what is it?
Worship leaders are often trained to execute services, but rarely formed to lead with clarity, strategy, health, and theological depth—so they burn out, drift, or default to imitation. Worship Story exists to help worship leaders rediscover who they are, why they lead, and how to build worship cultures that are faithful, sustainable, and deeply rooted in God’s story.
Worship Story is a pathfinder for churches to discover and articulate their local & unique worship culture. Using interactive group trainings, team nights, retreats, and 1 on 1 coaching, we’ll develop some common language and a framework for planning so that all decisions of HOW and WHAT are based on a clearly defined WHY. This process will empower music, production, and creative ministries at any church to further the spiritual formation of their congregation through the worship experiences.
So whether you are a worship pastor, lead pastor, or anyone who helps shape your church’s worship experience, I would love to come alongside and empower you to step into the specific story that God is writing at your church!
About Me
Zack Barker
With over twenty years pastoral leadership in churches of all sizes, I bring a wealth of experience to training and coaching worship teams in many different contexts. I love bringing strategy to the process of all things leading worship.
God has gifted me as a natural influencer and I lead with authenticity and a prayerful sensitivity to His Spirit. I’m passionate about getting to curate and oversee services, groups, and teams that point towards the finished work of Jesus on the cross and the continued work of His Holy Spirit.
CHURCH EXPERIENCE
Saddleback Church - Lake Forest, CA Front Range Church - Castle Rock, CO Smoky Hill Vineyard - Aurora, CO Calvary Church of Pacific Palisades - Pacific Palisades, CA New Life Church Downtown - Colorado Springs, CO Communion of Saints - Colorado Springs, CO Foothills Bible Church - Littleton, CO Generations Church - Greeley, CO
COACHING
Coaching for individuals or teams…
staff training
1 ON 1 COACHING
SOUL CARE
cULTURE DEVELOPMENT
TEAM NIGHTS / RETREATS
worship strategy with senior leadership
staff transitions
Framework for strategic discovery & development…
Session 1: Compass
What’s Your Worship Story? (your unique identity, experience, & calling)
session 2: Circle
Roles of a Worship Leader (pastor, prophet, producer, performer)
session 3: AXIS
Who Do We Serve? (God, pastor, team, church)
session 4: triangle
Worship Formation (theology, context, expression, style)
session 5: ANCHOR
Worship Values (discerning & distilling core statements)
session 6: STRUCTURE
Team Leadership & Creative Continuum (people & meeting rhythms)
session 7: chart
Service Planning & Worship Themes (series & songs)
session 8: forge
Community Formation (team development, discipleship, & communication)
session 9: shield
Culture Protection (rule of life, sustainability, eliminating exits)
stories
Jason Jackson
Lead Pastor - Communion of Saints (Colorado Springs, CO)
Zack leads with a pure heart, a discerning mind, and skillful hands. Any worship leader looking to grow in their character and craft while also learning how to cultivate a healthy worship culture in their team and church would greatly benefit from working with Worship Story.
JOSH PEASE
Lead Pastor - The Porch Church (Aurora, CO)
In the nearly 20 years I've known Zack he's always been a gifted worship leader with a strategic brain, and authentic heart for worship. In the past several years though, Zack has also become one of the wisest and most discerning voices I know. He can step into any situation, quickly build trust through humility and kindness, and then speak life and truth into the world around him. He has the rare ability to balance the mystery of the Holy Spirit with the intentionality of strategy, and there are few people in my life whose integrity and wisdom I trust as much as his.
AMEN BAINS
Lead Pastor - Community Church Playa (Playa Vista, CA)
I have had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside Zack for nearly a decade. From the beginning, what stood out most about Zack wasn’t simply his musical gifting, but his heart as a pastor. Zack genuinely loves people and carries a deep desire to shepherd and lead the church well. Through his leadership, I watched him cultivate a culture of worship that flowed from the daily, intentional work of paying attention and pouring into people — from the staff team he served alongside, to the worship team he led, and the congregation as a whole. Because of his many gifts and the depth of his character, when I began the process of launching our new church, I asked Zack to serve as a remote Elder. In that role, he has helped shape not only what worship looks like on a Sunday, but also the kind of community we are seeking to become — one that desires to know and love Jesus. Zack’s leadership consistently moves beyond music to the deeper work of forming people whose lives are centered on worship and following Jesus.
JOrdan galbraith
Executive Leadership Coach - Kingdom Factory (Santa Monica, CA)
Having served in several churches and ministry contexts, I have seen how easily the worship experience can drift out of alignment with the deeper ethos of a church. When I worked alongside Zack, I quickly recognized his rare ability to restore that alignment by placing spiritual formation, not merely performance, at the center of worship culture. He leads with remarkable emotional intelligence, humility, and spiritual discernment, creating both relational and corporate safety where teams can truly grow. Zack also cares deeply for the people entrusted with leading. In my own life he walked closely with me through a season of rediscovering passion and purpose, and then faithfully championed me to step back into the calling God had placed on my life. Churches that invite Zack into their worship culture will find not just better worship environments, but healthier leaders and a deeper alignment between worship and the spiritual life of the whole church.
PODCAST
Here some podcasts I did a few years ago. Most of the episodes are devotionals for songs I was leading at my church but there are a few interviews from other pastors about worship in the church. More coming soon! (Probably…)
let’s chat
Email me at zack@worshipstory.com or schedule a discovery call below and lets talk about how Worship Story can partner with your church!