Jonathan S. Welch
Director of the Worship Training Network
Biography
Jonathan S. Welch serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Worship and leads worship studies at Southeastern, where he has been teaching since 2019. Originally from South Carolina, Dr. Welch ministered for over fifteen years as one of the pastors at The Summit Church (Durham, NC) before joining the faculty at Southeastern. Dr. Welch has written articles and conference papers for the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society for Christian Scholarship in Music, Doxology & Theology, and the Institute for Biblical Worship. His research interests include biblical theologies of worship, contemporary worship, Christian liturgy, spiritual formation, discipleship, theology, and Christian perspectives on culture and the arts. Dr. Welch and his wife Sarah have been married since 2006. They live in Raleigh along with their four children.
Education
BA, Religion, Duke University
MDiv, Advanced Biblical Studies, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
PhD, Theology and Worship, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Professional Experience
SBC Worship Research Committee
Chair; 2025-present
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
Guest Editor, Southeastern Theological Review 17, no. 1; 2026
Member, EdD Committee, 2024-present
Assistant Professor of Christian Worship; 2022-present
Director for the Worship Leader Training Collective; 2022-present
Program Coordinator, MA Worship Ministry, 2022-present
Program Coordinator, BA Worship Ministry, 2022-present
Adjunct Professor, Worship Leadership (Ph.D.); 2022
Adjunct Professor, Worship Leadership (B.A., M.A.); 2019, 2021
Guest Lecturer, Worship Leadership; 2017
Advisor, Supervised Field Ministry; 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016
Samford University, Birmingham, AL
Online Course Instructor; Designing Creative Worship; 2021-present
The Summit Church, Durham, NC
Founder and Director, Summit Worship Residency; 2014-2015, 2016-2017
Founder and Director, Summit Worship Summer Internship; 2016, 2017
Lecturer, Worship 101; 2017
Duke University and Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC
Guest Lecturer, History of the Christian Church; 2013
Advisor, Field Education; 2013
Ministry/Missions Experience
Leadership Edge, Inc., Durham, NC
Learning Designer; 2022-present
The Summit Church, Durham, NC
Ordained Pastor and Campus Elder; 2009-present
Equipping Pastor; 2020-2022
Director, The Summit Institute; 2018-2020
Pastor of Worship Development; 2016-2018
Multisite Worship Pastor; 2010-2015
Campus Worship Leader; 2006-2010
Memberships
Southern Baptist Church Music Conference, Member, 2026-present
SBC Worship Advisory Council, Member, 2025-present
The Evangelical Theological Society; 2016-present