A few weeks ago I had the chance to visit the new National Praise and Worship Institute (I’ll be teaching a few classes for them this summer.) It will be based in Nashville at Trevecca Nazarene University.
What’s unique is that they’re using a conservatory approach… for praise bands! Evidently in big name music schools a freshman string player will be placed in a string quartet with other freshman string players, and they’ll continue together as a group throughout their university career (and in some cases, beyond.)
At NPWI every student will be placed in a praise band and will continue through the 2 year program together. A growing trend is for megachurches to hire bands, not worship leaders, and a NPWI praise band may have the chance to be hired right out of college (NPWI will be using the Slingshot Group to place students into ministry jobs.)
Can you imagine having a drummer who can read music, write charts and direct a rehearsal if the worship leader is sick? That’s who will come out of NPWI – as each band member will have a full palette of courses to round out their worship training – theory, conducting and theology as well as concentrated studies on their instrument with top Nashville talent.
If you have a college-bound teen interested in worship ministry as a career, or are interested in furthering your own training, check out the National Praise and Worship Institute.
Take a virtual tour of Trevecca Nazarene University:
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