In 2008 Bob Kauflin, a pastor with Sovereign Grace Churches and Director of Sovereign Grace Music, wrote Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, in which he sought to connect a biblical theology of worship with what worship leaders actually do on Sundays. Through the book, Bob builds congregational worship on biblical principles that transcend cultures, generations, and ethnic groups.

Given the encouragement that’s come in response to the book, Bob has recorded a 12-session training course as a supplement to Worship Matters. In this video series he teaches through a broad range of topics, from practical guidance on putting songs together, growing in spontaneity, and planning a service to spiritual topics like humility, comparison, and idolatry. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more practical, engaging, and pastoral tool for worship leaders, pastors, and anyone involved in music ministry in their local church.

The sessions can be viewed consecutively or separately, depending on what serves you. Watching these videos with friends or the musicians at your church would be ideal, as you get to work through the content together. Outlines, transcripts, and subtitled versions in English (and Spanish, in the future) are available for download underneath each video.

We hope and pray this video series proves to be a helpful tool for you, your team, and your church in developing your gifts and increasing your love for our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ!

In this session Bob explains his intention behind the Worship Matters Video Intensive and suggestions on how to use it.

Our greatest challenge in leading others to encounter the greatness of God is the idols we worship in our hearts. In this session, we’ll look at some practices that help us fight the idols in our own hearts as we seek to lead others to encounter the greatness of God.

This session focuses on the often overlooked priority of skill–how to better serve your congregation through growth in leadership, musicianship, communication, and administration. We also look at the most important thing: living a life to the glory of God.

In an effort to lead God’s people effectively, there are many wrong and right ways to motivate people. This session focuses on how we can build a worshiping community through the proclamation of and living out of the gospel.

While session 3 focused on seeking to magnify God’s greatness as leaders, this session focuses on how that’s done. It’s not something we can do on our own, but only because of the cross of Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Singing helps us remember God’s Word. This session focuses on how skillfully combining God’s Word with music magnifies the greatness of God by helping the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16).

There are no normal Sundays. This session explores the importance of planning your meetings, using themes, progression, context, and creativity to create a liturgical flow to your Sunday service.

In an effort to lead God’s people effectively, there are many wrong and right ways to motivate people. This session focuses on how we can build a worshiping community through the proclamation of and living out of the gospel.

The effect of God’s gracious manifest and promised presence extends far beyond Sunday. This session shows how effective leading should lead to cherishing God’s presence and living God-glorifying lives.

In this session we explore the healthy tensions of transcendence and immanence, heads and hearts, internal and external, and vertical and horizontal, through the lens of edifying of our local churches.

This session explores more healthy tensions, like planned & spontaneous, rootedness & relevance, skill & authenticity, for the church & for unbelievers, and event & everyday.

God-honoring worship consists of loving God and loving those around us. This session explores ways we can love our family and church.

How do you love those your serve with, namely the musicians on your team and your pastor? In this last session, Bob presents guidelines for caring for your team through building a culture and handling transitions, as well as how to serve your pastor effectively.