Patrick Smith
Worship Leader | Sound Designer | Producer
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Patrick Smith is a talented musician, worship leader, teacher, sound designer, and producer. Founder of the Patrick Smith Project, Patrick seeks to both create and produce music that is intellectually stimulating and spiritually stirring. Patrick daily exhibits a passion and devotion to Christ, music, and his beautiful wife. Originally hailing from Prescott, Arizona, Patrick attended University of North Texas, Mesa Community College, and William Paterson University, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Jazz. As a result, Patrick plays the drums, piano, guitar, and bass although his main instrument is the trumpet. He plays the trumpet in professional circles after 15 years of participating in various bands including Arizona’s All-State Jazz Band, All-State Concert Band, and University of North Texas’ well-known 3 O’Clock Lab Band. Currently working at Evangel Church as the Music Director, Patrick manages a group of over 100 volunteers, leads worship or plays for various weekly services, creates graphic design artwork, does recordings with volunteers for church and outside use, and creatively directs and ministers at special services/events. God has gifted him with the essential talents to be an effective minister, musician, director, producer, and servant within the church.
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- Music Director at Evangel ChurchReligious Institutions | Greater New York City Area, USSummarySpecialties: Professional multi-instrumentalist and singer, music director, worship leader, music production, Jazz/ Rock/ Contemporary Christian Music, music production (recording) live concertsExperience
- May 2009 - PresentMusic Director / Evangel ChurchIn charge of all music related activities in the church (approx. 1500 in attendance) including all worship teams, choir and special events. Holds leadership over one hundred plus volunteers as well as holding a leadership position within the leadership team including select ministry leaders. Daily tasks include preparing music for Sunday morning and night services, coordinating volunteers and implementation/planning of large events. Weekly events include leading worship and directing rehearsals for both choir and worship teams. Special events include live DVD/CD recordings and special thematic Sunday morning services infusing drama, dance and music.
- Sept 2004 - PresentFreelance Musician / Various EmployersA professional trumpet player in various musical settings including: Cecil’s Big Band, Eddy Dee Orchestra, The New Jersey Philth Harmonic, The Fever, various high school, college and community musicals as well as restaurants and clubs in small group jazz settings.
Education-
2006 - 2009William Paterson University of New JerseyBM in Music Education w/ Jazz Emphasis
Activities: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Worship Leader -
2005 - 2006Mesa Community CollegeBM in Jazz Performance/Music Education
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2004 - 2005University of North TexasBM in Jazz Performance
Additional Information-
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Posts
- Sep 14, 11
This past year has been one of the most thrilling, passionate and challenging years of my life, seeing as one year ago I married the love of my life, Katie. Along this past year, I’ve come to realize in even greater ways than ever before the importance of living in perfect harmony with your spouse. Although we may have our times of fighting about ridiculous things that in the end don’t matter, or don’t see eye to eye on a problem, I am always captivated by a feeling, or a call from a voice within me, that will do whatever it takes to restore peace between us.
When I think about it, it really should come to no surprise to any of us that we have this inward desire for relationships and for doing whatever is possible to keep them healthy. We don’t have to look any farther than the story of Adam and Eve to see that even before The Fall, God saw the need for a helpmate for Adam, therefore God created Eve. It’s a wonderful reminder to us that the longing is something that is pure and holy and whispered directly from the heart of God.
The other type of relationship (or relationships) that have come to the surface through this first year of marriage has been the longing for close friendships with those that we want to share life with. Both my wife and I have felt the challenge to go out and forge those friendships that are formed now but will last a lifetime.
WhenI look at how this voice calling out to us effects the way we worship I look at modern worship songs and I see lots of songs that are focused on the personal relationship that we have with Jesus. I see songs like “The More I Seek You” and “Your Love is Extravagant” as being songs that are speaking to the intimacy in the relationship that we have with Christ. Those types of songs are great and I feel bring about some great one on one time with the Lord.
It’s my prayer for my own walk through life to continue to listen to the voice and answer the call for deeper more meaningful relationships. I pray that along the journey your heart would also be stirred to something deeper.
