Worship Institute
Our program was developed 8 years ago under the leadership of the pastoral staff of Stonegate. In that time we have been blessed to see the Lord use this residency to equip and sharpen a number of worship leaders, artists and creatives for the sake of ministry. We are excited to now offer this opportunity to you.
The Program
The Worship Institute is a 2 year program broken up into 4 semesters with meetings happening once a month on Sunday afternoons. The program and our church are located in the city of Midlothian, Texas, a suburb on the south side of Dallas. We work with worship leaders and aspiring worship leaders to develop them in a handful of key areas: theology, leadership, craft and character. Our aim is simple: to equip the saints for the work of service within the Church, to the glory of God. The program provides a balance of input (lectures, readings, studying and discussions) and output (leading worship and serving in various settings within our church). Our meetings usually fall on Sunday afternoons after our services end. They consist of monthly lectures/discussions derived from assigned reading and practice labs where residents get to exercise the skills and disciplines they've been learning.
The application process itself includes a written portion, a performance portion (via video submission), and an interview. You will be contacted once we receive your form in order to schedule your interview
APPLICATION:
Complete the Worship Institute application and email any questions you may have to worship@stonegate.church.
*Applicants must be 18 years or older to apply.
VIDEO SUBMISSIONS:
The following 2 videos will need to be uploaded:
- A performance video of one worship song of your choosing (if you don’t play an instrument you may have someone else accompany you).
- A 1-2 minute video introducing yourself and sharing why you would like to be a part of Stonegate Worship Residency.
Upload both videos to wetransfer.com and email to worship@stonegate.church. Please be sure to state your name at the beginning of both videos and please use the same email to submit both videos.
REFERENCE FORMS:
Have three references complete the Reference Recommendation Form.
Reference forms must also be received before starting the interview process, so please be sure to communicate to your references the importance of submitting them in a timely manner.
Next Steps
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email us below.
Testimonies
Stonegate worship residency was such a spiritual and musical green house. The people you are surrounded with are all hungry for growing in the relationship with Christ and as a leader/song writer. The atmosphere was always a refreshing place to be. I benefitted the most in the art of song writing. The opportunity to collaborate with other musicians, to create something new, was challenging and helpful. I have a degree in Worship Leadership from a bible school, and I found the things I went through in Stonegate Worship Residency much more helpful and applicable for leading myself and others in worship than the 4 years I study it in college.
– Jordan Patterson
When I joined the Stonegate worship residency I expected to find myself writing songs and being creative, what I didn’t expect to find myself doing was studying christology, soteriology and pneumatology! Worship residency helped to stir my affections for the Lord and it helped me love the Lord with all of my mind.
—Isaac Toldson
Stonegate Worship Residency has produced in me a deeper love for God and His Word, broadened my theology and understanding of worship, and better equipped me as a leader within the church. The conversations and lessons you walk through in residency will challenge you to press into the Word and lean deeper into the heart of God. I am beyond thankful for the discipleship that took place in this program.
—Bre Stillman
There are so many things that I loved about my time in residency! First off, I really enjoyed the word studies we had that would allow us room to understand the true meaning behind the words we just say or repeat on a Sunday morning. Even to each other on a daily basis. Those words that have become natural to say as a christian are not always what we mean them to be; they are so much more! I also loved the times we got to co-write! It was so wonderful to stretch that muscle in a safe environment and it grew my collaboration skills in so many aspects of life. Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting under the teachings of many who are experienced in worship leading, their instrument, and song writing. I am forever grateful for the time I had to learn from them. What a wonderful tool and experience that Worship Residency has provided me.
—Elizabeth Jemanah
The worship residency provided a gracious place to grow as worship leaders. I remember being able to open up about struggles and truth was spoken to me lovingly. I learned a lot of practical things when it came to planning, preparing, and leading, but one of the biggest things I learned was how to study my Bible in a way that I had not experienced before. My love for God and His word has grown exponentially since then. This is definitely one of my favorite takeaways from the two years I was apart of the residency because in order to lead people to love and adore Jesus, we have to be doing that.
—Daniel Boterf
God used the Stonegate Worship Residency to shape my belief and understanding of worship. This progam created a layered foundation, practically applying right theology to leadership, and it practically cultivated my gifts as a musician. Coming away from Residency, I feel not only more confident in leading worship, but I truly know and love the God I am worshipping more fully.
—Hannah Malkey