Just call me Mike.
I have served churches in worship leadership roles for most of my life. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of being around a variety of worship ministries at all kinds of churches, large and small. I am a published author, 2-time Dove Award winning songwriter, and a worship leader. I write, sing and speak nationally and internationally.
After graduating from Delta State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, I served at Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon, Mississippi and Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, Mississippi. In 1999, we moved to Texas and served two churches there: Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, and First Baptist Church in Carrollton.
In 2005, I was named the Director of Worship at Lifeway Christian Resources. The capstone project of my Lifeway career was the release of a new Baptist Hymnal and the launch of lifewayworship.com in 2008. During those years, I served on the Board of Directors for GMA, the Advisory Board for CCLI, and on the Executive Board of the Church Music Publishers Association, including serving as its President in 2014.
Following my tenure at Lifeway, I received the Doctor of Divinity from Blue Mountain Christian University in 2022. and served as Associate Pastor of Worship at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, from 2020 until August of 2023.
I am a songwriter at heart. Some songs that I have written include, “It’s Still the Cross”, “Bow the Knee”, “I’ve Put My Hope in God,” and “Christ, the Perfect Sacrifice”. Some of the artists that have recorded my songs are Gold City, The Imperials, Luke Garrett, and Charles Billingsley, to name a few. Today, I am part of the roster of writers for Daywind where I continue to write songs for the Church.
I am the author of three books; Seven Words of Worship, Worship Essentials- Growing a Healthy Worship Ministry Without Starting a War, and Worship Leading 101. I write from a pastor’s viewpoint to call out values that transcend music styles found in healthy worship ministries.
My wife, Teresa and I have three grown children that all live in middle Tennessee – Lee and wife Jenna, Elizabeth and husband Thomas Willis, and John and wife, Lauren. We have four granddaughters and two grandsons, Madeleine, Jane, Caroline, Maisie, William, and Teddy.
Let’s get some coffee and talk about worship ministry. The Worship Essentials Network is here to help.