I love the local church because the local church changed my life.
When I was 10 years old, a small Presbyterian church plant helped rescue my family during a season of domestic abuse. The music minister took me under his wing, and I’ve been passionate about worship ministry ever since.
From 1997 to 2015, I served as the worship pastor of one local church. Since 2016, I’ve worked with more than 200 churches, schools, universities, and ministries as a worship coach, consultant, interim leader, and educator. I’ve had the joy of serving congregations from every stream of the Church: mainline, charismatic, and liturgical.
At the heart of my work is one conviction: The most important instrument in the room is the gathered people of God.
I help churches develop worship leaders, build healthier teams, and reclaim their voice in worship.
My wife, Susan, is a spiritual director and homeschool mom to our son, Zeke. Together, we call Atlanta, Georgia, home.
Your worship ministry matters. I would be honored to come alongside your church to encourage your leaders, equip your team, and help your congregation find its voice in worship. Contact me here to schedule a free 30-minute call about your worship ministry’s needs.
ENDORSEMENTS FROM PASTORS+LEADERS:
“Mike was extremely helpful. His expertise is broad, and his leadership style is one to emulate. His ability to adapt to different church styles/theological persuasions, while still providing profound insight to make the worship better was what I was most impressed with. Mike will improve your team, yet, he will not force you into a mold. He was very helpful to our local church, and I highly recommend him to all.”
-Collin Brooks - Pastor, New Mexico
“When Mike O'Brien came to our community to teach and train our worship team, it launched an unprecedented season of growth. Though some of us had been able to attend worship conferences and retreats previously, it was so powerful for all of us to be able to participate together and to be able to talk about the specific strengths and needs of our worship team in the context of our church. In addition to meaningful and practical training, Mike asked great questions and helped us process what our next steps were as a team. So good. So helpful. Highly recommend.
-Amanda Prorak - Worship Leader, Chicago, IL
“Mike is a gift to the church. His ability to see past the veneer of style and self-imposed pastoral pressure makes him a perfect bit of worship medicine our churches need. Our team is always refreshed by his encouragement in their musicianship and personal worship. I highly recommend him!”
- Jon Quitt, Pastor & Author
“Mike O’Brien is one of the church’s most articulate communicators on the topic of contemporary worship leadership. His ability to break down complex ideas into memorable phrases and move-forward practices is second-to-none. I wholeheartedly recommend that you have Mike work with you, your musicians, and your techs. You won’t regret it; he carries the heart of worship deep within him – and it spills out everywhere.”
- Dan Wilt, Author & Church Trainer, Nashville, TN
“Mike leads and teaches with gentleness, nuance, and authenticity. He has a gift for giving nitty-gritty, practical help alongside soul-and-spirit-level encouragement and advice, and for sharing his wealth of experience and vision.
- Fran Pratt, Worship Leader – Austin, TX
“He produced and mentored me with such a high standard that I felt like I couldn’t keep up, but he encouraged and believed in me to accomplish what I thought was impossible.
- Jorge Respeto, Worship Pastor, Miami, FL
“If your team is a hot mess of loudness and they need a little truth in love, you should really consider having him come to your church. - Caleb Neff, Cape Coral, FL.
MORE TESTIMONIES FROM EVENT SURVEYS:
“Incredibly valuable. Mike’s authenticity was refreshing and broke down the “mystique” element that often rears its head around the worship community… great work communicating “doin’ the stuff” as a worship team… not just doing music. Great balance of practical and philosophical – the both/and of our kingdom life.” – Worship Team Member, Nashville, TN.
I honestly felt that, as far as applicable knowledge goes, I learned more about how to put music together as a whole Saturday than I have with every other training/teaching I’ve utilized over the entire past year. – Worship Leader, Birmingham, AL
“Mike is an absolute boss when it comes to explaining and teaching music. I honestly felt that, as far as applicable knowledge goes, I learned more about how to put music together as a whole Saturday than I have with every other training/teaching I’ve utilized over the entire past year.” – Worship Leader, Birmingham, AL
“The ‘Making Music Like a Producer’ class was some of the best, practical instruction I have ever heard.” – Worship Team Member, Houston, TX
“I liked the practical training on how to run a rehearsal. How to understand the different instruments and how to communicate with fellow team members.” – Worship Team Member, Los Angeles, CA
“The connection between the heart/relationships and worship is so IMPORTANT and presented so clearly and in such a gentle exhortation. Mike didn’t “preach” at us but still conveyed God’s expectations of us in worship.” - Worship Leader, Ann Arbor, MI
“For anyone considering whether to invest in your church and/or your worship team, you will never regret saying yes and inviting Mike O’ to come to join you. Through God using Mike, we have a defined path that we are headed towards. We had a team meeting about a month after the conference, and every single person said that they wanted to raise the bar with our worship on an individual level, as well as for our church. It is so encouraging as the worship pastor at VCC to see that developing amongst our team. Without Mike, it would have taken us years to find the path that was laid out in a two-day period of time.” – Worship Leader, Saint Louis, MO