April 26–27, 2024
The Worship Leader Summit, led by Brandon Edwards and Kevin Butler of Journey Church along with YTI’s own Dr. Nicole Jordan, will explore the nature of worship and the arts, discuss the development and nurture of a church worship team, and offer helpful insights into using technology within the setting of a worship service.
LOCATION: Yellowstone Theological Institute, 83 Rowland Road, Bozeman | COST: $20 for the Summit
QUESTIONS? Please contact us at (406) 404-1600 or information@yellowstonetheology.org.
Our Presenters
Brandon Edwards (MDiv) is the Worship and Creative Arts Pastor at Journey Church in Bozeman, Montana. Brandon helped plant Journey Church as full time staff in 2005 and is enthusiastic about leveraging worship and the arts to help people connect to God. In the last few years Brandon has been helping lead 406 United which is a Bozeman based group of worship leaders and worship songwriters to encourage worship songwriting in the local church.
Brandon has a passion for the global outreach and God’s heart for the orphan and the widow. He oversees Journey’s Global Outreach and serves on the Advisory Board for Elevate Orphan, an Ethiopian Orphan ministry he has worked with for 10 years.
Brandon loves golf, fishing, tennis, hiking, scuba diving, and going on adventures with his wife Stephanie and their four children, Jane, Jack, Charlie, and Millie.
Kevin Butler is the Production Director at Journey Church in Bozeman, Montana. Kevin oversees production technology and a team of volunteers who create immersive and meaningful worship gatherings for over 2,000 people each week. He has served at Journey since 2006 and transitioned into his new role in July of 2022.
Kevin is passionate about leveraging technology to share the Gospel and help people grow closer to God. He is a skilled audio engineer and creator of technical systems used in the church. He also has a natural aptitude for teaching others how to use audio, video, and lighting systems in the church. When he is not working for Journey, Kevin loves helping other churches make the most of their gear by training and sharing his production knowledge.
Out of the tech booth, Kevin enjoys driving his Mini Cooper and playing with his cat, Luna. Kevin and his wife Natalie got married in the summer of 2019 and enjoy going on adventures together. Natalie is the Finance Director at Journey and they enjoy getting to work together.
Dr. Nicki Jordan (DWS) Lecturer in Worship Arts at Yellowstone Theological Institute.She has served as an educator for Classical and Undergraduate Liberal Arts programs since 2009. A Minnesota native, Nicki most recently served on the faculty for the University of Northwestern St. Paul, Minn., in the departments of Music and Theater and Biblical Studies from 2015-2023.
Her passions include the resurgence of Classical Education, liturgical renewal, and studying and contemplating the intersections of music and theology. When not lecturing for YTI, homeschooling her children, or cleaning her house, Nicki enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, dancing, making music, and laughing whenever possible. Nicole, her husband Michael, and their three daughters live in Bozeman.
Summit Schedule
Friday Evening
6:00pm Introduction
Dr. Jay Smith (YTI PRESIDENT)
6:15pm Meal
6:45pm “Understanding the History of Worship”
Dr. Nicki Jordan
Worship is an integral aspect of human nature. Harvey Ammerman stated, “What we worship determines what we become.” Similarly, Jack Hayford said, “Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped.” This session examines the history of worship, beginning with the human propensity to worship and concluding with Christian worship today in all of its variety and creativity.
7:45pm Benediction
Saturday Morning
9:00am Continental Breakfast
9:30am “Leading, Administering, and Discipling a Worship Team”
Rev. Brandon Edwards
Far too often the inexperienced worship pastor believes that being a worship leader is just about singing songs in front of a group of people. Nothing could be further from the truth. A worship pastor must understand his or her role first of all as one of leadership, pastoral care, and discipleship. The music is simply the vehicle that we use. This session examines the role of the worship pastor in the church today and all of its necessary details.
10:30–10:45am Break
Noon Lunch – Firehouse Subs!
Saturday Afternoon
1:00pm Staying up on Worship Tech
Mr. Kevin Butler
Worship technology has been in a patter of change since the 1960s, and it progresses on unabated. It is practically impossible to keep up with the latest innovations in worship tech. This session examines the evolution of worship technology, with the aim of helping worship pastors understand the equipment they need to accomplish their ministry.
1:50pm Break
2:00pm “Basics for Worship Tech”
Mr. Kevin Butler
The most common question a lay person who volunteers to run the sound board says is, “What button do I push to turn it on?” In this session, Kevin Butler goes through the basics of worship technology, from turning the board and amp on, to adjusting sound levels and fixing feedback.
3:50pm Break
3:00–4:30pm “Exploring New Sounds in Worship”
Brandon, Nicole, Kevin
“Bit by bit, putting it together…” are the beginning lyrics of a song by Stephen Sondheim. But at its core, the best worship teams spend serious amounts of time, “putting it together.” In this final session, Brandon, Nicole, and Kevin will explore different sounds in the evolution of worship from classic hymnody to jazzy popular forms. Conference attendees will be asked to participate, as the team explores both old and new sounds and how they can help your congregation worship and grow deeper in their faith.
4:30pm Wrap-Up
Dr. Jay Smith (YTI PRESIDENT)
Sign Up for The Worship Leadership Workshop
QUESTIONS? Please contact us at (406) 404-1600 or information@yellowstonetheology.org.
“Art is the gift of God and must be used unto His glory.”
–Michelangelo
Stay Connected!
Start receiving email announcementsand our quarterly newsletter, Inscribed.