Theology of Music

Cliff Lambert
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As an associate professor of music and worship and part-time worship pastor, Cliff has spent years thinking deeply about the songs that we sing together as a church during our corporate worship services. Yet, instead of being another deconstructing voice, Cliff seeks to foster thought-provoking and edifying conversations with folks who create and lead the songs we sing in corporate worship. 

  1. FEB 15

    One Paradigm for Choosing Corporate Worship Songs with Mike O'Brien

    I’ve been looking forward to this episode for a while now. I’ve been following Mike O’Brien with Three Streams Worship Training on Instagram for a few years, and I’ve always appreciated his biblical and practical advice for worship leaders. In our conversation, Mike and I discuss some of the finer details of leading worship, especially the importance of understanding the context in which we lead, thoughtful song selection, and creating a balanced worship experience that serves a diverse congregation. In addition to things that should be considered when planning worship songs for our churches, we talk about the need for worship leaders to be flexible, responsive, and focused on serving our communities through musical worship. My prayer is that this episode encourages worship leaders to think about how they design and lead their congregations in worship. Follow Mike on Instagram @mikeoworship. You can also get more information about his worship training at flow.page/threestreamsworshiptraining

    32 min

  2. JAN 16

    Shepherding Our Congregations Beyond Musical Moments with Dr. Ryan Loche

    I always love having Dr. Ryan with The Church Collective on the podcast. I appreciate the fact that he’s a deep thinker but doesn’t take himself too seriously. We both come to the table with a lot of ground under our feet while realizing we don’t have all the answers and still need to grow spiritually and vocationally. In this month’s conversation with  Dr. Ryan, we explore the multifaceted role of worship leaders, emphasizing the importance of personal growth, intentional planning, and building relationships within the church community. We discussed the launch of Ryan's new podcast, www.formationtotransformation.com, which aims to deepen the understanding of worship beyond just singing. Our dialogue highlights the need for worship leaders to shepherd their congregations for the long haul, fostering a culture of discipleship and spiritual growth rather than just weekly musical moments. My prayer is that this episode encourages worship leaders to think about how they design and lead their congregations in worship.  As always, leave us your feedback. We’d love to hear from you.

    28 min

  3. 11/25/2025

    The Value of Lament in Corporate Worship with Jon Thurlow

    I’m really excited for you to listen to this month’s episode of the podcast. I’ve been trying to get Jon on since June, and we were finally able to coordinate our schedules this month. As we were talking, I kept thinking that it was so worth the wait! If you’re a worship leader, let me encourage you to follow @jonmthurlow on Instagram. Jon is a worship pastor whose posts always remind worship leaders to get back to the heart of worship by allowing our leadership to flow out of time in the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us as we behold Jesus through the Scriptures.  In this episode, Jon and I dive into the importance of songs of lament in corporate worship.  We briefly touch on what they are and why they are so necessary in our corporate worship settings.  I really appreciate the different angles from which Jon approaches the much-needed element in our corporate worship. Our prayer is that it encourages worship leaders to think about how they design and lead their congregations in worship.  As always, leave us your feedback. We’d love to hear from you.

    30 min

  4. 10/15/2025

    Relational Worship Leadership with Keith Elgin

    In this conversation, Keith emphasizes the importance of authenticity in worship leadership, the need for discipleship within worship teams, and the balance between talent and spiritual calling. Keith discusses how his personal journey has shaped his approach to ministry, highlighting the significance of focusing on Jesus rather than image, and the importance of creating a healthy worship environment. In this conversation, Keith and Cliff explore the transformative journey of leadership within the church, emphasizing the importance of personal revelations, relational dynamics, and the need for spiritual foundations. They discuss the challenges of equipping worship leaders, the significance of building trust and culture within teams, and the impact of personal integrity on leadership effectiveness. The dialogue highlights the necessity of aligning actions with values and the role of expectations in fostering growth and discipleship. You can find out more about how Keith can serve your worship ministry at www.keithelgin.com

