The aim of the Worship Ministries at Glory of Christ is to exalt the glory of God in the eyes of his people that they might see, sing, seek, and submit to him. Let us expand on this definition.

First, the foundation of all true worship is the sight of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is the only way, truth, and life (2 Cor 4:1-6, John 14:6). True worship emerges from a heart that has encountered the living God. Thus, the calling of all involved in our Worship Ministries is to exalt the glory of God in Jesus Christ as high as they possibly can that his people might enter into communion with him.

Second, the sight of the glory of God in the face of Christ naturally evokes expression to God. The gift of singing was given that we might give tangible release to the deepest feelings of our hearts, and when a heart beholds the glory of God in some measure it cannot help but sing to him. Therefore, one of the reasons we are called to exalt God in the sight of his people is to call forth heart-felt expression from them. In other words, the display of the glory of God is not intended to inspire us to analyze him but rather to praise him. The heart of a true worshiper is much more akin to that of a lover than a scholar.

Third, the purpose of such heart-felt expression is to inspire a heart after God. That is, as God’s people catch sight of his glory and express their passion to him in song, they ought to want more of him. They ought to be inspired to re-think their way of life, to make more room for seeking the God they love. Thus, our hope is not to have good worship services but to inspire God’s people to seek him with all of their hearts, all the days of their lives.

Fourth, seeking God consummates in submission to God. True worship inspires true worshipers to obey their Father’s commands, and this is the height of worship. The word “worship” in both Hebrew and Greek literally means “to bow down” or “to lie prostrate before.” It is used both to describe moments of worship and a life lived before God.

Thus, true worship is bowing before the Lord with our lips and with our lives. It’s bowing our bodies before him in worship, and bowing our wills before him in obedience. Both are important aspects of worship but obedience is of paramount importance. We get this from texts like Isaiah 29:13, 58:1-14, and Amos 5:21-24 which variously rebuke the people of Israel for going through the motions of worship while living lives of disobedience. It is possible to live lives of obedience without much expressing our praise to God but it is impossible to live lives of disobedience and please him in any way.

In sum, our desire for the Worship Ministries of Glory of Christ is not simply to provide moving experiences but to enter into life-shaping encounters with God. Every worship event should move every soul to seek hard after God and ultimately submit their lives to him. Of course, we cannot control the outcomes of our common ministry, and yet it should be of such a quality that the potential for every soul to be transformed is there. And that potential is simply the fruit of hearts that strive by the strength of Christ to exalt the glory of God in the eyes of his people that they might see, sing, seek, and submit to him.

Our Leadership

The Worship Ministries of Glory of Christ are co-led by Pastor Charlie Handren and our Minister of Worship, Steve Sheppard.

Pastor Charlie is responsible for overseeing the overall vision and direction of the worship ministries as well as the Sunday Morning worship services. He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and sociology, with a minor in English, from California Baptist University (1992), and the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees from the American Baptist Seminary of the West and the Graduate Theological Union (1999). He is currently a doctoral student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. He is married to his best friend, Kimberly (1991), and together they have one beautiful daughter, Rachel (1994).

Steve Sheppard oversees the specific worship ministries of the church. His commitment to glorifying God through music is represented in a life-long passion and has been expressed through many years as a music educator, composer, arranger, professional singer and church musician. Steve and his wife Dawn are nearing the end of the process of raising six sons and are profoundly grateful to the Lord for His work in each of their lives. As a worship leader, he invites all to be taken captive by the vision of God and his glory and therefore to join us in drinking from the all-satisfying God who satisfies “…us in the morning with [His] steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14).”

How can I Get Involved?

If you have musical gifts, or a more general passion for worship ministries, and would like to be involved, here are the steps you should take:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help you discern how he would like you to use your gifts for his glory, the good of others, and your joy. Seek to discern the Lord’s answer to this question: How will using your gifts at this church both glorify Him and edify the church?
2. After praying, contact Steve Sheppard to set up an initial interview ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). In that interview please be prepared to share your vision and passion for worship, your specific skills, your past involvements, and your hopes for the future.
3. If after this interview it seems good and right to go forward, you will be asked to fill out an application for the worship ministries and audition your skills. Once the application is submitted and the audition is complete, Steve will pray and determine where you might best fit into the worship ministries of the church.
4. After this process is complete, Steve will set up a final appointment wherein he will inform you of his decisions and help you plug into the life of the church.