About Dr. Vernon M. Whaley...

Dr. Vernon M. Whaley  (PHD, DM, DWS) -  Most church goers pile into their weekend services ready to sing and experience the customs known as "as church service" and rarely think twice about the people leading worship, where they came from, or what preparation is required to pull off the typical service. But for more than 40 years, Dr. Vernon Whaley has committed to training those local church leaders how to lead and develop worship programs at their local church. Programs designed to give the ordinary worshiper in the pew a meaningful and engaging experience. 

Dr. Whaley grew up on the mission fields of Alaska before it was a state, and developed a deep love and appreciation for the role of worship in the life of the believer.  After more than 10 years serving in local churches, Dr. Whaley began teaching music and worship on the college level in 1978.  Since that time, he has taught and mentored more than 10,000 college and graduate students how to effectively lead worship in their local congregations. 

In 2005, Dr. Whaley established the Center For Worship at Liberty University. Within 15 years the program developed into the largest training center for church worship leaders in the world, paving the way for other schools to develop their own worship degrees and setting the standards in worship studies. Dr. Whaley is responsible for establishing accrediting standards with NASM and other accrediting agencies, and has been the forerunner in developing degree programs to fill this valuable void in the christian higher education field (this paragraph needs help - please help me)

After serving for 15 years at Liberty University Dr. Whaley "retired" as the director for the Center for Worship at Liberty University and moved to Nashville TN to be near family.  During this new phase of his life Dr. Whaley has founded the Center For Worship International as an organization to help establish national academic standards for worship degrees across the globe. His local work can be found at Trevecca Nazarene University as they work to establish their own Center for Worship. 

Dr. Whaley has authored 8 books on worship, developed 39 college level courses on worship, and developed the first doctorate degree for worship students. He has taught worship in Germany, Russia, China, Former Soviet States and over 10 additional international platforms.  He can be heard speaking routinely at worship conferences and churches around the world. 

In 2020 Dr. Whaley is continuing to spread the message of worship through his podcast "THE PODCAST OF DR. WHALEY'S WORSHIP" (name change coming very soon).