News at Trinity
FACULTY APPROVES BACHELORS DEGREE IN WORSHIP
TIU undergraduates may pursue a Bachelor’s of Arts in Worship, starting in fall 2019. The new program draws from courses in music, Christian ministry, theology, ensemble work, and includes an internship in a local church. Many of the required courses have been part of TIU’s history of developing musicians and ministry leaders, but others will be added to train a new generation of worship leaders. Faculty who helped design the Bachelor’s of Arts in Worship said TIU offers some unique strengths and perspectives that will form a foundation of success. “In partnership with our Christian Ministries department, there is a strong practical ministry dimension—with some courses that are already accepted for advanced placement in the Master of Divinity degree at TEDS,” assistant professor of music Charles D. King said. TIU faculty members have been working toward the new program for several years, and within the last year have sought advice from alumni, church leaders and university educators. “The flow and options of the courses offered is planned out impeccably well and my only wish is that I could go back through this program as a young 18 year-old,” said Jeff Warren, worship pastor at First Evangelical Free Church in Wichita, Kansas and a 1999 TIU graduate. “I can’t thank [TIU] enough for putting together such a well-grounded, biblically and historically rooted major that will help to equip the next generation of students to serve the local church.” Two other new undergraduate majors debuted in fall 2018: pre-occupational therapy and chemistry. The chemistry major includes professional, pre-medicine and forensic science emphases.