Worship Academy

Worship Academy

What is Worship Academy?

Worship Academy (WA) is a year-long program hosted by The Village Church’s Worship Ministry, designed to disciple and train high school and middle school students as the next generation of worship leaders. The first class began in 2014 with a handful of students and volunteers learning a few worship songs in an organic, spontaneous setting. While WA has taken on various forms over the years, its heart and vision have remained the same. Students gather once a month for rehearsals, receive coaching from our worship staff and volunteers, and are given resources to support both spiritual formation and practical growth in worship leadership. Each semester, they work toward leading a five-song worship set for their peers at the final Student Worship Night in November and May.

Our Vision and Hope

Our vision and hope for WA is for students to be cultivated...

  • In their identity as children of God, to live a life of worship (Romans 12:1,2), and to experience a culture where spiritual growth and personal holiness are at the forefront.
  • In their belonging to a gospel-centered community. We want to provide a consistent space for vulnerability, encouragement, and prayer. Looking to Christ's perfect example of humility (Phil. 2:2–8), we encourage students to consider others over self and to celebrate each other, especially those who share similar gifts.
  • In finding their purpose as disciples of Jesus Christ. Students are not just the church of tomorrow, but they are the church today! We want to train up a generation of believers who are active servants in the church and not just consumers. We encourage students to pursue excellence in their musical craft while walking with humility (Colossians 3:23).

Online Resources

Worship Academy operates as a hybrid program where students split their time between online preparation and in-person gatherings. All of our custom song training resources—including instructional videos, chord charts, lyric sheets, and practice tracks—live directly on Planning Center. Each student will be given an account to access these materials so they can practice and prepare at home. In addition, students will receive regular emails with announcements and updates between each in-person gathering.

Monthly Gatherings

We will host in-person rehearsals one Saturday a month at our Highland Village Worship Center. Each rehearsal will start with a small devotional/encouragement before music training begins.

  • First Gathering – Students divide into breakout groups to practice parts with their assigned coaches. Worship night placement will take place after this rehearsal.
  • Second Gathering – Students join together to run through each song as a full band/choir and practice transitions.
  • Final Gathering – Students participate in a dress rehearsal one or two days before the student-led worship night. During this gathering, students share a meal, pray together, and work through the setlist with transitions.

Apply for Worship Academy

Worship Academy is a training space for already established instrumentalists and vocalists to learn how to use their gifts and talents to serve the church through worship ministry. Instrumentalists should have prior experience playing their instrument before joining the program. If you have students who are interested in playing an instrument but have not taken lessons or received training, please contact Amy Gray for a recommended list of music teachers.

This form is considered a registration for returning students and an application for new students. You will be notified whether or not you have been accepted into the program no later than August 3rd, 2026. This is a year long commitment with limited capacity. The application window opens on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 and closes on Sunday, August 2, 2026.

Important Registration Info: Returning students will be automatically accepted and moved off the waitlist, provided spots are still available. All new student applications are placed on the waitlist to be reviewed by our team. We will notify you regarding your acceptance status as soon as possible.

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