Worship Workshops:

1. Leading the Flow: Worship Leaders Training

  • A class for all leaders and aspiring leaders. Dr. Tim takes you through a thorough look at the preparation, practice and implementation skills needed to release worship in your worship team and in your congregation.

a. Preparation for leading

b. Worship lists

c. Communication

d. Implementation

e. Leadership skills

f. Freedom and creativity

2. The Worship Team in the Flow

  • This class is a long look at the worship team as a whole. Working, practicing and worshiping together as a team is a must in today’s worship services. With common goals and an excellent spirit, great worship is released in the team and in the congregation.

a. Qualifications

b. Getting the most out of rehearsals

c. Play/Pray/Play

d. Releasing the heart of worship

e. Having a great worship service

3.Creativity in Worship

  • This class is for all leaders and worship team members. We look at ways to enhance, stir and release a creative spirit of worship every time we come together as worshipers. No service should ever be ho-hum or boring. God is creative. So are we.

a. For leaders

b. For instruments

c. For vocalists

d. For congregations

e. Ideas for every setting

4. New Song in Worship

  • Fresh, new songs should be encouraged as part of who we are as worshipers, privately and in all of our services and even in our rehearsals. God has ‘put a new song in our mouth’ and wants to release it in each one of us. This class explores the possibilities of new songs that come through scriptural study and musical creativity.
  1. Integrating the Word into our worship
  2. Singing the Word in our worship
  3. Accompanying the song
  4. Releasing the new song
  5. Fresh ideas for creativity in using the song in worship

5. Songwriting for Worship I & II

  • We love to encourage and inspire new songwriters for each church. We believe God has a unique song and sound for every church. In this class we give students the tools to excel in great songwriting for the church.

a. Foundational teaching on basics of songwriting

i. Writing a great tune

ii.Writing great lyrics

iii.Writing great chord progressions and harmonies

iv.Writing a great groove

b. Critiquing of new songs written by your writers

6. Vocal Tune-up (Enhancers)

  • Every singing group can use a good tune-up every once in a while. We love to work with singers at all levels to sharpen their skills and release a confident, accurate and joyful sound every time they sing!

a. Basics of good vocal production

i. Breathing

ii. Posture

iii. Articulation

iv. Vowel and consonant work

v. Blending

vi. Balance within groups

b. Application of technique

c. Preparation of songs for Sunday

7. Vocal Ensemble Enhancers

  • This class is for specific work to blend and balance voices for a choral expression. Putting a group of good soloists won’t necessarily produce a great choral sound unless certain aspects of the voice and logistics of the platform are considered. Here we release the whole group in a concerted, powerful expression of praise and worship.

a. Vocal

i. Further work on vocal technique for groups and application into actual songs used in worship

ii. Special work on blend & balance

8. Instrumental Ensemble Enhancers

  • All the individual instruments are addressed here. The usual (keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, percussion) and the unique (flute, trumpet, violin, oboe, bagpipes, etc.) are considered to create the fluid and concerted sound that every band needs and wants.
  1. Rhythm section work
  2. Teamwork
  3. Listening
  4. Space
  5. Arrangement

9. Developing the Worship Team (for Pastors and Worship Pastors and Leaders)

  • Specific instruction on relational aspects of the team, flowing together, building a good rehearsal, developing camaraderie, etc. Special attention is paid to pastoral relationships.

a. Relationships

b. Pastoral relationship

c. Play/Pray/Play

d. Rehearsals

e. Releasing the whole team

10. Administration of Worship (for Worship Pastors and Leaders)

Consideration of all the aspects of the worship ministry that need to be organized and administrated. We give ideas for recruiting, auditions, scheduling, song choice, etc.

a. Recruiting

b. Auditions

c. Choosing the leaders/teams

d. Scheduling

e. Communication

f. Rehearsals

g. Choosing the songs

h. Preparing the platform – be ready

j. CCLI

k. Sound/recording

l. Lighting

11. Choir – the dynamics of groups in worship

  • This is similiar to vocal ensembles only larger scale plus specific work with your choral director is given. I love conducting.

