Dr. Andy Stephenson serves as the Associate Director for North America for a church movement involving over 2000 churches. Part of his role is to direct an international student conference with an average attendance of 4000-6000 high school students and their leaders. Andy is passionate about coaching others to discover and live God’s purpose for their lives.  Andy speaks to audiences in various settings around the world, and focuses on helping raise up a new generation of Christ-centered leaders.  Andy’s book Smooth Hand Offs challenges and equips leaders to pass the baton of faith to the next generations.  Andy has a Master’s degree from Oklahoma State University in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington specializing in non-profit leadership. He married the love of his life, Candace, in 2005 and they have two little princesses. Andy and Candace partner together in ministry and often speak and lead together.

They’ve had their hands in dozens of the biggest songs written for the modern Church. Yet, it’s tough to describe one sonic society as a worship band when they sort of struggle with identifying themselves as “worship leaders.” Or, even, a “band.”

Comprised of musician-producer-songwriters Jason Ingram, Paul Mabury, Jonathan Smith and a small handful of other stalwarts within the Nashville artist community, the collective doesn’t put near as much thought into what they are, as what they’re doing.

Between Ingram and Mabury as individual co-writers and together, they are responsible for penning some of the most popular worship songs of the past decade, like “Forever Reign,” “Open Up the Heavens,” “How Can It Be” and “Never Once” along with some of Christian radio’s biggest hits including singles “Where I Belong” (Building 429), “By Your Side” (Tenth Avenue North), “Trust In You” (Lauren Daigle), “My Story” (Big Daddy Weave) and “Drops in the Ocean” (Hawk Nelson). Over the past year, their self-released version of “Great Are You Lord” developed into one of the most recognizable songs on the airwaves as well as in worship services worldwide.

They are following-up their Top 5 single with their new song, “A Billion Stars,” which will hit radio this summer. Co-written by Chris Tomlin and Hillsong’s Reuben Morgan, Ingram knew he and the church needed a song of faith for the church during a season of hardship (You light up the night with a billion stars / surely you’ll light my way when the road gets dark).

One thing is for certain with one sonic society – they love being a part of the greater goal that God is doing through the music the have the honor of being a part of each day.

Dr. Randy Davis is the Chief Ministries Officer for the National Network of Youth Ministries.  Randy works help youth leaders realize their leadership capacity, increase their ministry effectiveness, and maximize their kingdom impact.  He works with youth ministry leaders from over 160 denominations and para-church ministries, with the shared goal of working together so that every teenager has a chance to hear the life-changing message of Jesus.  He and his wife, Jama, have been married for over 30 years and have two adult married children.  They have served several churches in Indiana and North Carolina, Youth for Christ, and with the National Network of Youth Ministries.  Randy received a Masters of Arts in Leadership and Church Management from Anderson University, a Masters of Arts in Educational Ministries from Huntington University, and a Doctorate of Ministries in Semiotics and Future Studies from George Fox University.

A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Luke has served since 2006 as a pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel. Starting in youth ministries, he now oversees weekend services, Children’s/Student Ministries, and the Vertical Church Band. Luke is married to his high school sweetheart, Kristen, and is a dad to 3 lions — Carter, Reid, and Graham.

A storyteller at heart, Michele Cushatt has spoken internationally at both corporate and ministry events, including such notable venues as Women of Faith, Focus on the Family, and Compassion International. From 2014 to 2016, she cohosted the popular leadership podcast This Is Your Life With Michael Hyatt, including close to 100 episodes and millions of downloads. She has written for Today’s Christian Woman, Proverbs 31, InCourage, and MOPS International, as well as hundreds of articles and devotionals, in print and online. Her first book, Undone: A Story of Making Peace With An Unexpected Life, released 2015 and her second book, I Am: A 60-day Journey to Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is released January 24, 2017 (Zondervan). Michele and her husband, Troy, live in Denver, Colorado with their six children, ages 9 to 24. Find out more about Michele’s incredible story at www.MicheleCushatt.com.

Most recently he can add recording artist to the list. Zach is no novice to the music industry. He had spent a majority of his life traveling with various bands. It was while on the road that the Lord grabbed a hold of him and he decided to leave the rock star life behind.

After that, Zach transitioned in to a position at the Refuge Campus of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas in which he still serves. It came as a shock when the opportunity to sign with Provident Label Group as a new Christian artist arose. Never in his wildest dreams did Zach Williams think that he would be in this place of writing and recording music in the Christian music industry, especially from years of hard living on the road while in a rock & roll band.

