A NEW CHAPTER

We are excited to share with you the next chapter at WL.  We’ve made the pilgrimage to Franklin, Tennessee, and are ready for a new season of creativity, service, and multi-faceted training. While the magazine is changing in terms of location and moving from print to digital, the fundamental roots and pivot points remain the same: Trinitarian/Jesus-centered worship, celebrated and sung from the hearts of redeemed souls who love God.

The impetus of this ministry began with the encounter between the woman at the well and Jesus. The discussion focused on answering the question: “What is true worship? What is ‘Spirit’ and ‘Truth’?” We continue to address this query from a variety of biblical perspectives as we look at principles, processes, and practice of worship, gathering understanding across history and from around the globe.

As Worship Leader’s founders, Stephanie and I consider this ministry, not only our hearts’ call but our privilege in serving YOU, our extended family. We’ve also been blessed by how you have adopted our family. God has given us five great kids. Our oldest daughter, Nicole, has worn many hats with the WL team for over the past ten years; and now she has some new hats—for her, the best yet—as a wife, and as a mom to a new baby girl, Isla Marie! Yes, we are first-time grandparents!

If you haven’t met her yet, we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra, “Lexi,” our middle daughter. Her journey at WLM has grown from volunteering to now directing the team, and is undoubtedly orchestrated by God’s providence. Like all of our children, she has lived and breathed Worship Leader Media since she was born, and in WLM tradition loves to collaborate with experienced experts to bring a shared vision to our readers.

We’d like to introduce you to Alexandra, “Lexi,” our middle daughter. Her journey at WLM has grown from volunteering to now directing the team, and is undoubtedly orchestrated by God’s providence. Like all of our children, she has lived and breathed Worship Leader Media since she was born, and in WLM tradition loves to collaborate with experienced experts to bring a shared vision to our readers. 

In her new role as Director of Worship Leader Media, Lexi is already making valuable strides for the new digital imprint. Not the least of which is within Song Discovery, which is being shifted to a digital distribution system. The plan is to encompass the same richly biblical sung prayer but reach further to embrace a greater sample of music for more of God’s people.

As the magazine moves from printed/digital quarterly issues in 2019 to projected bi-monthly and then monthly digital issues by 2021, Lexi is working with our new digital editor to serve you and steward the multiplex of resources. One of the team goals is to broaden access and affordability for smaller churches.

While I am putting on the hat of “retirement,” we all know that means, “re-purposing”! I will still be weighing in on aspects of development while I focus more of my time on a series of projects that have been calling me for the past several years. I’m looking forward to exploring and remediating more of the first Christian songs and ancient Christian worship in the tradition of the celebrated and critically acclaimed Ode’s Project we released in 2007.  Of late, I’ve had some health challenges dating back to my stroke in 2010. I will continue to answer the calling on my heart and utilize how God has been faithful to give me the capacity to serve. 

Lexi agrees and adds, “My heartfelt desire is to honor and extend the Worship Leader legacy to serve the needs of the Church, from the smallest house church to the largest mega-church and everywhere in-between by being faithful to the vision of supplying resources, training, spiritual guidance, and best practices. We’ll continue to share the wisdom of experienced worship leaders, pastors, songwriters, theologians, and to offer new and renewed sung and spoken prayer that is formational, congregational, relational, Spirit-birthed, and above all ‘true’ to the living and written Word of God.”

It is difficult to hand your baby over to one who was once your child, and at the same time, it is exhilarating. We hope in this season of transition and new beginnings, you’ll stand with us, pray for us and spread the word about WLM far and wide. Our plans in this new season include:

• Continuing to explore the heart of worship:
  • Worship in Scripture/Biblical imagination
  • Worship as sung prayer
  • Worship as echoing narrative: communication between God and man
  • The Global Hymnal:  WLM’s digital format continues the expansion of accessibility to help meet the challenges of connecting through the Worldwide Internet
•  Bringing you the applications and guides to:
  • Theology
  • Music/musicianship
  • Planning/leading
  • Technology
  • Training
  • Team dynamics

Hope to see and serve you virtually online, and in person!