by Julia Swain, Student Public Relations Writer
The annual Worship 4:24 Conference, hosted by Cedarville University’s Department of Music and Worship, is set for January 26-27, 2024.Special guests Shane & Shane and The Worship Initiative will perform on Friday night, and the university will host over 120 breakout sessions for current or future worship leaders on Friday evening and all day Saturday.
“This conference began 15 years ago and is based on John 4:24: that God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth,” said Dr. Roger O’Neel, professor of worship. “So, it's the overarching goal for every year to remind people that that's the basic thing that Jesus said to do.”
According to O’Neel, Cedarville’s conference is the second largest in the country.
The conference offers many training opportunities, not just for those who participate in a band on stage, but also for anyone involved in worship ministry.
“We have lots of different opportunities for training,” said O’Neel. “We have something for every member of the praise team. So, whether you're the drummer, you're a bass player, you're a singer or you're the tech guy, we have something that's available for you for training, so for worship leaders, but also for everybody that's involved in worship ministry.”
The event is co-sponsored by the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. Some of the breakout sessions include songwriting, technology, bi-vocational leadership and many more.
Tickets for the performance with Shane & Shane and The Worship Initiative are available on the conference website for $6 with a Cedarville student ID and $12 for general admission.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 5,456 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.