When students at Boyce College talk about studying worship, they rarely mean something abstract. For Boyce’s music and worship students, training happens in classrooms and rehearsal spaces, but it is intentionally carried into the life of the local church.
That vision culminated in January when the Boyce Worship Collective traveled to Alabama to lead worship at Lakeview Baptist Church’s annual Fuel Event, a student ministry discipleship retreat serving middle and high school students. The trip highlighted the heart of Boyce’s worship program: pairing rigorous theological and musical training with hands-on ministry experience in faithful local churches.
Led by Kha Do, Professor of Music and Worship at Boyce, a team of students made the eight-hour journey a few days before the spring term began. Students arrived from across the country, including Albuquerque, Atlanta, and Indianapolis, to spend a full weekend leading congregational singing. From Friday night through Sunday morning, the Boyce Worship Collective led worship using hymn arrangements prepared by the students themselves.
For Do, the experience captured why Boyce emphasizes church-based formation alongside academic study.
“There was something profoundly encouraging about hearing youth singing hymns by Watts and Wesley,” Do said. “At the same time, watching Boyce students lead God’s people reminded me that the future of the church is bright. God is raising up and equipping a new generation for the work of the ministry.”
The weekend also allowed students to see faithful worship ministry modeled in a healthy Southern Baptist context. Lakeview’s Associate Pastor and Minister of Music, Adam Traylor, spent time encouraging students who sense a call to worship leadership. Traylor reinforced the importance of pastoral faithfulness, theological clarity, and musical excellence in the local church.
David Weis, a senior from Kansas graduating with a degree in Biblical Studies and a concentration in music and worship, aspires to serve as a worship leader. For Weis, the trip affirmed why he chose Boyce and how the college has shaped his understanding of worship ministry.
“Boyce is equipping my future by training both my practical skills and my life of the mind,” Weis said. “I’ve received a strong biblical education and real opportunities to serve the institution and local churches. That combination has shaped how I think about worship and ministry.”
When asked what he would say to prospective students considering Boyce College, Weis emphasized the school’s church-centered approach.
“This is the best place to train as a worship pastor while you’re in college,” Weis said. “Boyce emphasizes membership in the local church, and that’s where real growth happens. Doing life with the saints teaches you what ministry actually looks like. Paired with a robust worship program, it’s the perfect environment for aspiring worship pastors.”
The relationship with Lakeview Baptist Church grew out of a longstanding connection between the church and Boyce, including the ministry of former Boyce professor Brian Payne, now pastor at Lakeview. While Payne no longer serves on the Boyce faculty, Do sees the partnership as an example of Boyce’s broader commitment to churches beyond Louisville.
“Our goal is to serve churches and give students real ministry experience as they navigate their vocational callings,” Do said. “Boyce doesn’t exist in isolation. We want our students learning worship where it actually happens—among God’s people.”
For students discerning a call to worship ministry, Boyce College offers more than technical training. Its program is rooted in Scripture, shaped by the local church, and designed to form worship leaders who can serve faithfully with theological depth, pastoral awareness, and musical skill.