Most congregations would not allow a preacher in the pulpit to guide the spiritual development of a congregation who had never been a serious student of the Bible. In fact, most congregations require that a man have studied at a School of Preaching or a Christian University to attest to his spiritual and academic preparations. Why is it, then, that churches allow untrained and – at times – ill-prepared men to direct the worship of God’s people week after week?
There are, of course, many men who have been wonderful song leaders in our Brotherhood over the years. However, there has never been a comprehensive training program to develop those skills in others. At The Singing School, we have taken our instructors’ combined experience of almost 300 years in leading singing to create a certification program aimed at developing just such leaders. The Singing School has been training leaders since 1946.
2021 Graduates (Blake, Howard) with TNSS Board President, James Tackett
The Worship Leader Certification takes four years (summers) to complete. Even if a student is knowledgeable in the music theory classes, there are theology and history classes we require before recognizing a man as suitable for certification.
Certification is also open to women (Certification in Women’s Music Ministry). These require several of the same classes as the men’s certifications, but there are also track-specific classes that must be completed.