Straight out of So-Cal, Rich is one of the very first worship leader bloggers I connected with (back when he was in Redding, CA. Along with Ben (interviewed three weeks ago) and a few others, I was inspired and encourage to step up my own blogging, and Consuming Worship is the result. Enjoy!
Rich Kirkpatrick
Biographical Information
Spouse’s name: Tammy
Years married: 18
Children’s names: Emilie, Ethan
Years leading worship: 19 years
Church name and location: Sunridge Community Church, Temecula, CA
Church website: www.sunridgechurch.org
Years at current church: .5
Instruments you play: piano, guitar
Blog: www.richkirkpatrick.com
Is your role full time, bi-vocational, or volunteer? Fulltime
What are you listening to right now? 10th Avenue North, James Blunt, The Myriad
What are you reading right now? The Long Tail, Free Agent Nation, Velvet Elvis
What’s your musical heritage?
I started as a jazz musician, attending a music school for vocalist-musicians. This meant that in addition to voice, I took arranging, producing and theory as any instrumentalist would take at a music school. My goal was to be a session singer and producer or jingle writer. That never happened, but could have been a good living.
Describe your journey to becoming a worship leader.
I never intended to do music in the church other than as a volunteer. As I was in college, my church approached me to be part time staff. I have been doing this ever since.
Describe for us your church’s worship “style”:
Our church is modern in worship, with two electric guitars and a pretty full sound. I would say that we really value the person at the beginning of their spiritual journey, so we filter what we do with that in mind.
How did you fare during the “worship wars?”
I have fought my fare share of these. Really, change is always upon us, so the wars only happen severely when churches are unwilling or unaware of these shifts and do not seize them.
Describe your process for planning a worship service:
This is done as a team. I have the pastor, myself and volunteers work to craft what it will look like and how it will flow. This is the best way to do it, in my opinion.
Do you write music for your congregation?
I do.
What’s your song writing process? I have no process, other than writing and re-writing. I have written a whole song, loved the lyrics so I might decide to change the music entirely.
When you look back decades from now, what do you hope to see you’ve accomplished as a worship leader?
I would hope that I have given away the best that I have learned from my successes and failures. A legacy of people who lead worship better than I could ever have would be one way this is seen.
What are your predictions for the future of worship?
It is going to be less about music and some other forms that we are not really aware of right now will take its place, but not entirely. Interactive worship is what is needed.
What is something you wished every worship leader knew?
How to confront leaders when they are mistreated is important. It really is OK to do that, you know?
Come back next week for more!
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great choice!
WELL DONE. HE’S PRETTY… COOL.
Love Rich! Great interview!
I’ve been followin’ Rich just recently. I read his blogsite and discovered him through the Twitter community. He has great insights and has been an inspiration to me to challenge the traditional paradigms of the church culture today. Music is such a powerful vehicle to communicate the gospel, and Rich is influencing me to be more relevent to those who are searching for truth in a culture where everything is relative.
Jeff, thanx for the interview choice and thanx Rich for what you do! Keep pressing towards the mark!
Sean, Bobby, Reg, thanks for coming by. I hope you’ll continue to read what’s going on here at Consuming Worship.
Rich,
Great interview man. Way to keep it short, simple and powerful.
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