About Us
We are driven by a passion to see churches effectively help people know and worship Jesus. All churches deserve skilled, Godly leaders, and Worship Catalyst has a vision of training 5,000 worship leaders in 500 places over the next 5 years.
HOW WE SERVE
HUBS
In 13 regions across North America, WC has fully developed “Hubs.” Each hub has a “Connector” leader who is specifically trained to mentor, train, and consult on every area of worship arts. Check out our current CONNECTORS and see if there is one in your area!
WORSHIP LEADER ESSENTIALS
(Mentoring)
Worship Leader Essentials is our core 5 month mentoring and training process which hundreds of leaders have experienced. This process also includes a 2-day pre-workshop designed specifically for worship leader and pastor together- think marriage counseling for leaders!
ON DEMAND TRAINING
Need some quick tips, an encouraging word from like-minded leaders, or even a creative element for an upcoming service? We have you covered with our constantly growing list of RESOURCES. Check them out today!
INTERNATIONAL WORK
We are currently working in 3 countries: West Africa, the Philippines, and Guatemala, with the hope of adding more countries within the next 5 years. Our vision is to equip capable, indigenous leaders of a country with tools and resources to train and equip their own worship leaders within their unique culture and framework. For more information on partnering with us in this area please email Austin Ryan
Meet The Team
Austin & CAmi Ryan
Executive & Operational Directors
Austin Ryan is the founder and director of Worship Catalyst. He has been serving in ministry as a worship leader and co-pastor for over 30 years. He and his wife Cami, director of operations, started WC over 15 years ago with 1 goal-to train, mentor and develop worship leaders, primarily for churches just starting. After serving in a larger church in Houston, TX for many years they decided to move to Tucson, AZ and then Las Vegas, NV where they immediately began helping several churches as well as planting 2 churches along the way. As of 2021, WC is headquartered in Florida and has hubs in over 18 cities across the country and is just beginning to expand its influence internationally as well. With hundreds of worship leaders impacted, in churches of all sizes, the ultimate goal of reaching more people with the good news of Jesus is still our #1 focus!!
Production
Director
A jack-of-all-trades, Nichole has been a part of Worship Catalyst from almost its beginning. A native of Sahuarita, AZ, Nichole enjoys coffee, her dog Zoey and being completely by herself for a whole day after spending too much time with people. Among other things, Nichole has played drums, planned events, and trained technologists in over 100 new churches. Now, as Production Director, Nichole helps design, film and edit all videos, podcasts and other resources Worship Catalyst offers to train worship leaders and teams. She has lived in Arizona, Las Vegas and currently lives in Jacksonville, FL.
Nichole Paulos
Stephen handley
COnnector COach
Stephen Handley started with Worship Catalyst as a Connector for Jacksonville, FL in 2022. He is born and raised in the Jacksonville area. As a young golf prodigy, Stephen could have gone to the PGA Tour, but instead God called him to be a pastor. Stephen is married to Madison and they have one son, Hudson. Stephen has taken a lead role in coaching many of our U.S. City Connectors.
Our Board of Directors
Ben Barfield
Tucson, AZ
TRoy Gaddie
Waco, TX
Mona McDonald
Chandler, AZ
Austin Ryan
Fernandina Beach, FL
Tono Rodriguez
Salt Lake City, UT
Daren Glenister
Sudbury, Massachusetts
VISION:
We envision pastors and worship leaders in every nation confidently guiding people to find and follow Jesus, worshiping Him in Spirit and Truth.
MISSION:
We help churches lead people to worship and follow Jesus by training and mentoring their worship leaders and teams.
Our Story
Worship Catalyst was founded in 2007 when co-founders Austin and Cami Ryan recognized an investment of resources, tools and mentorship into the leadership of smaller or under-served churches, would allow churches to become more effective at reaching their communities with the good news of Jesus. Austin and Cami had been leading the creative arts team at a church in Houston, TX for close to a decade when they decided to follow God’s leading in starting the new ministry. So, they quit their jobs, founded Worship Catalyst, began raising support, and moved to Tucson, AZ to help start a new church and begin serving multiple churches free of charge.
From 2007 to 2010 Worship Catalyst grew by helping dozens of churches-mentoring their worship leaders, training their technology leaders, helping develop musicians, consulting on worship service planning and organization, and leading several workshops in Arizona and other states. It was during these years that Worship Catalyst expanded to Las Vegas, Nevada, setting up a “hub” of operation through a local worship leader.
This expansion was a success as over ten churches were able to be served in just the first year or two. So, Austin and Cami, along with the Board of Directors decided to adopt a “hub strategy” where they began equipping leaders in many North American cities to take the resources Worship Catalyst had been developing, and serve churches one-on-one as well as in workshop form. Before long, hubs were operating in several states across the U.S.
In 2014, Austin and Cami followed God’s prompting to move to Las Vegas to continue leading Worship Catalyst while also co-planting their second church with Ben and Jill Barfield.
As of 2021, the headquarters of Worship Catalyst is operating in Northeast Florida. During the current season, the focus of the ministry has expanded to include three primary pathways. First, starting new hubs in Florida and across North America. Second, providing pastors and worship leaders with high quality training and mentoring through the 5-month mentoring process called Worship Leader Essentials, and expanding its international footprint in places where worship leaders do not currently have access to training and mentoring. The Ivory Coast, Africa, Guatemala, and the Philippines are the first countries in which we’ve been given an open door to serve.
We are driven by a passion to see churches effectively help people know and worship Jesus and because all churches deserve skilled, Godly leaders, Worship Catalyst has a vision of training 5,000 worship leaders in 500 places over the next 5 years.