    41 min

  5. 09/15/2025

    Creative and Intentional Worship Planning Using AI with Adam Stinespring

    This month’s episode is a conversation I had with Adam Stinespring, worship leader, realtor, and designer of CreativeWorshipFlow.com, a worship planning tool using AI to assist worship leaders in putting together intentional times of worship for their congregations. I’ve known Adam for about 7 years, first as a music and worship student at Liberty University. A few months ago, Adam contacted me wanting feedback on something he had been working on with regard to designing musical worship sets.  He wanted to know what kinds of things I take into consideration when putting together songs for corporate worship gatherings. He then let me know he was working on a website that uses AI to assist worship leaders. My initial response of “That sounds cool” was mixed with hesitation when I thought about the possibility of a tool like this encouraging worship leaders to become lazy and disengaged. After diving a little deeper, I realized Adam is giving worship leaders a tool to do the opposite. I was very interested in his approach, and I think you will be too. I pray this episode provides some thought-provoking encouragement for those who plan worship services. As always, leave us your feedback. We’d love to hear from you.

    36 min

  6. 08/15/2025

    When We Sing with Jon Azzarello

    As I was finishing up my doctoral studies in worship a couple of years ago, I came across a book called “The Greatest Worship Leader,” by author and worship pastor at Mercy Hill Church in North Carolina, Jon Azzarello.  I loved the book so much that I began to follow Jon on Instagram. His carousels with tidbits of encouragement for worship leaders were both encouraging and challenging. When he reached out to me, I knew I had to have him on the podcast…and the timing of him being on this month’s episode, I believe, was divinely ordained. This episode will drop on August 15, and Jon has a brand new “coffee table” book coming out the very next day called “When We Sing”. Here's the link so you can pre-order a copy: linktr.ee/jonazzarello It was such a refreshing conversation that deviated from the typical topic of song choices in worship to the actual act of singing… not only the scriptural command to sing, but also singing’s benefits to the singer. As a worshiper and as a worship leader, I know you’re going to benefit from every word in this episode provides. Our prayer is that it encourages you to not just listen to songs, but to sing them, too. As always, leave us your feedback. We’d love to hear from you.

    40 min

  7. 07/14/2025

    Important Questions to Ask When Choosing Songs for Coprorate Worship with Dalton Shaffer

    This month’s episode is a conversation I had with Dalton Shaffer, Music Ministry and Liturgy Director at Candeo church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I’ve followed Dalton for a while on Instagram, and his inspiration for worship leaders is always ROCK solid. A few weeks ago, he had a post titled “Stop Singing this song in your church,” and it got my attention. But this wasn’t just clickbait bashing mega church worship songwriters and shallow worship leaders who only focus on the vibe a song creates. After diving a little deeper, I realized he was giving worship leaders some great insight into what we should be considering when choosing songs for corporate worship.

    31 min

  8. 06/16/2025

    AI and the Worship Leader with Travis Doucette - PART 2

    My guest on this month’s episode is an experienced worship pastor, educator, and songwriter who has provided oversight to one of the largest multi-campus churches in Virginia. I knew I wanted to pull from his expertise and finally got a chance to talk with Canadian native, Travis Doucette, the creator of a brand new training resource for worship leaders… myworshiptrainer.com.  Check it out! I’ve known Travis for several years through our connections at Liberty University. The thing I love about Travis is that before his abilities as a musician, artist, or leader, He identifies as a child of God, and that reality guides everything he does. In this first part of a two-part episode, Travis and I discuss the inevitable relationship between the worship pastor/leader/planner and AI. We both understand the spiritual tensions that come with utilizing technology, especially technology that produces human-like responses. You’re going to love Travis’ insights into ways worship leaders can use AI and the safeguards they can put in place to ensure corporate worship is biblically sound and Holy Spirit-led. Travis currently resides in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. I pray this episode provides encouragement and guidance as you lead your church in worship. Leave us some feedback with some of your thoughts as well.

    25 min
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5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

As an associate professor of music and worship and part-time worship pastor, Cliff has spent years thinking deeply about the songs that we sing together as a church during our corporate worship services. Yet, instead of being another deconstructing voice, Cliff seeks to foster thought-provoking and edifying conversations with folks who create and lead the songs we sing in corporate worship. 

Information

  • Creator
    Cliff Lambert
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    130
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Theology of Music
  • Show Website
    Theology of Music

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