His personal testimony of receiving freedom in the Lord is so beautifully reflected in his debut single “Chain Breaker”. The song came from a place of wanting to reach people who had been struggling and it undoubtedly has. Over the course of it’s release in the summer of 2016, an influx of stories have been shared on his various social media pages by people who have experienced the life changing power of broken chains.

 Nate Chrisman is the Founder and President/CEO of theCLEFT, a non-profit ministry designed to reach [un]churched middle and high school students through partnership with schools and churches, as well as creating environments for students to make a decision to follow Jesus and be connected to a local church. Nate serves as the National Lead Gathering Director for Lead222 Gatherings. Nate is also a Ministry Council Member for National Network of Youth Ministries. Nate and his wife, Mindy, live in Dayton, Ohio and have been married for 8 years.  They have four children, Judah (5) and Jovi (4), Justice (2), Jace (1), with baby #5 due August 2017.

Paul Baloche is one of the modern church’s most acclaimed songwriters. A three-time Dove Award winner, Paul is best known for penning contemporary hymns like “Above All,” “A New Hallelujah,” “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” “Hosanna” and “Your Name” that are sung by millions of worshipers around the world. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, including Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns and Matt Redman and are featured on 14 of his own albums including Your Mercy, The Same Love, Christmas Worship, A Greater Song and Our God Saves.

In addition to writing, recording and facilitating “LeadWorship” workshops around the world, Paul has created a variety of teaching DVDs, along with free resources designed specifically for worship leaders and musicians. He has also written the books The Same Love: A Devotion and God Songs–How to Write and Select Songs for Worship. Additional information is available at http://www.leadworship.com.

The idea that worshiping Jesus Christ is best done not when we just sing about Him or what He has done or what He will do in the future. The highest and best worship is modeled by what the angels do: sing to God about God. Vertical.

Vertical Church Band is a collection of people who play every week in places all over Chicagoland as part of Harvest Bible Chapel, a place that believes singing isn’t a warm-up for the sermon; singing is a warm-up for heaven. So the faces may change. The style may evolve. But the aim will stay the same. Vertical.

Featuring: Chris Cleveland of Stars Go Dim, Meredith Andrews, and Sarah Reeves

Sarah Reeves is bringing her own fresh, colorful, and emotional musical approach to the fore as she is currently in the studio working on her Word Records debut album, which will release Spring 2017.  Reeves has written songs recorded by the likes of Jesus Culture, Kari Jobe, and Natalie Grant, while developing a devoted group of 90,000 followers on YouTube who enjoy Sarah’s cover versions of songs that have impacted her soul, resulting in over 16 million views from all over the world. “My inner artist has been battling with stereotypical artist expectations for years,” Sarah shares. “I now know who I am and am confident in who God created me to be. This new musical direction is not typical, it’s not safe – it’s a new sound stirring in my heart and mind. I have found such freedom and my soul has come alive more than ever while making this new music. I can’t wait for the world to hear it.” For additional information, please visit www.sarahreevesmusic.com.

Meredith Andrews is passionate about writing and leading songs that keep people’s hearts and minds set on Jesus. Over the course of her four Word Worship albums, including her most recent, Deeper, the Dove Award-winning artist has been using her musical gifts, love for God, and her huge heart for His people – to teach and  remind us all about the enormity of our awesome and loving Savior. Andrews, who is also on staff at Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, focuses on creating music that lifts the body of Christ to a closer relationship with the Lord. Meredith’s latest album features the songs “Spirit of The Living God,” “I Look to the King”, “Lamb of God,” and “Soar.” On a regular basis, Andrews leads worship at major women’s and worship leader conferences across the U.S., and has toured with Matt Maher, Natalie Grant, Big Daddy Weave, Vertical Church, Phil Wickham, and Michael W. Smith, among others. For additional information, please visit www.meredithandrews.com.

Chris Cleveland of Stars Go Dim is creating modern worshipful pop, infused with both deep meaning and well-honed fun, merging layers of guitars, keys, loops and percussion to convey timeless messages. With the breakout success of their debut single “You Are Loved”, a Dove nomination for New Artist of the Year, a KLOVE Fan Awards nomination for Breakout Song of the Year, and an aggressive tour schedule and compelling live show, there’s no stopping what’s now started with Stars Go Dim. For additional information, please visit www.starsgodim.com