Musical modifications
Liberty’s Worship Collective becomes unified band of rotational musicians
Worship groups have made a few visible changes due to a larger, strategic shift happening in Liberty’s worship music culture. The new Liberty Worship Collective, formerly the department of ministry teams, is comprised of six worship bands: the Sounds of Liberty, Exodus, 71, Crimson Flood, Campus Band and Awaken.
Gathering — Students from the Worship Collective led the student body in songs of praise. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
The Liberty Worship Collective is under the direction of Kenneth Scott Bullman, an instructor of music and worship. Louis Fabrizi, former member of the Campus Band, is the current creative director of music for the Office of Spiritual Programs, and he oversees Campus Band. The Liberty Worship Collective answers to the leadership of David Nasser, senior vice president of Spiritual Development.
Josh Rutledge, executive director of Spiritual Development, explained the former campus bands have evolved into the Worship Collective right before Liberty’s eyes into a larger group of musicians and vocalists made up of a rotation of 13 individuals. The hope for Worship Collective is to grow, incorporating all bands into one.
“It is an evolution,” Rutledge said. “You will see steady shifts. Instead of six to seven distinct teams, I think you’ll see … one unified, collective team in the future with different expressions.”
Rutledge shared the vision for the Liberty Worship Collective is to see Liberty’s worship culture feature “less individualism and more collectivism,” and to move from distinctly branded teams to a more holistic, unified team. This approach mirrors large-scale global worship bands like those from Passion City Church or Hillsong Church.
Nasser explained his vision of seeing different genres of music and a diverse group of students coming together to form the Worship Collective. Nasser’s objective is to have the Liberty Worship Collective reflect the diversity of Liberty’s campus.
“The Worship Collective is our worship team coming together to become songs for the world,” Nasser said.
Rutledge said that there will not be many obvious changes at once. This is just the beginning of the Worship Collective, and it will be a process for all the bands to merge as one. In the coming weeks, Liberty can look forward to seeing lots of new faces on stage.
“(The Worship Collective) is doing together what they can’t do alone,” Nasser said.
FROST is a news reporter.