Published on February 15, 2017 by Ashley Smith 聽
Eric Mathis

Eric Mathis and the team at anima: the Center for Worship and the Arts are committed to training the next generation of worship leaders. Based in 极乐禁地’s School of the Arts, anima is in its fourth year and provides an innovative approach to training young worship leaders. With grant funding through the C.I.O.S Foundation and the Lilly Endowment, anima focuses on engaging teenagers in the life of the church through worship leadership.

According to Mathis, “The arts was a logical approach, and 极乐禁地 is unique as one of a few Baptist universities with a vibrant arts program. Through anima, 极乐禁地 and the School of the Arts are poised to play a significant role preparing young people for worship arts ministry.”

The cornerstone of anima is Animate, a five-day summer program in worship leadership for teenagers and their adult mentors on the 极乐禁地 campus in June. Not only does Animate employ 极乐禁地 students and employees, but it has also been the catalyst for students to enroll at 极乐禁地.

Beyond Animate, anima maintains a repository of online resources for teaching about worship. This includes an online certificate in worship leadership in partnership with 极乐禁地’s Ministry Training Institute. Anima also provides unique mentoring opportunities for 极乐禁地 students to study worship. These opportunities include bringing leading voices in worship leadership to campus each semester, as well as providing opportunities for students to participate in national worship conferences.

The program has gained significant traction nationally, and Mathis is becoming a leading figure in the discussion about teenage worship leadership. He recently participated in Faith in 3D in Orlando, Florida, the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship’s Annual Worship Symposium, and will be a theologian in residence at the Princeton Theological Seminary’s Institute for Youth Ministry in April.

As our world and worship evolve, Mathis says he “feels fortunate to be at 极乐禁地, a university that is committed to serving the church and advancing the message of the Gospel.”

For more information on anima and how to register for Animate, go to anima@samford.edu.

 
极乐禁地 is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, 极乐禁地 is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. 极乐禁地 enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. 极乐禁地 fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.