Influential Worship

In this episode of Influential Worship, we sit down with Onaje Jefferson for a powerful conversation on learning the presence of God, discovering our true identity in Christ, and why intimacy with the Lord must come before assignment, platform, and performance.Too often, we try to do things for God before learning how to simply be with Him. Onaje shares wisdom and personal insight on building a life rooted in God’s presence, leading from overflow, and centering our identity rightly before stepping into ministry or leadership.If you’ve ever struggled with performance, burnout, comparison, or trying to earn significance through what you do, this conversation will encourage you to slow down and return to what matters most.Topics covered:• Presence before platform• Identity before assignment• Worship and intimacy with God• Leading from overflow• Ministry without performance• Knowing God beyond serving HimConnect with Onaje online here: https://www.onajejefferson.comCheck out The Heart Worship Collective here: https://www.heartworshipco.comSubscribe for more conversations equipping worship leaders, creatives, and believers to live with influence rooted in God’s presence.►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com#InfluentialWorship #OnajeJefferson #ChristianPodcast #WorshipLeader #PresenceBeforePlatform #IdentityInChrist #WorshipMinistry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling burned out in worship leadership? Discover why creative outlets can restore your joy. In worship leadership, it’s easy for the demands of ministry to slowly shift your focus from creative expression to administrative and people-centered work.In this conversation, I talk with Scot Leonard about why creative outlets are more than just a personal hobby for worship leaders — they may actually be an important part of staying spiritually healthy and restoring joy in ministry.We discuss how worship leaders can intentionally steward creativity alongside the practical responsibilities of leadership, and why long-term ministry faithfulness often depends on rhythms that nourish both the soul and the imagination.If you are a worship leader who feels stretched between ministry workload and the creative calling that drew you into worship in the first place, this conversation is for you.Check out  @rogueworshipleader  on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rogueworshipleader🔔 Subscribe to Influential Worship for more conversations that help worship leaders lead faithfully and stay spiritually healthy in ministry.►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.comMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/check-it-outLicense code: PLF5MCSA5N5H9I5S Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does someone stay rooted in the same church—and the same ministry—for nearly three decades? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Hanz Ives, Worship Pastor for Greg Laurie, to unpack what 28 years of faithfulness in worship leadership really looks like.Hanz shares the practices and mindsets that have sustained him over the long haul, including:Developing contentment Keeping your calling clearWhat younger worship leaders often miss about longevityHow to stay passionate when ministry feels routine or hardWhether you’re new to worship leadership or been in it for decades, this conversation will encourage you to think long-term, stay planted, and lead with faithfulness.Connect with Hanz and Harvest Worship Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYm5oPmGPsBn5ApnCxhOPlQListen to Hanz' music here: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hanz-ives/836464565Listen to Hanz' lo-fi here: https://www.instagram.com/jayhanzlofi/ & https://youtube.com/@lofichapel?si=ih3Nv-Q3LBzGTytN►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.comMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/walz/banditsLicense code: SWDXDOT811313EOW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you a worship leader looking for clarity, balance, and practical tools to lead your team well? In this episode of The Influential Worship Podcast, I sit down with Dave Helmuth (founder of Ad Lib Music) to explore his powerful 5 Faders concept—a framework that helps worship leaders lead their teams in a healthy way.Dave shares how the 5 Faders can guide you in:Leading worship teams with clarity and purposeStrengthening your discipleship and leadership skillsBuilding a healthy culture where your team thrivesWhether you’re just starting out or have been leading worship for decades, this conversation will inspire and equip you to grow in influence while staying grounded in Christ.📌 Learn more about Dave Helmuth and Ad Lib Music: https://www.adlibmusic.com📌 Subscribe to their worship fertilizer: https://www.adlibmusic.com/subscribe✨ If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to share with your worship team.#WorshipLeader #WorshipPodcast #InfluentialWorship #WorshipTeam #DaveHelmuth #AdLibMusic #WorshipLeadership►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a worship leaders do you struggle with imposter syndrome? In this conversation, Zac Hicks shares wisdom on identity, calling, and the unique pressures of worship ministry. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re qualified to lead, felt like a fraud on stage, or wrestled with comparison, this interview will encourage and equip you.Zac Hicks is an author, pastor, and thought leader who has spent years helping churches navigate the heart and theology of worship. Together, we dig into why imposter syndrome shows up in ministry—and how to overcome it. A lot of the conversation centers around framing the paradigm of what a faithful worship pastor is called to do.