Diverse Worship Leaders and Styles to "Inspire" People at August Event

The worship leadership team for Inspire 2017 will bring a compelling and eclectic blend of gospel, Latin, Western contemporary, and classical music styles when its members perform in Detroit, Mich., this summer.

“Inspire 2017 is being built to pour into all servants of the church. You've read about the presenters, you've seen the breakout sessions offered, and now we share with you how the worship gatherings will fill you as well,” said Paula Wigboldy, one of the event organizers.

The Inspire worship team includes a liturgist who is also a preacher, a songwriter who is the author of two books, a gospel choir director, and a husband and wife team who play a variety of instruments and will sing one of their own songs in Spanish.

Being held Aug. 3-5 at the Marriott Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, Mich., Inspire 2017 will be a gathering of people involved in ministry across North America.

Featuring speakers, workshops, and times of prayer, the event will offer participants opportunities to connect with other Christian Reformed Church members as well as ministry experts for inspiration, new ideas, and renewal for ministry.

“The members of our worship leadership team are experts in their disciplines,” said Melody Van Arragon, worship director at First CRC of Detroit, located in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. She will be helping to lead the worship team. Her husband, Ben, is pastor of First CRC of Detroit.

“The worship team is made up of accomplished musicians, singers, performers, and speakers. Several are composers,” said Van Arragon.

“In addition to their individual expertise, each has a proven track record of collaboration and ensemble work. Not only do we anticipate great synergy as we start rehearsing and playing together, but we are intentionally bringing together leaders who draw on a diversity of artistic and cultural backgrounds.”

Participants at Inspire will have the chance, she said, to “experience familiar hymns and songs set to fresh rhythms and chord progressions. We will hear new compositions and learn praise songs from other cultures and traditions.”

A member of the worship team is Greg Scheer, a musician who provides education, workshops, and webinars to worship teams.

One thing he’ll be offering is an interactive session titled “New Songs for Worship: A Late-Night Hootenanny” in which he’ll be leading participants as they learn a variety of new songs.

“A lot of people know me as a composer and songwriter, but they might not know that I’m a song evangelist,” he said.

“When I find a good song, I’m compelled to tell people about it. At my Inspire session, I’ll be introducing 20 songs that I’m really excited about. These are songs that people are going to love and want their congregations to sing.”

Scheer is also the author of a new book, Essential Worship. He said he wrote it, as well as his previous book, The Art of Worship, to offer contemporary worship teams a comprehensive introduction to leading and participating in congregational worship.

“Essential Worship is an easy-to-read primer on the basics of worship theology and practice that is for pastors and worship leaders of all levels of experience.”

He’ll be drawing on some of the highlights of these books during his Aug. 4 breakout session “The Art of Worship.”

“Inspire is such a great idea. I don’t know of any other denomination that has a meeting meant for all those doing ministry in local churches—one that includes every ministry area and welcomes laypeople,” he said.

Other worship team members include Kizzy Thomas, a spoken word artist and Detroit native. Thomas is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and was recently awarded a preaching scholarship sponsored by North Hills CRC in Troy, Mich.

Also on the team are Josh and Mary Rodriguez.

"My wife, Mary, and I both have multicultural backgrounds. She was born in England to an American father and French mother; I was born in Argentina to a Colombian father and American mother,” said Josh Rodriguez.

“We grew up as missionary kids with a sense of connection to the Christian community around the world, and from the very beginning there was lots of music in our home.”

He said their interest in music includes playing a variety of instruments and extends well beyond classical music.

“As church music directors in Detroit, we strive to explore music from folk traditions around the world as a way of better acknowledging, in our Sunday liturgy, the global and historic nature of Christianity.”

About Inspire 2017, he said, “It will be a rich time of reflection, preaching, singing, and intercultural conversation.”

Rounding out the team is Nate Glasper, Jr., who just completed his first year as director of Calvin College’s Gospel Choir. He has previously led worship at CRC gatherings and at the Calvin Symposium on Worship. At Inspire 2017, he’ll be leading a gospel choir made up of Inspire attendees.

“The Gospel Choir at Inspire 2017 is an enthusiastic, engaging, upbeat, and inspirational ensemble of persons from various locations, races, and creeds,” said Glasper.

“Participants will be inspired to corporately create an atmosphere of praise and worship where God’s presence is valued, his healing virtue freely flows, and lives are impacted and changed forever.”

Check-in for Inspire 2017 will start at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3. Following a light supper and networking, evangelical leader Richard Mouw will kick off the event with an evening gathering at 7 p.m. This will be the first time that all attendees will be able to experience worship together.

Van Arragon said the goal for this time of worship as well as the entire Inspire worship experience is “to be enriching, encouraging, uplifting, and accessible for all attendees.”

This is just one of many ways that Inspire 2017 will fill people with information, fellowship, and inspiration so that they can return to their home congregations reinvigorated and with new ideas for ministry.

Registration for Inspire 2017 will be open until July 10. During the month of May, a special promotion is being offered to churches. Any congregation that registers a group of three or more is eligible for a free registration. Learn more at crcna.org/Inspire2017.