Yancy Wideman Richmond is a worship leader, songwriter and producer of hundreds of songs that make Jesus loud. Her Dove Award winning music is all the things kids love and everything adults value. She is a powerhouse at leading and teaching kids from birth to preteen how to worship, and creates popular worship resources for churches and homes around the world. Yancy is a passionate advocate of raising disciples to worship. She recently authored the book “Sweet Sound: The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship” and created “Heartbeat”, a curriculum to teach kids the heart of worship.With a family legacy of children’s ministry, her authority and PK perspective help encourage and champion the Kidmin community that the seeds they are planting will reap a harvest that will go on to affect families for generations. Yancy lives with her husband and two sons in Nashville, TN.

(YancyMinistries.com/Sweetsound; Social media @yancynotnancy on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube)

John Bolin has served as Pastor of Worship Ministries at Kingsland Baptist Church since March 2020. Formerly, John was the Minister of Worship and Arts at Houston's First Baptist Church from 2008-2020. John has written and arranged more than a hundred songs for print through Lifeway Worship and is viewed as a leading voice for worship ministries, choirs in worship, multigenerational worship, and family worship. He's been singing and leading since he was old enough to stand and has performed over 1300 concerts nationally and internationally, produced and sang on more than 20 albums, published over 100 original songs and arrangements, all while leading congregations of people in worship on a weekly basis. He and his wife Paige have 5 children, Grace, Hudson, John Luke, Levi, and Ellie.

Dove and Grammy Award nominated songwriter and producer, Aaron Rice, will be leading these listening panels. Bring your latest worship song and allow songwriters, industry artists, and major publishers the opportunity to listen, review, and critique your work. Please bring your song on a jump drive, with three paper copies of the lyrics.

Jake founded Churchfront in 2017 to equip worship leaders to lead Gospel-centered and tech-savvy worship. He has served as a worship leader and tech director in the local church for over 15 years. He earned his BA in Music from Greenville University and his M.Div. from Denver Seminary. He loves making Youtube videos and spending time by the beach with his wife and three kids.

Pastor’s kid turned pastor, Natalie and her family live in Colorado Spring, CO where she is on staff as a pastor at New Life Church. In her twenty years in worship leadership, Natalie has worked with many organizations and ministries to help build their teams and develop young leaders. She is also a songwriter who has co-written on songs published through Integrity Music with various artists. In 2019, Natalie began Raised to Stay, a ministry for those who have wandered, wondered and wrestled with the Church and the challenges of full-time ministry. Her heart is to see a generation of leaders finish their race as they partner with a good Father who is faithful to complete the work He began in each of us.  

You can learn more about Raised to Stay on Instagram at @raisedtostay and grab a copy of her first book being published with David C Cook in Spring 2023!

God designed you to create. It was His plan for you to solve problems, develop concepts, and make an impact through your life. That is the life work of Stephen. It happens through partnering with churches, organizations, and individuals. Stephen loves to help develop a map to clarify calling, purpose, and pathway. He serves with teams of all sizes in creative, worship, executive, and leadership roles.

Stephen is a creative leader. He worked in the music business for years, finding artists, developing albums, and leading marketing teams. He then moved into church leadership, serving not just as a lead over creative but also on the executive level of multiple mega-churches across the country.

Stephen and his wife Jackie started The Harmony Group – an organization that helps worship teams navigating the music business, churches develop leadership and creative structures for growth and culture development, as well as intensive Enneagram coaching. Stephen hosts several podcasts, generates ideas for new endeavors, coaches creatives, and hangs out in downtown Franklin, TN, where the Brewster family of six calls home. 

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Charissa has always loved being part of the church. For over 12 years she volunteered serving in kids worship, and has been part of the team at Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) for 7 years as their Kids Lead Worship Pastor. At CCV, a thriving multi-site church with 13 campuses across the greater Phoenix area, Charissa gives lead oversight to the kids worship experiences for all campuses, where she helps create and lead an experience for kids (ages 2 through 6th grade) to learn, grow, and find joy in worshipping Jesus. She leads a team of volunteers across all campuses and invests in creating a foundation for kids worship as her and the team continue to raise the next generation of worshippers!

