The Ferment Podcast - Conversations About Worship And Transformation

This is one of two episodes we're releasing today to celebrate the life of our friend Brian Doerksen, who passed away peacefully at his home this week, surrounded by his family.

In this conversation, Brian shares his story in his own words: growing up in a Mennonite home in Abbotsford, British Columbia, finding his spiritual family in the Vineyard, and the night a shy bass player was called up to sing his secret song over five thousand people. He talks about intimacy over intensity, what makes a good worship leader, and the dream he was still carrying: helping others write songs that live on.

Brian wrote songs the church has sung for over thirty years, including Refiner's Fire, Faithful One, Come Now Is the Time to Worship, Hope of the Nations, and Today (As For Me and My House). The church will be singing them for many years to come.

The companion episode, A History of the Vineyard in Song, is also available in the feed.

This is one of two episodes we're releasing today to celebrate the life of our friend Brian Doerksen, who passed away peacefully at his home this week, surrounded by his family.

Recorded around the Vineyard's 50th anniversary as part of our "A History of the Vineyard in Song" conference session, this conversation is Brian's chapter of that story: the 40-hour drive to a John Wimber conference in Kansas City, the Langley Vineyard, and the night in October 1989 when a church worship evening became Changed by Your Glory. Brian talks about where songs come from, what makes a song evergreen, and what he wanted to say to the next generation of Vineyard songwriters.

Brian wrote songs the church has sung for over thirty years, including Refiner's Fire, Faithful One, I Lift My Eyes Up, and Come Now Is the Time to Worship. The church will be singing them for many years to come.

The companion episode, Brian Doerksen: In His Own Words, is also available in the feed.

Originally released in February 2019, this conversation is part of Ferment: 30 Conversations - a curated series revisiting meaningful episodes from the archive.

In this episode, Carl Tuttle recounted his time in the early days of the Vineyard Movement, where a group of hungry and desperate people discovered the very real and living God. Carl Tuttle was a pastor, pioneering worship leader, songwriter, church planter, and conference speaker. He composed dozens of songs and is most known for "Hosanna," which is certified as a gold record and sung by Christians worldwide. An integral part of the birth of the Vineyard Movement, he had been in ministry for over forty years and most recently served as a pastor at Vineyard at the River Church in Orange County, CA, before his passing in May 2025. Carl was a father of six grown children and a grandfather of four.

In this episode of The Ferment, Director of the Vineyard School of Worship Mike O'Brien chats with Kat Michael, Worship Pastor at Franklin Vineyard Church in Tennessee as we continue our series: "A Week In The Life", looking at the weekly rhythms of worship leaders from around the country in various-sized congregations. Kat shares about the season of transition their church is navigating, her favorite parts of each week, and her Sunday morning routine. Kat also talks about their staff and worship team's balance of spiritual practices and production.

Kat Michael has always had worship as a part of her life. Being the granddaughter of a worship minister and growing up singing hymns with her sisters and cousins, music is a part of her DNA. She has been leading the worship ministry at the Franklin Vineyard Church for ten years and loves creating space and writing songs for people to encounter the presence of God. She believes that when we worship in spirit and truth, heaven invades earth and people's lives are forever changed. Kat co-hosts a podcast with Grant Pemberton releasing Fall of 2024 called Everyday Exorcist. Kat is married to the love of her life Josh and together they homeschool their four children: Felix, Jubilee, Clara and Wilder.

Show Notes:

Franklin Vineyard

This week we kick off a new series looking at a week in the life of worship leaders from around the country in various size congregations. Director of the Vineyard School of Worship Mike O'Brien sits down with Nicole Hernandez from Vineyard Columbus in Westerville, Ohio. Nicole, a 4th generation Mexican-American from Southern California, has been part of the Vineyard movement from a young age and has led worship since she was 13. She currently serves as the Worship Coordinator at Vineyard Columbus – Viña Grandview Campus. Although she didn't grow up speaking Spanish, living in Venezuela for five years helped her become fluent, and she now enjoys stepping into 'bridge spaces,' including leading the Vineyard Worship Spanish Translation team. Passionate about bilingual worship and songwriting, Nicole blends Latin musical elements with other styles. She and her husband, Daniel, also serve on the Vineyard Hispanic Association leadership team. In her free time, Nicole loves hanging out with her husband & their two teens, being outside in (almost) all types of weather, and hosting friends with Venezuelan arepas and other delicious meals.

In this episode of The Ferment, we complete our mini-series on the Vineyard USA National Conference session: A Story Of The Vineyard in Song. This week, Adam and Nicole Dill talk with Anabeth Morgan. Anabeth expands on the story she shared during the session via video about being invited to a Vineyard church, feeling like she found a sense of home, and what that experience meant to her. She also talks about what she does now as a worship pastor to prepare for those who come to church needing an encounter similar to what she experienced all those years ago.

Anabeth Morgan is a worship leader, songwriter, and one of the staff pastors at the Mile High Vineyard neighborhood churches since 2011. She has been an integral part of Vineyard Worship as a leader, artist and writer, serving at Vineyard churches in Houston, Columbus, and Kansas City.

Anabeth is deeply passionate about God's presence and loves to lean into the Spirit of God in worship and prayer. Her ability to listen to the Holy Spirit, whether leading worship or groups of people, has given God the opportunity to do wonderful things in people's lives. She loves sharing her intimate faith in God with others, enjoys being hospitable, and is always sensitive to the people and environment around her.

Anabeth has appeared on many Vineyard albums such as Cultivation Generation, Servant Wide Awake, My Foundation, Breathe In, Sing Out and more. In December 2017 she finished writing and recording her first studio album A Place Your Glory Dwells. Recently, she has had songs "You Meet Me Here", "Heaven's Work" and "King of Heaven", released through Vineyard Worship, and has published other worship songs in collaboration with other songwriters.

She was married to Kyle in 2003 and they have two amazing children, Jovie and Miles.

Show Notes:

Watch "A Story of the Vineyard in Song"