👉 Whether you’re a worship pastor, worship leader, or part of a church team, this episode will remind you of God’s grace and your true identity in Christ.Connect with Zac online here:💻 https://zachicks.com📚 Buy Zac's books here (these links are affiliate links which means there is no extra charge to you, but this channel will get a small commission if you use these links which just helps to make more awesome content to serve you!):The Worship Pastor: https://amzn.to/41CdLdZBefore We Gather: https://amzn.to/4mR1z1mWorship by Faith Alone: https://amzn.to/4mSAHOI►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com🎵 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/swoop/successLicense code: ABRL8YHV2HYGKW37 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Influential Worship Podcast, Dr. Don Whitney joins us to talk about one of the most overlooked yet essential spiritual practices: family worship.Don is the author of the widely respected book Family Worship, where he calls Christians back to the simple, biblical, and historic habit of leading worship in the home. In this conversation, he unpacks why family worship still matters today, how it shapes the hearts of children, strengthens marriages, and deepens discipleship right where it begins — at home.This episode will both challenge and encourage you to take small, faithful steps toward regular worship in the home before taking the platform publicly as a worship leader.📖 Get Don Whitney’s book Family Worship: https://amzn.to/3UiDlQU *🙏 Get Don Whitney’s book on Praying the Bible: https://amzn.to/3GKIWfQ *🌐 Explore more from Don at: https://biblicalspirituality.org/🔔 Don’t forget to follow for more interviews that equip and inspire worship leaders to live out their calling in every area of life.►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com* These links are affiliate links which means there is a small commission given to this channel if you use the links to purchase Don's books. There is no extra charge to you, it just helps support the channel!🎵 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/tiny-houses/aureolinLicense code: 9UEZUJ30AV3KW8IA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your worship team doesn’t need to be more like the worship videos you watch on YouTube? In this episode, Jason Houtsma from Worship Artistry shares how worship leaders can stop idolizing the "dream team" and start investing in the actual people God has given them.Whether you're leading a team of beginners or seasoned musicians, this conversation will help you lead with vision, patience, and gratitude — right where you are. Learn how to develop your team spiritually and musically, resist comparison, and build something meaningful that lasts.📌 Topics we cover:The danger of comparison in worship ministryWhat it means to bloom where you're plantedPractical ways to invest in your current teamLeading volunteers with grace and growth in mindHow Worship Artistry equips everyday worship teams🎙 Guest: Jason Houtsma – Founder of Worship Artistry🌐 Visit https://worshipartistry.com to learn more🎧 Listen to "Scars" by Jason Houtsma that is out now: https://youtu.be/l19aGzdjeE4?feature=shared►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com#WorshipLeadership #WorshipArtistry #worshipteam🎵 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/swoop/blue-seaLicense code: 9RR9TJ2DESJBOH9G Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎙️ In this episode of the Influential Worship Podcast, we sit down with Chris Brink, founder of Rooted Music Coaching to uncover the inspiring story behind this impactful ministry — and share practical worship coaching tips every worship leader needs to hear.Whether you're leading an adult worship team, or mentoring younger musicians in a student ministry worship band, this conversation will inspire you to develop, train, and disciple your worship team with excellence and purpose.In this episode, you'll learn:The heart and vision behind Rooted Music CoachingHow to raise up confident worship musiciansCoaching strategies for student worship teamsTips for growing spiritual maturity and musical skill in your teamWhy leadership development is essential in worship ministry🎸 Learn more about how Rooted Music Coaching can help your worship ministry: https://youtu.be/310TeKtC4PY?feature=shared💻 https://rootedmusiccoaching.com💸 Check out the Rooted Music Foundation: https://www.rootedmusicfoundation.org#WorshipTeam #WorshipLeadership #RootedMusicCoaching #StudentWorship #WorshipTraining #InfluentialWorship #WorshipMinistry #WorshipCoaching #WorshipPodcast ►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com🎵 Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/tropicanaLicense code: HZOJQYUSLBYJZYU5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with worship historian Dr. Lester Ruth to explore the roots of modern worship and why understanding the past is essential for today's worship leaders. This conversation will deepen your perspective and give you practical insights to lead with greater intentionality as you shape your church worship culture.We dive into key questions like:✅ Why does worship history matter to the modern worship leader?✅ What shifts in worship practice should we pay attention to today?✅ How can we integrate ancient liturgy with modern worship expressions?✅ What's the upside—and the downside—of the modern worship movement?✅ Should our lyrics focus more on personal or corporate expression?✅ Does every worship set need to point to the Trinity?✅ Do worship leaders really “usher people into God’s presence”?📖 Whether you're team sings hymns or exclusively uses modern worship arrangements, this episode will challenge and encourage you to lead worship with theological depth and historical awareness.