A former Florida girl, Donna Gillespie graduated from Johnson University Tennessee with a BS in Human Services Community & Family and a Master's in Strategic Leadership in Ministry. For the past 7 years Donna has been a part of leading worship, recording and songwriting for CCV Music, and coaching the next generation of worship leaders. She is the Lead Student Worship Pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley - a thriving multi-site church with 13 campuses in Phoenix, Arizona - and leads a team of worship leaders who oversee multiple campuses and volunteer teams. Her goal is to empower worship leaders to lead, create, and invest in their craft while pointing students towards a deeper relationship with Christ. Her love for worship music started at a Christ In Youth High School camp which led to her commitment to vocational ministry, Bible college, a residency program in Arizona, and ultimately meeting her husband, Jake!

Most ministry leaders admit that they struggle with a consistent time with the Lord. What if you could constantly hear from God? The solution is easier than you think. In this workshop, Pastor Scot Longyear shares the simple system of Life Journaling. Scot will give an overview of the Life Journaling system and lead each person through life journaling from start to finish.

Since his first performance in 1998, violinist & pianist Johann Acuña has shared his music with audiences ranging from small church settings to grand symphony halls. Performing concerts all across the United States, as well as in Austria, Italy, Mexico, & Ukraine, he devotes his talents to glorifying God & sharing the message of Jesus Christ through music.

Johann received a Bachelor of Music Degree from Baylor University in 2009, and completed his Master of Divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2020. He currently serves as the Music Director & Arranger at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, TX. He is passionate about discipling musicians and crafting new & unique musical moments that invite the gathered church to engage in corporate worship.

Johann & his wife Aubrey have been married since July 2014, and they are blessed with 2 children – Benjamin & Lucas.

Ken Hartley serves as the Executive Pastor of Ministries at Abba’s House, where he has served full time on staff for the last 19 years. He is an inspirational speaker, an accomplished singer, a talented illusionist, a skilled actor, a bestselling author, a gifted teacher, and a transformation agent. He has been a singer and actor on stage and screen since he was five years old. He has also performed as a professional illusionist all over the world, has authored several books, and has released two solo CDs. He is a Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with The John Maxwell Team as well as an Advanced Certified Human Behavior Specialist with Personality Insights and Dr. Robert Rohm.

As an inspirational speaker, he has shared international stages with speakers like Rudy Guiliani, Colin Powell, James Smith, Delatorro McNeal, Nick Vujicic, Zig Ziglar, Les Brown, Mike Huckabee, and Dr. John C. Maxwell. His skills have also been featured on television networks like Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, TBN, Daystar, and INSP. He loves to encourage and challenge people to overcome limiting obstacles and step into their God given destinies. He is considered by his peers and clients to be a master speaker and communication expert. His presentations are often described as entertaining, engaging, and transformational.

Ken has over 30 years of fulltime experience in various megachurches across the United States and brings those skills, plus his years of training in leadership and communication, to organizations as a transformation agent to effect change and help individuals and organizations grow into who they are supposed to be.

When he is not traveling and speaking, he enjoys good movies, playing pool, visiting new places, and cooking on his Big Green Egg! He is married with four children and two grandchildren.

To learn more about Ken’s leadership and communication training, go to:

www.hartleyleadership.com

Jason McLeod is the Children's Pastor at Maryland Community Church (one of the fastest growing churches in the US). Beginning ministry in worship and moving into Children's Ministry, Jason has over 18 years of experience and has influenced thousands of kids for the kingdom. Each week Jason and his team create a vibrant worship culture within Children's ministry across multiple campuses.

Lindsay Scherb is the Elementary Director at Maryland Community Church (one of the fastest growing churches in the US). Every week she and her team design rehearsals and lead worship for elementary students across two physical campuses.