Ponder Anew What the Almighty Can Do
160 Years of Change in Worship Leader Training at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Institutions represent and pass on philosophies, values, and goals that help define and propagate the cultures they represent. When those cultures experience massive changes, their goals, values, and philosophies are significantly challenged. Over the last several decades, perhaps nothing in the culture of Protestant and evangelical church life has changed more than corporate worship. Institutions called to train leaders for the music and worship ministries in local churches have experienced no less upheaval than the churches they serve. Although the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has trained church leaders for music and worship leadership in various ways since 1859, the period between 1980 and 2019 arguably saw the most significant upheaval. In the face of changing job competencies, large cultural shifts, and changes in educational philosophy, the faculty and administrators of Southern Seminary honorably manifested Joachim Neander's phrase, "Ponder anew what the Almighty can do." Through its data-infused narrative, Ponder Anew seeks to provide a case study understanding how institutions and churches can fulfill their mission in the midst of significant and sometimes tumultuous transition.