Reading: Introduction

Hello, and welcome to the Intro to Praise Music mini course!  I hope you find this course interesting, informative, and lots of fun.  Here is a little of what to expect;

Praise music and Temple Musicians are HUGE subjects, and this course only begins to scratch the surface of all that pertains.  We will touch on subjects like Temple Musician and instrument history, band member attitudes, and the possibility of God calling you to the task of presenting praise music to His people.  And even if you are not musically inclined the information I present should give you great insight into the musical functionality of the church and worship.

I have found that no matter how good a teacher someone may be, people will learn more thoroughly when they do research for themselves, hence, there will be a little more homework in this class than other mini courses.  I kept my lectures and readings short so you should have plenty of time for personal research to expand your knowledge far beyond what I present.  Please feel free to use the course forum to post what you learn, even if it is not an assignment.

Speaking of forum posts; Your forum post requirements must be substantive.  “I like music, and we should sing in church” is NOT a substantive post.  Although this is a mini course it is still a higher education course, so please, let’s make sure our posts reflect this. That is why there are word-count requirements for a couple of assignments.  Take time to read and respond to posts from other students as well.  These forums will add much to your learning experience.

The first section is the most work-intensive with a 100 word minimum forum post, but don’t worry, the rest are easier.  Other sections include fun exercises that will help you assess your music skills, and other basic aspects of your personality.  You will get out of this course what you put into it, so dig in and have fun to the Glory of our God.

God’s Peace be With You All,

Pastor Greg