Biography: Stephen grew up in Southern California and Washington, and received a BA in Music Education from Azusa Pacific University. Prior to graduating, he received his first call to ministry at Garden Grove Church of the Nazarene. Stephen has served as Worship Pastor in four Nazarene churches on the West Coast in his 26 years of ministry—leading worship bands, choir, orchestra, small ensembles, tech ministry, drama and visual arts. He received a Master of Arts in Worship Leadership from Western Seminary in 2008 and was ordained as a Deacon in the Church of the Nazarene in 2009. Stephen is currently the Pastor for Creatvies and Gathered Worship at Valley Shepherd Church of the Nazarene in Meridian. Though ministry through music has been the majority of Stephen’s career, he also taught High School and Junior High choir, drama and worship band from 1998-2005, taking his choir on seven tours around the west coast. His drama group performed more than 15 full-length productions including the musical Annie and Neil Simons adaptation of the book of Job, God’s Favorite. Stephen received an MM from the University of Florida in 2015—Capstone Research: The Effect of Visual Elements on an Audience’s Enjoyment of Choral Music. Stephen has completed his coursework and qualifying exams toward his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Boston University and is working on his dissertation, The Interdependent Relationship Between the Musician and Their Audience (working title). Stephen joined the NNU faculty in 2014 as the Worship Arts Instructor and has served as a guest director for the University Choir & Orchestra. His passion is seeing musicians develop their musical skills and leadership abilities as they lead the Church in musical worship of our awesome God.

Favorite Thing About Working at NNU: I love working with students to broaden their knowledge, experience and passion in leading worship through a greater understanding of the call of the Lord in their lives , where we have come from as the Church and the diversity of worship traditions that exist today.