History

The first WorshipGod conference was held in 2004 in Gaithersburg, MD, hosted by Bob Kauflin, Director of Sovereign Grace Music. The conference began as an event to serve Sovereign Grace Churches but has grown to include a much broader audience.

What’s in a Name?

The name, “WorshipGod,” was a simple reminder that “worship” is a word that needs a direct object. We don’t simply worship. We worship something. Putting the two words together is a way of saying that the proper object of all worship is God himself.

The WorshipGod conference began as an every other year event in the U.S., but in 2013, we held two WorshipGod conferences, one in California and one in Kentucky. We went international in 2014 and 2015, hosting a WorshipGod conference in Bath, UK.

After two regional WorshipGod conferences in 2017, we’re planning on hosting the WorshipGod conference every other year in Louisville, KY, and exploring different regional events in alternating years.

What You Can Expect

Every WorshipGod conference seeks to equip and encourage pastors, leaders, musicians, tech personnel, and songwriters in three areas related to planning and leading congregational worship:

• Theology, covering areas like the nature and character of God, a biblical theology of worship, the primacy of God’s Word and the gospel, and more.
• Heart, addressing the attitudes, motives, purity, integrity, family life, and passion of the worshiper.
• Skill, applying to areas like musicianship, leadership, and communication.

Each WorshipGod conference also features general topics that benefit non-musicians and non-leaders.

Every WorshipGod conference includes giveaways in each session, free lunches, lots of laughter, and a serious pursuit of encountering God. Participants tend to want a biblical foundation for what they do, see worship in life as important as worship in song, and highly value the local church. We aim for a family, non-hype feel at the conference, well aware that Sunday mornings shouldn’t be characterized primarily by production and performance, but by the participation of God’s people.

Past Conferences

Guest speakers and musicians through the years have included John Piper, Ray Ortlund, Jr., Thabiti Anyabwile, Bryan Chapell, Kevin DeYoung, Mark Dever, Michael Reeves, Donald Whitney, H.B. Charles, Jr., Sojourn Music, Enfield, and Keith & Kristyn Getty. Frequent Sovereign Grace speakers have been C.J. Mahaney, Jeff Purswell, Rick Gamache, Jon Payne, and Jared Mellinger.

In years past themes we’ve covered these themes:

• Human and Holy: Healthy Tensions of Gathered Worship
• TRIUNE
• Called to be Faithful
• The Gathering
• From Generation to Generation
• Rediscovering the Psalms
• The Glory of His Presence

Messages and seminars from these past conferences can be found here.

What Others Have Said

“I’ve left this conference the last 2 times more in love with Jesus, wanting to know Him more and make Him known more. That is the ultimate goal, and you did a great job at magnifying Him!”

“There was not a single main session or seminar that I didn’t walk away with at least 1 or 2 things to think about and even implement. Honestly, it was one of the most helpful and practical conferences I’ve ever been to because it addressed every aspect of our ministry: our heart, our heads, and our hands!”

“It has changed my perspective entirely! I am now leaving my old life and trying very hard to live a Gospel-centered life…difficult in a family of non-believers. I realized and felt for the first time that I am on the worship team to serve my church as the Pastor and worship leader do…not just be one of the “band” members!”

“This conference was an absolute life changing, life-saving experience! God spoke to me in absolutely miraculous ways. During the preaching God answered every prayer and every question I have had in the past months. I had been seeking Him, pleading for answers to my despair and my emptiness. God poured into me, His love, and His assurance.”

“I found the small sessions with bass, drums, and keyboard extremely helpful as a keyboardist trying to play in a worship band setting appropriately.”

“As a pastor, I came away with a fresh desire to preach God’s word boldly, clearly, and passionately. The preachers were exceptional and drove me to want to continue to improve as a proclaimer of the glory of God.”

“Thank you for leading a conference that isn’t hype, but instead is the people of God celebrating together who God is and what He is doing in our lives.”

“I GREATLY appreciated the accessibility of the speakers and leaders. The fact that they stayed to answer questions and minister to other leaders, shows great humility, and for that I am profoundly blessed.”

We hope you’ll be able to join us at a future WorshipGod conference!