Craig Adams
Craig Adams serves as Creative Director for LifeWay Worship in Nashville, Tennessee. He has more than 25 years of experience as a producer, songwriter, arranger, orchestrator, and musician. He has won five Dove Awards as a producer and arranger, and his work has contributed to artists including Sandi Patty, Steve Green, Sonic Flood, FFH, Margaret Becker, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and countless others. Craig has contributed literary content for noteworthy publications, Worship Leader Magazine, Let’s Worship Magazine, and Broadman and Holman’s Worship Bible. He has also served on the adjunct faculty of the music business degree program at Trevecca Nazarene University. Craig resides in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife, Deanna, and two children, Madeline and Hayden.
Jim Cato
Currently Jim is the Director of the HeartSong music teams from Cedarville University, a role he has held for the past 28 years. He has been involved in leading church music for over 36 years, as well as teaching worship seminars at conferences and in local churches. Jim earned a BA in Music from Cedarville University and a Bible Diploma from Faith Baptist Bible College. He has served in the Ohio Army National Guard Band for 25 years. He and his wife, Melody, of 34 years, have three children.
Devin Chaulk
Devin’s experience as a musician and a pastor has equipped him to inform and inspire people all over the world. Since retiring from the music industry, he has served as a senior pastor and is now demonstrating how Logos Bible Software changes lives. Using Logos, Devin proves that the joining of technology and Biblical study has life-changing results. Devin lives in the Chicago area with his wife and children.
Randy Cox
Randy Cox is a consultant for the Music Publishing Division of LifeWay Worship, working with songwriters and developing opportunities for LifeWay songs. He started in the music publishing field in the late 1970s, when he discovered and developed the early writing career of Michael W. Smith and others. In 1981, he founded Meadowgreen Music with Sony Music and signed Smith, Rich Mullins, and others. His company sold hundreds of thousands of copies of songs, including Thy Word, Great is the Lord, How Majestic is Your Name, and Awesome God. Randy served as Vice President of Publishing for Sparrow/EMI Christian, later resigning to return to the basics of songs and songwriters. In 1994, he created Randy Cox Music Publishing where he produced award-winning songs for Point of Grace and many other Christian artists. Over the past seven years, he has produced over 400 choral, instrumental, and children’s titles.
Carla Lee Crowe
Carla received her B.S. in Dance Performance from Eastern Michigan University. She’s been dancing for over 25 years and has trained under well-known Christian dance company directors such as Randall Flynn of Dance Ad Deum, Bill Wade of Inlet Dance Theater, Cheryl Cutlip of Project Dance, and Mona Enna of Storling Dance Theate. Carla's choreography has been used to minister to many lives in the United States and Eastern Europe. In 2002, she founded Fueled & Aflame Dance Company in Southeast Michigan. The company travels frequently performing in city-wide dance outreach projects and presenting worship dance workshops throughout the Eastern half of the United States. Fueled & Aflame Dance Studio was founded in 2010 and is located in Springfield, OH. The studio offers classes in dance technique and worship dance for all ages. Carla's heart is to teach dancers how to worship and worshippers how to dance.
Mike Harland
Mike Harland serves as Director for LifeWay Worship at LifeWay Christian Resources, a position that enables him to speak, teach, and lead at worship conferences and events nationwide. Mike’s background includes serving at multiple churches, directing youth choirs, and leading conferences, retreats, revivals, and youth camps. After a decade of writing songs that were recorded by The Imperials, Gold City, Luke Garrett, Calvin Hunt, and others, Mike became an exclusive songwriter for LifeWay in 2002. Mike recently co-authored a book and corresponding Bible study, Seven Words of Worship, with good friend and worship ministry consultant Stan Moser. Mike and his wife, Teresa, live in Franklin, Tennessee, with their son John. Two other children, Lee and Elizabeth, are now married.
Shelly is a Christian artist, worship leader, and songwriter. Her song Power of the Cross was awarded Song of the Year by the Gospel Music Association and her song Draw Near was awarded Scripture Song of the Year. In 2009, Shelly released her independent album Mosaic of Grace. In February 2011, she signed a publishing and recording deal with Lifeway Worship. Her debut EP, Power of the Cross, was released in August 2012 with the lead-off single All Things Beautiful. Shelly spends her time writing songs, serving on staff as a worship leader at First Baptist Woodstock, and traveling the country singing and leading worship at churches, women’s conferences, and other events. Shelly and her husband, Jack, live in Woodstock, Georgia.
Phillip Keveren began his career at Yamaha Corporation of America as the Director of Electone Instruction. There he learned to write music for pedagogical use. In 1987, he took a step of faith as a freelance musician. Since then, he has successfully worked on projects ranging from piano methods, instrumental recordings, and orchestrations for premiere Christian artists. He is a co-author of the international best-seller Hal Leonard Student Piano Library, a comprehensive series of instructional books. He developed The Phillip Keveren Series, which features his diverse and stylish piano arrangements. He collaborated with Billy Joel to produce a book of piano arrangements. Phillip is also known for his choral octavos and musicals. He has produced dozens of instrumental recordings that feature his unique orchestrations and distinctive piano artistry. He lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife, Lisa. They have two children.
