This week we continue our a three-part series on leading worship in different-sized churches.  In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with Megan Zeilinger about leading worship in a midsized church, some practical steps for building a relational team, and how she dealt with a season of carrying a desire for church growth that she wasn't seeing. Megan also shares about the songs that are currently speaking to her church.  Megan Zeilinger is the worship pastor at Tehachapi Vineyard Church. She is passionate about hospitality and making space for people to experience the love and presence of God in corporate worship. She loves coffee, authentic conversations, and watching people’s lives be transformed by the love and kindness of Jesus. Her husband, Jeff, leads the Production Team, and together they love serving the church with what they have been given to give away. Megan, Jeff, and their adorable two-year-old daughter live in Tehachapi, California.   Show Notes:  Vineyard Worship Essentials: https://www.vineyardworship.com/essentials

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with Derek McTavish about his experiences leading worship in a small college town church for the last 20 years, including some of the unique joys and challenges, and the creativity and flexibility required.  Derek also shares an encouragement for other worship leaders at smaller churches.    Derek McTavish lives in Athens, GA, with his wife and 5 kids. He has served as the worship leader at the Athens Vineyard Church since 2004. He listens to a lot of music and loves camping and college football. He’s a Tolkien nerd and isn’t ashamed to admit he loves professional wrestling.    Show notes:  Athens Vineyard  https://www.athensvineyard.com/  

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam talks with Keva Green about accepting Jesus as a child and growing up in a musical home. Keva shares about her work with Restorative Justice ministries, keeping her heart buoyant while staying proximate to the people in her community, and creating a worship space that is both encompassing of the diversity of her church and also stretching. Finally, Keva shares what she's looking forward to, and some words for the broader Vineyard Worship community. Keva Green is a pastor on staff at the Evanston Vineyard. She was born and raised in Southern California. After receiving her B.A. in Black Studies and Women’s Studies, God connected her to a church where she learned to love the Bible, experienced deep community, and discovered God’s concern for those on the margins of society. Since then, Keva has been passionate about the church’s role in meeting the spiritual and material needs of those experiencing lack. She later earned her Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse University, with an emphasis on non-profits. She has over ten years of experience with a focus on mobilizing the church to love their neighbors well. As a member of church staff, she’s directed community centers, led worship, and helped to create systems and structures. When she’s not working, Keva enjoys growing in contemplative faith practices, being active and creative, and sitting in the sun.   Show Notes: The Welcoming Prayer (by Father Thomas Keating)  Welcome, welcome, welcome.  I welcome everything that comes to me today, because I know it's for my healing.  I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.  I let go of my desire for power and control.  I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure.  I let go of my desire for survival and security.  I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.  I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within. Amen. The Justice God is Seeking by David Ruis https://amzn.to/3oiOjJJ The Worship God is Seeking by David Ruis https://amzn.to/3oevFma

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with Leah Morrison about being a worship leader and a mother of 3 kids, including how she learned to work within the confines of her real life and some practical tips for pastors working with moms of young children. Leah also shares how motherhood has changed her worship leading.  Leah Morrison joined the staff of Vineyard North in Grand Rapids, MI in 2015 after several years as an ordained worship pastor with her previous church. Leah spent some of her growing up years in Russia as her family did missionary work with the Vineyard, and after moving back to the US attended Kendall College of Art & Design. She and her husband are raising 3 awesome kiddos and have a passion for ministry in their neighborhood and a dream of doing work in the middle east.     Show Notes:  Leah's Instagram: @leah_morrison_creative

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with us about the relentless nature of Sundays that just.keep.coming and shares some suggestions about how to think bigger than the weekly rhythm.