📧 To connect with Dr. Ruth email him at [email protected]📚 Check out his books on Amazon here (these links are affiliate links which means there is no extra charge to you, but if you use these links to purchase the books it helps this channel):Lovin' on Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship - https://amzn.to/4lNy7JQFlow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship - https://amzn.to/3RtLuRhHistory of Contemporary Praise & Worship - https://amzn.to/4jolYJE👨‍🎓 See Dr. Ruth's works and courses at Duke here: https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/lester-ruth🎤 Here is the talk Dr. Ruth mentioned in our conversation: https://youtu.be/-Fe_50X9rso?feature=shared►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.comMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/a...License code: IPT2NWEVIGUOPJXP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Matt Podesla shares his journey of playing electric guitar for Matt Redman and how he turned loss into a dream come true. Learn about his experience and how he became a worship guitarist. If you are an aspiring worship guitarist, this episode is a must-listen!Connect with Matt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattpodesla/►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you tired of just going through the motions as a worship leader? In this powerful interview, we sit down with Alan Fadling, author and speaker from Unhurried Living, to uncover how worship leaders can escape the trap of meaningless repetition and lead with true purpose and passion. 🌿Alan shares profound insights on:🔹 Vain Repetition vs. Meaningful Repetition — How to transform routines into opportunities to form your congregation in refuge and rest.🔹 Soul Care & Identity — The danger of adopting “worship leader” as your primary identity and how to cultivate a healthier self-awareness.🔹 Signs of an Anxious Worship Leader — How to recognize when you’re operating from an unhealthy place and practical steps to shift your mindset.🔹 EPC: Extended Personal Communion with God — Exploring the importance of unhurried, personal time with God to fuel your leadership.🔹 Sustainable Leadership Practices — How to lead without burnout by embracing unhurried living.Whether you’re a seasoned worship leader or just starting out, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to find fresh meaning in your ministry.Are you tired of just going through the motions as a worship leader? In this powerful interview, we sit down with Alan Fadling, author and speaker from Unhurried Living, to uncover how worship leaders can escape the trap of meaningless repetition and lead with true purpose and passion. 🌿Alan shares profound insights on:🔹 Vain Repetition vs. Meaningful Repetition — How to transform routines into opportunities to form your congregation in refuge and rest.🔹 Soul Care & Identity — The danger of adopting “worship leader” as your primary identity and how to cultivate a healthier self-awareness.🔹 Signs of an Anxious Worship Leader — How to recognize when you’re operating from an unhealthy place and practical steps to shift your mindset.🔹 EPC: Extended Personal Communion with God — Exploring the importance of unhurried, personal time with God to fuel your leadership.🔹 Sustainable Leadership Practices — How to lead without burnout by embracing unhurried living.Whether you’re a seasoned worship leader or just starting out, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to find fresh meaning in your ministry. Don't miss it—hit subscribe and turn on notifications to stay encouraged and equipped!📚 Show Note Links (the book links below are affiliate links which means they support the channel at no extra cost to you):Worship As Refuge In A Noisy World blog article - https://www.unhurriedliving.com/blog/worship-as-a-refugeUnhurried Living Resources - https://www.unhurriedliving.com/resourcesInterview with Steven Cuss - https://youtu.be/xbE1XHu7zLo?feature=sharedAn Unhurried Life book - https://amzn.to/3FemY3yAn Unhurried Leader book - https://amzn.to/3FdiDxBWhat Does Your Soul Love book - https://amzn.to/4bmH1JgA Non-Anxious Life book - https://amzn.to/4bnkpbvManaging Leadership Anxiety book - https://amzn.to/4hWVbDt►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com👍 If this episode encouraged you, share it with your team!#WorshipLeader #UnhurriedLiving #AlanFadling #ChristianLeadership #AuthenticWorship #MinistryTips #SpiritualGrowth #WorshipMinistry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to raise up the next generation of worship leaders? In this episode, I sit down with Paul Whittinghill, drummer for Passion City Church and Passion Conferences, to talk about his journey into Passion and how he’s now equipping future worship leaders through the Passion Worship Academy.Paul shares powerful insights on:🎵 How he became the drummer for Passion🔥 The mission of Passion Worship Academy and how it’s shaping worship leaders🥁 A spontaneous worship moment from Passion Conference 2024 that left a lasting impact🌟 The golden advice he received from David Crowder📖 How to be a lifelong learner and make every note you play countWhether you’re a worship leader, musician, or just passionate about worship, this conversation is filled with wisdom, encouragement, and practical advice you won’t want to miss!Connect with Paul and Passion Music with the links below:https://www.instagram.com/paulwhittinghill/https://www.instagram.com/PCC_PassionWorshipAcademyhttps://passionconferences.com/Also mentioned in the episode, check out Rooted Music Coaching: https://rootedmusiccoaching.com/ ►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're a worship leader struggling with burnout, this video is for you. Learn how to avoid burnout, prioritize self-care, and stay healthy for the long haul in ministry. Watch this video for tips on how to stay healthy and rested in ministry. As a worship leader, it's crucial to prioritize rest. In this video, Justin Unger from Likewise Worship shares his