Kirk Kirkland has been living his passion as a songwriter, concert artist, worship leader and studio singer for over 20 years. In 2010, he signed as an exclusive LifeWay songwriter. Since 1999, Kirk has led Evidence Ministries, a concert ministry that has brought him to stages nationally and around the world. Kirk completed a master’s degree in counseling in 2008. He serves as the Minister of Pastoral Counseling and Minister of Music and Worship at Judson Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Kirk and his wife, Julianne, have two children and live in Nashville.
Christy Kohnle
As Christian Copyright Solutions’ (CCS) Director of Sales and Marketing, Christy’s mission is to help churches become fully copyright compliant. She works with individual ministries as well as partnering with large denominational groups. Christy writes monthly newsletters and Q-and-A articles, conducts webinars, and presents at conferences. Christy has been actively involved in church music throughout her life. Before joining CCS, Christy was a Christian songwriter, music publisher, and worship leader. In these roles, she became immersed in copyright issues and concerns from different perspectives, leading to her passion for helping the Church sort through this complex issue. Christy and her husband, Tony, have two children and live in Charleston, South Carolina.
Amy Little
Amy Little serves as Publishing Coordinator for LifeWay Worship in Nashville, Tennessee. Amy has extensive experience in copyright development, administration, and exploitation. Additionally, she has spent a great deal of time singing professionally in recording studios and on church platforms across the country. She and her husband, Kevin, reside just south of Nashville and are very involved in local church worship ministry.
Paul Marino has been making music professionally for 25 years. His expertise, complemented by his years of experience, makes Paul a top consultant in the areas of concert performance, recording, producing, writing, publishing, and leading worship. As a songwriter, Paul has penned chart-topping hits, including eight top 5 and three top 10 national radio singles. As a performer, Paul has sung with the vocal trio, River, for the past 23 years, serving as the group’s producer, vocalist, and primary songwriter. Paul’s production abilities began to be noticed by up-and-coming artists who wanted a producer that not only cared about the songs, but also cared about their personal goals. Paul lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife, Karolyn, and three children: Eli, Mikiah and Lila.
Jonathan Nicholas
Jonathan Nicholas has ignited passion though music for the past 20 years as a worship leader, arranger, songwriter, concert artist, and consultant to worship teams. Since 2003, Jonathan has served as the Worship and Arts Pastor at The Woods Church in Michigan. His love for God and the church is evident as he fervently lives out his call to see generations engage in authentic, heartfelt worship. Jonathan was signed as an exclusive songwriter for LifeWay Worship in 2011. He and his wife, Rachel, live in metro Detroit with their four children, Halle, Lilla, Eli, and Luca.
Jon Nicol
Jon Nicol is the worship pastor at Heartland Church in Lexington, OH. Besides leading his own worship ministry, he coaches, trains and encourages leaders and teams through live events, ebooks, videos and his blog. Jon’s writings and other resources can be found at WorshipTeamCoach.com. He also writes for WorshipMinistry.com and Musicademy.com. He's blessed beyond measure to be husband to Shannon and father to Aedan (7), Addison (5), Corbin (15 months) and a new baby girl arriving at the end of January.
Rick Stewart
Rick Stewart is a unique blend of musician, administrator, worship leader, and technician. He has helped worship and technical teams across the country improve sound delivery, identify and deal with team issues, and enhance the overall worship experience. Rick has designed sound, lighting, and video systems for hundreds of churches; specializes in on-site training for end users; and is a featured speaker and consultant. Rick has been a worship leader for more than 20 years and currently serves as executive pastor at a church in Traverse City, Michigan. He also works as a lead consultant for Advanced Systems Group (ASG), the installation alliance group for Sweetwater Sound, one of America’s largest sellers of musical instruments and pro audio equipment.
Mel began as a vocalist with the contemporary Christian group Truth at the age of 18, where she began to attract national attention and also met her husband, Dick, a keyboard player. In 1983, she co-founded the group First Call soon found herself with a record contract with Word Records and on tour with Sandi Patti. She also performed live at the Grammy Awards and on the Tonight Show as well as touring with Christian artists Amy Grant and Bebe and Cece Winans. Mel and Dick began recording and touring together as well as writing songs. The duo won a Grammy and 10 Dove awards for writing, singing, and recording. In more recent years, Mel has added worship leader to her resume. She has also found a new passion in teaching women.
Earlene Williams
Earlene Williams lives in Ocala, Florida and travels with her husband Terry who serves as Director of Music and Worship Ministries of the Florida Baptist Convention. Having served as minister’s wife for almost 35 years, she has a broad perspective of ministry, as well as real life issues. Her desire is to love the Lord with all of her heart, soul and mind through lifestyle worship, be a support for her husband in ministry, as well as love and care for her family. Her passion is to inspire and encourage ministry wives through prayer, relationships, and Biblical teaching. She has been a guest speaker in local, state, and national conferences. Earlene has been blessed with two children and five grandchildren.
Terry Williams
Terry Williams is currently serving as Director of the Church Music Department for the Florida Baptist Convention. Prior to his appointment to this position, he served as the Associate Pastor for Music and Worship at First Baptist Church of Ocala, Florida for over 10 years. His passion for worship combined with his experience as a music minister and worship leader for over 35 years gives him a unique perspective and insight for training and inspiring today’s worshipers. Terry and his wife Earlene live in Ocala, Florida and have two children and five grandchildren.