Designed to train students in the theological, pastoral, and artistic skills required to lead worship in the local church.
Diploma in Worship Arts
Columbia’s Worship Arts Diploma is for any student with musical gifting who loves the church and wants to use their gifts to build up the community. This program equips students with the foundational theological, pastoral, and artistic skills required to lead the local church in Bible-centered, transformational worship. Our graduates are highly sought after by local churches as worship leaders, and some move from this program to work in other artistic fields or to pursue further studies in theology and/or the arts. For those who have pastoral gifts, the Worship Arts diploma is designed to ladder into the Church Ministry BA as a concentration, which is the best path for those who want to work full time as worship pastors.
Program Objectives
To view the Program Objectives for the Diploma in Worship Arts, click here.
Bachelor of Arts in Practical Theology
Major in Church Ministry
The Church Ministry degree is for students interested in exploring a call to ministry and/or leadership within the local church. Students will develop a Christ-centered identity and will grow in both clarity and confidence regarding the unique contribution they can make as ministers and leaders. This program is built on Columbia’s core practical theology curriculum and equips students with a broad range of ministry and leadership skills. This major also includes the opportunity to add a 15-credit concentration in Youth Work, Worship Arts or Biblical Studies. The Church Ministry degree is perfect for any student who loves God, loves people, is oriented toward service, and has a desire to see the church thrive and grow.
Students who are interested in pursuing roles in Worship Ministry should consider pairing this degree with a Worship Arts concentration.
What is Practical Theology?
Our theology (what we believe to be true about God) only matters when it permeates every part of who we are: our priorities, our lifestyle, our relationships, our identity, and our vocation. This is why Columbia takes such a balanced approach to education. Learn more about Columbia’s approach to the BA in Practical Theology.
Minors
Every degree student at Columbia has the option to select a minor. A minor is a group of five courses outside of a student’s major. A minor allows students to experience added breadth in their degree by exploring a secondary subject area. A Church Ministry student who is taking a concentration cannot take a minor. Learn more about available minors.
Columbia’s Worship Arts minor will help those who are training toward pastoral ministry to understand the breadth of church ministry and consider the ways a church’s weekly worship service contributes to spiritual formation and community development. This minor could also be beneficial for students looking to understand their role as artists—in and out of the church. The minor is designed to be as flexible as possible, so while a student could pursue worship leadership through the minor, it is not necessary to be a musician to complete a Worship Arts minor.
Internship
Practical, hands-on experience is an integral part of education. That’s why Columbia requires all degree students to complete an internship in their third or fourth year. Worship Arts students have ample internship opportunities on campus and off. Many churches are actively looking for CBC students to be involved in their worship ministry. While most WA students choose to gain experience leading a worship team on campus or in a local church—students also have the option of working with an arts-based organization, or of serving in worship or music ministry overseas or at summer camps. The internship program is designed to apply program learning, providing a rich learning experience that focuses on skill development. For more information about Columbia’s internship program, including application forms and placement options, visit Service Learning.
Program Objectives
To view the Program Objectives for Church Ministry degree, visit the Church Ministry program page.
This program does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. As such, PTIB did not review this program.
Worship Ministry Teams
Columbia offers both Worship Arts and non-Worship Arts students many opportunities to get involved on worship teams both on campus and off. Music ministries (Traveling Ministry Team, Chapel Teams, and Vespers) are audition-based. There is also opportunity to learn how to run sound and media for our Chapel and Vespers services.
Contact Stacey or Shar for more information about auditioning for a worship team, helping with sound and media, or hosting the Traveling Ministry Team!
Connect with Us
“I have grown in everything. I never used to have the opportunity to grow on myself before I came to CBC. Coming here, I started an amazing journey to find self-awareness with God. He showed me who he created me to be through growing my passion in worship and helping others find healing in brokenness. I grew in my leadership and learned that I am an artist and creator like God; I enjoyed creating the Global Connections Committee and the International Host position with him. I grew so much in my knowledge of God and the Bible, and the more I understood, the more I fell in love with Him and his words. I came here with a passion for worship and grew more in it as I continued to worship lead and learn about them in class practically; I was more sure that this was what I was created to do. I have grown spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. CBC was the perfect environment for me to try new things and search for myself with God; I grew in how to be more myself in how God has originally created me to be.”
—Haeyoung K, Worship Arts Program
“I am passionate about finding unity that celebrates our diversity, a common ground that I believe can only be found in the Gospel. As such I desire to find beauty in the things that make every person and group unique. This has created an interest in mediation, a field of study that I may pursue, or use in some way in the future. In the future, I would like to try working in a church, preferably in the arts, as well as pursue further education.“
—Jon W, Worship Arts Program
