Worship Wars Truce—Worship Pastors and Pulpit Pastors
For pastor and worship leaders, church musicians, volunteers and lay people who have questions, or want insights into church worship music.
Grace Seminary and CE National are hosting a seminar on Church Worship on May 2, 2011. It is open to the public. The cost is $29 per person and includes lunch. The seminar will be held from 10:00 until 3:00 at the Russell Center at CE National, 1003 Presidential Dr., Winona Lake, IN just east of Grace’s campus off Wooster Road.
Registration forms can be found at www.supermondays.net. Registration deadline is April 27. If you have questions please call Lois at CE National at 574.267.6622, ext. 111.
Lead speaker will be Jim Mitchell from The Chapel in Akron, Ohio. Panelist and adjunct speakers will be Jake Brothers, Fellowship Church, Indianapolis, Ind.; Jeremiah Olson, Grace Community Church, Goshen, Ind.; and Nick Stanton, Warsaw Community Church, Warsaw, Ind.
Senior Associate Pastor in Worship, Jim Mitchell grew up in the Detroit area as the son of a physics professor/theologian (dad) and an elementary music teacher/church pianist (mom). As a result, he has essentially been immersed in church music and theology his whole life.
He earned a degree in church music from Moody Bible Institute with an emphasis in orchestral instruments and trumpet performance. In December 2007, he completed an MA in organizational leadership from Regent University.
Jim has been on the Chapel worship staff since 1991. He loves the blend of being both a pastor and a musician, and that he gets to use his gifts for what will last forever as part of the Kingdom of God.
Jim and Brenda were married in 1993. They are blessed with three boys: Drew, Lane, and Trent. The Mitchells enjoy outdoor activities like traveling, camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing.
Jake Brothers’ rockin’ style reveals his passion to worship the one true God in a fresh way. With influences of hymns, pop and artists like Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band, Brothers’ music is noted for its true lyrics that are easy to sing and easily get stuck in your head.
When he’s not playing shows with the band for churches, camps, Campus Crusade, or coffee shops, Brothers’ full-time job is Worship Director at Faith Church in Indianapolis. Faith has a focus on missions, which has allowed Brothers to bring his worship music to half a dozen countries on three continents for the last seven years to crowds of ten or ten thousand.
Jake Brothers is also partnering with Wycliffe and has become a One Verse Artist to bring the Bible to the Lughulu people of Tanzania, one verse at a time. The band is currently booking shows, retreats and events for 2011.
Jeremiah Olson has served as worship pastor at Grace Community Church in Goshen, IN for 10 years. He and his wife Marcie have been singing and leading worship together ever since they met as students at Grace College. They were married in 1999 and have 3 children, with a 4th on his way in July.
His years of traveling, leading worship at conferences, retreats, and churches, writing and recording CDs and giving concerts have given him a lot of great experiences to share, and more than a few very weird stories. In 2009, with the help of Grace Brethren International Missions and Artists in Christian Testimony, Intl, Jeremiah released a worship resource called WorshipWherever which has been used worldwide to provide worship leadership for many people in many settings. His free time is spent learning martial arts and roasting his own coffee.
Currently the worship leader for Warsaw Community Church, Nick Stanton, has been a worship leader, speaker, and special performer for over 60 churches across the U.S. and Mexico. Nick was the worship leader for That Thing in Epworth Forest for the summers of 2009 and 2010.
Nick Stanton was raised in Liberty, IN on a cattle and horse farm. He found a love for music at an early age of 8, playing the piano and guitar at the age of 11. His early music influences were in the genre of country music with artists like Tim McGraw, Johnny Cash, George Strait and Garth Brooks. And more currently some of his influences are Mat Kearney, Jeremy Camp, Needtobreathe, John Mayer, Third Day, Tenth Avenue North, and Shawn McDonald.
After committing his life to Christ at the age of fourteen, Nick instantly gravitated to praise and worship music, leading worship through high school and college. Nick graduated from Southport High School in Indianapolis and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Anderson University.
Nick currently lives in Warsaw, IN and works as the main worship leader at Warsaw Community Church. Having the opportunity to lead a large congregation in song has enabled him to utilize his gifts and passion for glorifying God.
Knute Larson, a coach for pastors, will be the Emcee. He and Jeff Gill, former pastor in Delaware, Ohio, will share from a pastor’s perspective on worship wars.