Adam gathers with the Vineyard Worship crew to talk about Vineyard Worship Essentials, an online training opportunity! You can join a cohort or audit the program with your worship community or by yourself. Take a listen and share this episode with all the worship leaders in your life! Sign up now at: Vineyardworship.com/essentials

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with Thomas Lyons about the difference between a revival and revivalism, how revival has shaped American identity, and what the hope of the church is during ordinary seasons of life.  Thomas shares an academic perspective on historical outpourings, common precursors to revivals, and some Biblical study on the presence of God. Adam and Thomas also share some of their personal experiences of the Asbury Outpouring.  Thomas Lyons (PhD, Asbury Theological Seminary) is the interim Director of For-Credit Courses for Seminary Now  and Director of Library Services and Education Technology at Northern Seminary. He has served the Vineyard movement locally, nationally, and globally in a variety of ministries and capacities over the past 17 years. Thomas lives in the Lexington, KY area with his four children. Show Notes:  Asbury University https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/ 

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam chats with Liz Hix about growing up in the Vineyard, the moment when she first felt the Holy Spirit, and her process of becoming a worship leader. Liz shares about her Pacific Northwest songwriter's melancholy, her dreams for future songs, and some tips for those who want to try songwriting.  Born in Yakima, Washington to Vineyard pastors John and Judith Hix, Liz grew up half in Washington State, and half in Kansas City. Coming from a family of worship leaders, musicians, and teachers, she discovered a deep love for songwriting when she learned guitar to lead worship in her youth group. After graduating college in 2016 with a degree in theater/speech secondary education, she worked as a high school teacher in inner city LA, and a summer Shakespeare director for teens. Two years later, Liz eventually made her way to the Portland/Vancouver area, where she’s now the youth pastor of Vancouver Vineyard, a commercial real estate gal in Portland by day, and a local singer-songwriter by night. Liz is a worship leader, Shakespeare aficionado, whiskey appreciator, and a self-described “moody musician with a propensity for silliness.” She’s deeply passionate about writing songs that capture both the sorrow and joys of the human experience. One of her greatest joys is seeing her songs resonate with friends and audience members alike. Liz hopes to record her first EP sometime this year.

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam talks with Dan Wilt about what he has seen and felt during the Asbury Outpouring, the beautiful humility he has observed, and the emphasis on Gen Z. Dan also shares six takeaways to consider as a worship leader.  Dan Wilt is a husband, father, author, speaker, and worship leader from Nashville, TN. He part of the Vineyard and Anglican families, and is co-author of the books Sheltering Mercy and Endless Grace, Prayers Inspired by the Psalms (Baker).   Dan currently serves with Seedbed and New Room as Director of Learning Communities. Seedbed is a resourcing organization out of Asbury Theological Seminary, committed to gathering, connecting, and resourcing the people of God for a great awakening.    Dan is completing his doctoral studies at Asbury in missional leadership in the sacramental tradition, and enjoys laughing hard, art galleries, and country drives.   He and his wife, Anita, live south of Nashville, TN, and have three grown children.   Show Notes:  Want to hear more from Dan on The Ferment?  https://bit.ly/3KF98Ic   Read more about the Asbury Outpouring https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/

In this episode of The Ferment, Adam talks with Ranjo Clements about what's happening at Asbury College and Seminary. As a resident of Wilmore, KY and a pastor of a local Vineyard, Ranjo shares about the history of revivals at Asbury, and his experience of the current outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He and Adam discuss their observations about the generational diversity in the room, describe the rhythms of what they see the Lord doing, and the on-ramps it's providing for people to encounter God. Ranjo Clements is the Associate Pastor at GCF Vineyard in Wilmore, KY. Although originally from India, he is a card-carrying “third culture kid,” having spent multiple stints in India and the US. Ranjo served as a worship pastor in India before returning to the US in 2008 to pursue an M.Div. in worship studies at Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS). He planned to return but met a girl from China, and they fell in love with a Vineyard in Kentucky, which they have served for the past thirteen years. He loves multiethnic spaces, equipping worship leaders, and helping people encounter God and operate in their gifting. He is currently a Ph.D. student at ATS in the intercultural studies program. His research interests include Asian American Identity and theology, worship, ethnodoxology, and missiology. Ranjo and Aletha have five beautiful daughters. They love hosting people, singing, sharing stories, laughing, and eating all kinds of ethnic food, especially spicy food.   Show notes:  Asbury  https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring GCF Vineyard - Wilmore, KY https://www.gcfvineyard.church/