a. Application of vocal technique

b. New choral songs

c. Focus on blend and balance

d. Special work with your choral director

12. Children’s Worship – Releasing the young voice in worship

  • I love working with kids worship songs and choirs. Here we give tips on how to make a successful worship service and develop a childrens choir. New songs abound for this.

a. Working with the children’s worship leaders

b. Technique for working with children

c. New songs for children

13. Hymns and Worship – Blended Worship

  • I also love many of the older hymns – they are a legacy that must not be forgotten or fall into disuse. We show respectful treatment of hymns, new settings, how to rewrite your own hymns and re-releasing them in your congregation.

a. Blending old with the new

b. Rewriting hymns

c. Arranging hymns for deepest impact

14. Recovery Worship – Restoring Lives in Worship

  • One of the great movements in America right now is the recovery ministry in churches. It produces a new set of issues for worship and worship bands. Some things work, some don’t. We explore the possibilities for your Recovery Band and worship services.

a. Developing the band

b. Choosing the music

c. Leading the worship

15. Drama for the Church I & II (taught by Maryl Smith)

  • Maryl has written, produced, directed and acted in zillions of plays both for church and school and community theater. Her expertise is released to help you find the best venue for drama in your church. She helps writers, producers, directors and actors alike find their ultimate expression in drama.

a. developing a drama ministry in the church

b. fundamentals of drama

c. getting the most out of your cast

d. how-to’s

16. The Worshipers Personal Devotion (taught by Maryl Smith)

  • Maryl has prepared a wonderful study on releasing your spirit in personal devotions. This is a wonderfully inspirational session.

            a. developing your own personal time

            b. releasing your heart

            c. finding Him every day

17. Preparing a Personal Testimony (taught by Maryl Smith)

  • Maryl has written many personal testimonies for other people with Good Catch Publishing. Using her writing skills she helps others articulate the beautiful message that God has written into their life story.

a. encouraging and shaping a personal testimony

b. finding personal testimonies in the church

c. how to use them in the church and beyond

General Sessions

  1. Vision for Worship

    • Here we cast the Vision for Worship in your church and your worship team. Every church and leadership needs a vision, something to look forward to, something to stir them as they continue to seek God. Here Dr. Tim gives some basic but profound thoughts concerning the fundamental vision of worship that God has for your church.
    1. this is Dr. Tim’s main session for your church and worship team (usually Friday night)
    2. setting the vision for worship in your local church
    3. seeing worship through the word of God
    4. inspired teaching session

2. Biblical worship – Revealing Jesus throughout His Word

  • Foundational teaching and understanding of what worship means to us individually and corporately. We look at the Old and New Testament for revelation of His desire for worship in our churches.
  1. Consideration of the OT and NT teachings on worship.
  2. Emphasis on NT and how grace affects our worship.
  3. Finding the heart of Jesus in everything we do
  4. more instructional of nature

3. Heart of worship – Revealing Jesus’ Heart

  • A study of the brokenness that must be in every worshiper’s life. God’s response is amazing and we are humbled.
  1. In depth look at the broken-hearted worshiper in Psalm 51
  2. Study of David -a man after God’s own heart
  3. In depth look at our hearts

4. Worship in spirit and truth – Jesus totally revealed

  • This classic scripture is explored thoroughly with the revelation of Jesus as the outcome.
  1.      John 4:24 scripture
  2.     Answering the questions of who, why and how in worship
  3.     Revealing the true Jesus of worship

5. Songs of Faith – Songs that speak to us in Scripture

  • The great songs of faith in scripture are explored and applications for our lives are shown.
                 a. Five songs from the Word are explained and discussed
                 b. Different applications are made and new songs are sung and released in the    congregation.

Private Sessions: Foundational teaching for all

Dr. Tim can meet individually with anyone in your worship ministry to focus on specialized areas, plus work on a song for Sunday – 45 min. sessions each.

1. Piano (keyboards) in worship (intermediate to advanced only) Using Dr. Smith’s textbook Piano in Worship

2. Strings in worship (intermediate to advanced only)

3. Guitar in worship (beginning to intermediate only)

4. Bass in worship

5. Voice for worship

6.  Worship Leader (esp. leading from an instrument)

7. Others (ask – maybe I can teach it)

8. Songwriters Personal Session – providing feedback on local songs written for worship