own story of burnout and what motivated the heartbeat behind Likewise Worship. Be a healthier worship leader in 2025!To connect with Justin and all that Likewise Worship offers check out the links below:https://www.likewiseworship.comhttps://likewisemusicgroup.com🏥 Take the health check here: https://www.likewiseworship.com/health-check📚 Books to Read (these links are affiliate links which means they support this channel at no extra charge to you):Do Likewise book by Justin Unger https://amzn.to/4iVrjrYThe Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer https://amzn.to/41Xd93nManaging Leadership Anxiety by Steve Cuss: https://amzn.to/40glRbSLeading on Empty book by Wayne Cordeiro: https://amzn.to/40jDesw ►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Ornellas, a seasoned professional in the music industry takes us behind the scenes and debunks a few misconceptions about the worship industry. He also gives practical advice on how worship bass players can serve their worship teams well. To connect with Daniel follow the links below:https://worshipartistry.com/https://www.instagram.com/danielornellas72https://www.danielornellas.com/►► Download your FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder of the Worship Drumming Academy, Timothy Cincala, gives top advice on how worship drummers can serve their worship teams. We talk about how drummers can adapt their style if they are coming from other genres. Timothy draws from his wealth of experience equipping worship drummers, and gives a lot of practical tips on how to best learn worship songs. We also cover how worship leaders can best serve the drummers on their teams.To connect with Timothy be sure to check out the amazing resources on his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@TimothyCincala as well as find out more info about the Worship Drumming Academy at https://www.worshipdrummingacademy.com►► Download your FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veteran worship leader and worship consultant, Tom Ewing, shares from his own journey how we can lead worship well through struggle, hardship, and unmet expectations in worship ministry. Tom has so many insights to share regarding how we should view ministry in the local church as the great privilege that it is, especially when it seems like the grass is greener elsewhere. He is an example of longevity in ministry, and how to lead well and care for your own soul well in seasons of spiritual dryness. This episode is also packed with practical soul care exercises to get back in touch with how God has wired us in ministry. To connect w/ Tom visit https://www.tomewing.net and be sure to check out the organization he works with for practical resources on abiding in Christ https://abideministries.com/►► Download your FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview Todd Rukes the founder & president of Rukes Group, a ministry staffing and consulting firm, shares how essential it is for worship leaders to break down the fourth wall in corporate worship. This is critical for worship leaders to understand in order to be effective at engaging congregations in corporate worship. We don't want people to merely spectate in corporate worship. As a priesthood of believers, we want the gathered church to participate and engage in corporate worship. This conversation is packed with worship leader tips and coaching on how to encourage congregational participation when we plan our services. Todd also covers the topic of how to be a strong candidate for worship leader positions and shares his extensive experience helping worship leaders in finding out if vocational ministry is the right fit for them.To connect w/ Todd check out https://www.rukesgroup.com/ or email [email protected] to reach out about any services they offer.►► Download your FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Keyes shares how to be a more intentional worship leader. This conversation is packed with worship leader tips and coaching on how to be a more thoughtful worship leader. We cover the topics of song selection and being more selective with the songs that we invite God's people to sing, as well as how to stand the test of time and lead people well in worship ministry. To connect w/ Aaron check out https://www.aaronkeyes.com or https://novus.globalTo purchase the book mentioned in this episode (this is an affiliate link and by using this link you can help support this channel):"Beyond High Performance: What Great Coaches Know About How the Best Get Better" - https://amzn.to/4c8wbW0►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My seminary professor Dr. Sam Hamstra Jr. shares how to be a faithful worship leader. This conversation is packed with worship leader tips and coaching on how to be a more faithful worship leader. We cover the topics of excellence, dependence on the Lord in our ministry, and keeping the Word of God central in worship ministry. To connect w/ Dr. Sam Hamstra Jr. check out https://www.rukesgroup.com/ or https://www.visible.edu/To purchase the books mentioned in this episode (these are affiliate links and by using these links you can help support this channel):"What's Love Got To Do With It" - https://amzn.to/3XL1JOn"Three Months with Revelation" - https://amzn.to/45PQOFa►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation with Evan Wickham we talk through the danger of envy in worship ministry. We covered much ground as we traversed the waters of the identity crisis that can occur in worship ministry and the value of Biblical education for worship leaders.To connect w/ Evan: [email protected]://x.com/evanwickham►► Download my FREE Guide that will teach you 6 practices you can implement this week to lead worship with greater confidence! → https://free.influentialworship.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.