Date
8-29-2025
Department
School of Music
Degree
Master of Arts in Music and Worship (MA)
Chair
Lori J. Danielson
Keywords
worship, arts, biblical worship, differentiation, corporate worship, arts in worship, dance, music, theatre, visual arts, kinesthetic arts
Disciplines
Liturgy and Worship | Music
Recommended Citation
Blakely, Stephanie L., "Differentiation in Artistic Expressions of Worship: A Study of the Front Royal Church of the Nazarene" (2025). Masters Theses. 1376.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1376
Abstract
While music is globally recognized as a common tool for expressing worship in both academia and the evangelical church, it is not the only art form mentioned in the Bible regarding acts of worship. The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations recognizes four main disciplines of fine and performing arts, including Music, Art and Design, Theatre, and Dance; however, in the twenty-first century evangelical church, music takes precedence as the main expression of worship. This qualitative study will gain insight into the pursuit and understanding of utilizing various art forms as expressions of biblical worship in modern-day worship settings within the Front Royal Church of the Nazarene (FRCN). Research will be conducted through extensive review of published literature on biblical and historical worship practices as well as the expressions of worship through each of the disciplines of fine and performing arts. Qualitative research will be conducted through an open-ended, short answer questionnaire to determine the congregation’s understanding of worship and its differentiated artistic expressions. A six-session Bible study will be conducted at FRCN, exploring the definition of biblical worship as well as the artistic expressions of worship used throughout the Bible and Church history. At the end of the study, the congregation will provide suggestions for how to incorporate artistic expressions of worship into the services at FRCN. This information will then be compiled and used to create a template for a worship service that includes various elements of artistic worship. This project will gain insight into the current perspectives of worship within the congregation of the Front Royal Church of the Nazarene that can be used to help identify worship perspectives among other Virginia Nazarene churches as well as churches in different regions and denominations.
