The John Brown University educational program strives to help students develop the necessary skills for their desired field through interactive classes and showcases during their final semesters.
For those emphasizing in worship arts, their final project is a senior worship arts presentation that will be their chance to share with the student body who they are as an artist and all that they have learned during their time at JBU.
Each senior goes through a hearing where they discover whether they have been preparing for the presentation properly, a meeting with their advisor to decide on a theme for the presentation and hours of rehearsals in order to execute their presentation perfectly.
Josiah Mason, a senior worship arts major, gave his worship presentation in March of this year. His theme is focused on a few of his passions.
“I am really passionate about the LGBT community and especially LGBT Christians who have been pushed out of the church,” Mason said.
“I also share a passion for the impoverished and sexually abused — a passion that both my wife and I hold, actually.”
Mason structured his presentation around the scriptures from the Sermon on the Mount.
“I decided to focus on the scriptures centered on attitudes, and how they are the best way for people to reach out to marginalized people groups,” said Mason.
Mason said he would love to pursue a worship leader position in a big, metropolitan city after graduation alongside of his wife.
Aleah Eldridge, a senior worship arts major, is choosing to focus her presentation on the journey from lamentation to praise.
“This is something that I wanted to do because I was struggling with it myself,” said Eldridge. “I want it to reach a large number of people who are struggling.”
“I decided to broaden by original idea of just focusing on my own issues to one that others can relate to,” said Eldridge. “It’s now about lamenting over each person’s life.”
Eldridge came to love music recently and plans to pursue a career in music, whether that is through a worship leader position or in music production.
Seong Jae Jo, a senior worship arts major, gave his senior worship presentation last semester, focusing on the concept of Shekinah Glory.
“I prayed a lot and noticed that Christians sometimes forget that God is with us every single day, and I wanted to remind them that He is always there,” said Jo.
Jo met God at a young age, and wanted to show people how they can find God in intentional ways.
Although each senior holds their own unique relationship with God and music, the common theme that this year’s seniors showed throughout their worship presentations was how Christians are nothing without God.