Finely tuned instruments and rehearsed harmonies are not what unify the Liberty Worship Collective. Instead, their sense of purpose is cultivated off-stage with spiritual diligence and community — a heart posture that resonates through the Vines Center each Wednesday and Friday.
In fact, when the team assembled for its weekly spiritual formation class Sept. 11, special projects coordinator Judd Harris’ lesson about songwriting didn’t even broach the technical advice. Instead, it referenced the sanctity of artistic creation as a pursuit of God and his original design.
Having been affiliated with the Collective for 12 years, first as a student and now known as an artist-in-residence, Harris has used his front row seat to the team’s evolution as a way to mentor the students. Long before all the songwriting, recording, and touring, Harris recalled the early days of the group, formerly known as the Department of Ministry Teams, which made the shift to becoming one massive student-led team in 2016.
“Our task is much more than leading songs,” Harris said. “It’s showing people that there’s no difference between somebody who stands on that stage and somebody that’s not on the stage. We’re all on the same playing field, we just have different jobs.”
This oneness in leading the student body also transfers to the Collective’s internal formation. Spiritual unity isn’t picked up through musical cues at rehearsal or sound check, but rather when each member’s heart of worship extends to their familial camaraderie with one another.
Not only are the members expected to attend Tuesday prayer class and Thursday spiritual formation class, but each worship leader also elects to foster meaningful relationships with one another through their respective weekly Bible studies.
These spiritual disciplines taught second-year vocalist Anyslee McNabb to apply these prayerful practices to her own personal relationship with Christ, in turn impacting the way she views her role on the Collective.
“It’s nothing that I’m doing,” McNabb said. “I have to trust that people will see the Lord through me and that they’re going to have a special encounter with him.”
Audrey Kell, a third-year vocalist, emphasized the importance of transparency with one another to combat pride or comparison. She noted that cultivating an honest and intentional environment not only tightens their bond but also brings about a sense of vulnerability that leads each worship set.
Humility is constantly at the forefront of how the 48-member worship team operates when they give their musical talents as an offering each time they step on the platform.
“I like the perspective that I have of knowing what the people on the stage are walking through and then seeing them lead,” Kell said. “That pushes me closer to the Lord, seeing their walk with Christ and knowing what they’re going through.”
Through forging intentional bonds, the Collective members are able to edify one another during challenging times.
“I feel like in the moments where I feel so weak like ‘I don’t deserve to be here,’ those are the nights and days where I’m actually playing and worshiping and serving better,” second-year electric guitarist Ari Rammell said. “Which I think is just a testament to giving your weaknesses to the Lord.”
Placing emphasis on a clear distinction between a musical performer and worshipper is also a recurring sentiment within the team. The cornerstone of the Collective experience is built off of prioritizing each member’s personal relationship with Jesus over their musical abilities.
“I’m not a drummer first when I go on that stage, I’m a worshipper first,” second-year drummer Angel Sanchez said. “And I’m called there to lead those people in worship … and I understand the weight of what I’m doing and the privilege that it is the fact that God would choose someone like me to do that.”
While the members on stage use their gifts to create an atmosphere of worship, the rest of their team looks on from the side with support and encouragement. Like any cohesive group, the joyful noise on the platform blends seamlessly with the one off-stage as a true sonic representation of the body of Christ.
Hagen is the feature editor for the Liberty Champion.