship Leading is a powerful and practical entry into the world of consistent and effective worship leadership.

WEEK 1: Called To Lead Worship

In this week, we begin by considering the calling to lead others in worship. What do our own intimacy and encounter with God have to do with what happens when we lead? How do our lifestyle and character connect with our worship leadership? How can we develop “into” our calling?

WEEK 2: Defining Your Role In Your Community

In this week, we will explore together the roles of the worship leader in any given community or worship setting – the roles of priest, prophet, healer, teacher, evangelist, servant, friend, leader and pastor. How do we weather the ups and downs of worship leadership, and encourage our community to passionately worship?

WEEK 3: The Practical Duties Of A Worship Leader

In this week, participants will learn (and re-learn in some cases!) the foundational ideas in preparing sets, delivering sets, leading a group of other musicians and presentation skills. We’ll look at some basic elements of musicality as well, such as arranging your band and moving forward as a team.

WEEK 4: Developing Worship In Your Community

In this final week, we will dig into mentoring other worship leaders, songwriting, leading worship in different contexts and developing as a lead worshiper. In this final week, creative projects will be presented and evaluated by peers in the course.

In ESSENTIALS IN SPIRITUAL FORMATION, you’ll explore the riches of spiritual formation ideas across history, and engage with spiritual habits essential to every 21st century worshiper and spiritual leader.

Formation is all about being transformed into the likeness of Christ by attending to our interior life of devotion. When our interior life of devotion becomes “larger,” and more “expansive” than our exterior life of activity, we are beginning down a pathway that leads to spiritual health for the long haul.

We do this by studying together Dan’s new eBook, The Elemental Life, reflecting on the earth (a grounded life), wind (an inspired life), fire (an empowered life) and water (a communal life) of a healthy spirituality.

This module also has a view to equipping you with spiritual formation practices gleaned from historic, Benedictine, Ignatian and contemporary tradition that you can use to lead others in their journey toward the likeness of Christ.

WEEK 1: Earth – A Grounded Life

In this week, we will explore the necessity of living within the Story of God as its riches, promises and reminders fill our hearts and minds through the study of the Scriptures. We will also explore the importance of reading and thinking “outside” of our current faith tradition, and even our current worldview. We’ll look at our devotional patterns, life habits and other elements that create a life rooted solidly in Jesus in the midst of change.

WEEK 2: Wind – An Inspired Life

In this week, we will begin by listening to ancient voices calling us to the habits of prayerful conversation and meditation. It is not until we have embraced the silent place, the ways of a life lived in inner quietude, that we can truly learn to pray. Prayer was never intended to emerge from an ongoing, inner angst about the world, but rather from the soil of a soul that listens to the whispers of the Father. Meditation becomes the natural fruit of such a prayerful life – we linger in the presence of God not because we are compelled, but because His presence has become our source of life. We’ll talk about the importance of remaining inspired in all arenas of life, as well – exposing ourselves to renewing experiences unique to each of us.

WEEK 3: Fire – An Empowered Life

In this week, we reflect on our vital need to have a constant outflow of spiritual life from us as we learn to receive the empowering gifts of the Father. We turn our attention to action in this week, but action that overflows from a life that has a substantial centering in intimacy with God. Here, our shared mission with Christ rises to the surface, and we embrace the call to “go into the all world” by understanding what exactly the good news is that we are called to exemplify to the human family. Again, ancient voices will give us clues to being missional peoople in a self-absorbed world. We will discuss the importance of being prayed for, living a life empowered by the Spirit, and inviting the Spirit of God to constantly renew our minds.

WEEK 4: Water – A Communal Life

In our final week, we will bring all of the elements together that we have reflected on in a rich statement of personal formation. This creative week will involve embracing the most compelling Story of faith imaginable, and then seeking to incorporate our own lives into that rushing river. The power of symbolic actions, personal liturgies, and more will form our final week’s learning together. The importance of spiritual friendships will also be explored as we talk about the necessary habit of community-building in the life of the follower of Jesus. His friends were his disciples, and the life-to-life exchange the Spirit of God initiates happens within true community.

How does a Course work?

Courses take place on the WorshipTraining Campus website where you’ll find all media, assignments and conversations related to the course.

During the first four weeks of each module participants WATCH VIDEOS, listen to AUDIO and read BOOKS and ARTICLES related to the course. Participants then POST their responses to weekly questions to their course group on our WorshipTraining Campus website. Classmates INTERACT with each other’s posts as each week unfolds.

During the final week of each seminar, participants work on a CREATIVE PROJECT which draws from material covered in the course with the goal of being practically used in local and/or global church communities.

Which books/resources are required for the Courses?

Here is a list of required and optional resources for each of the Essentials courses. All of these resources are available from our Store.

Essentials Blue

• Wright, N. T. Simply Christian: Why Christian Makes Sense. San Francisco: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2006. – Required for all. Buy Now
• Wilt, Dan and others. What Is Worship? DVD. Houston: Vineyard Music USA, 2006. – Required for University Credit only. Buy Now
• Wright, N.T. and Dan Wilt. Reclaiming Worship CD. Houston: Vineyard Music USA, 2004. – Required for University Credit only. Buy Now
• Wright, N.T. Surprised By Hope: Rethinking Heaven, The Resurrection and The Mission Of The Church. Grand Rapids: HarperOne, 2008. Required for University Credit only.

Essentials Red

• Webber, Robert. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through The Christian Year. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004. – Required for all Participants. Buy Now
• White, James. Introduction To Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990. – Required for University Credit only.

Essentials Green

• Wilt, Dan. Envisioning Encounter: Reclaiming Our Values In Worship – Provided for course. Note: Green relies heavily on extra article and media content, so there are no outside books required for the course.

Essentials In Songwriting

• Baloche, Paul. God Songs: How to Write & Select Songs for Worship. Provident-Integrity. -Required for all Participants. Buy Now
• Wilt, Dan and others. Songwriting For Worship DVD. Houston: Vineyard Music USA, 2003. -Required for all Participants. Buy Now
• Doerksen, Worship Songwriting: Embracing Heart and Developing Skill, Doerksen Productions. 12 week DVD course. Required for University credit only.
• Webb, Jimmy. TuneSmith: Inside The Art Of Songwriting. Grand Rapids: Hyperion, 1999. Required for University credit only.

Essentials In Worship Leading

• Park, Andy. To Know You More: Cultivating the Heart of the Worship Leader. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2004. – Required for all Participants. Buy Now
• Wilt, Dan and others. Leading Worship DVD. Houston: Vineyard Music USA, 2003. – Required for all Participants. Buy Now

Essentials In Spiritual Formation

• Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds. Devotional Classics, Revised Edition: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2005. – Required for all Participants. Buy Now

In addition to the texts above we will provide you with an eBook PDF text for each module written by Dan Wilt, M.Min.

Upcoming Course Dates

Courses are available to take anytime. You can also choose to participating with a course that runs at a set time to get maximum interactions from others in our online community. Courses run 3 times each year (winter, summer, fall).