- Aug 08, 11
I must start off this post with a confession. I have a condition I believe many of us suffer from on a weekly basis, typically on a Sunday after church or when conversing with fellow Christians. It’s easy to get caught up in it when talking with your friends about the most recent church production gadgets and worship songs or when scanning the most recent edition of Worship Leader Magazine or Church Production Magazine. This condition has no cure primarily because no doctor will ever diagnose it. What is this condition I’m ailed with?
I suffer from church envy.
As a 20 something year old worship leader serving in a church of multigenerational worship styles, I sometimes struggle with not being content with where God has placed me. I would hear the latest Hillsong or Gateway project and think, “I want to be there! God why haven’t you placed me there?”
My envy of other churches started to seep into the planning of my worship sets and shaping how I believed our congregation SHOULD be worshipping. Instead of being sensitive to where our church community was in their development as worshippers, I forged ahead. I put my blinders up and marched my crusade all in the name of becoming more “relevant”. For a while, I thought it was a problem with them. I was selfish and thought as long as I could worship to what we were playing, that’s all that mattered, they’ll catch on eventually.
This didn’t last very long until God opened my eyes to the power of a congregation singing a unified song, petitioning heaven with a unified voice. It quickly changed from the song I was singing to the Lord, to the song WE were singing to the Lord. When planning my weekly worship sets, my thinking drastically changed from what is God speaking to me, to what is God speaking to all of us.
I do firmly believe that we have a responsibility to continue to seek new songs and avenues of creativity in order to keep our worship fresh, but do what is right for your church. Now as I look to leading worship for my church, I view it as a challenge and a privilege. I’m challenged to build worship sets that are accessible to all age groups and cultural backgrounds and I’m privileged to lead such a diverse group of people into the throne room of the Almighty God.
- Aug 03, 11
I like to think of myself as living an inspired life. A life that is guided by dreams and desires that go beyond material things that the world has to offer. The question I am now facing is who/what is the source of my inspiration. Just as a gust of wind could blow you into the harbor safely, it could just as well blow you farther out to sea if you are without a discerning heart.
I primarily think of Jesus as being my ultimate source of inspiration. However, I’m starting to see that we easily forget that Jesus himself lived an inspired life. He lived a life that was inspired by the dreams of the Kingdom of God being restored to complete fullness. He was inspired to heal the sick in order to show us that we would become new creations for eternity for those who believe in Him.
The greatest test of our own dreams and desires is to match them to the mission of Jesus and evaluate whether or not they coincide. I believe one of the greatest joys we benefit from as a follower of Christ is to not only be inspired, but to inspire. Truly inspiring someone is far from grandiose dreams of fame and success but lies in the simple fact of being an influence to live a life that models Christ.
As I live each day seeking continual inspiration from the Lord and from other role models in my life, it will be my greatest reward to turn around and influence others to live Christ-centered lives.
- Jul 27, 11
There aren’t too many days that go by that I don’t hear the familiar question of “You work at a church, but you’re not a pastor, how does that work?”. I can remember being lost for a good answer for a good part of my first year of working at my church.
The means as to which I became the leader of a worship department of over 100 volunteers and leading 1500+ believers in worship on a weekly basis was a very quick one. I typically refer to it as my “2 1/2 year internship”, that is still going strong! Having struggled with my identity of a worship leader/artist/musician/director I have found a new title, which I feel best describes the calling on my life, which is that of a worship artisan.
An artisan is one who has certain skills and abilities that have been honed over years of practice and hard work. In my case, I have been honing my musical skills ever since the age of 8. Taking private lessons all through high school, playing in school bands and eventually graduating with a degree in jazz music from William Paterson University.
But that’s not the only defining characteristic of an artisan. An artisan has learned skills within a historical context that guide his tools to craft a perfect product including traditions from the past while still maintaining relevance to impact the present and future. In regards to this, my historical context is the bible. The bible must be my foundation, my goggles that I see my world and ministry through, in order to create effective environments for people to engage with God in worship.
- Jul 23, 11
When I reflect about “Earth”, and the disciplines that embodies I’m struck at the mere simplicity and necessity of these disciplines in order for myself to be an effective person in worship ministry. The Earth can be broken down into primarily two aspects of our spiritual formation, which are prayer and study of the bible.
I know that I’m continually seeking for the next latest and greatest thing that will revolutionize the way I do ministry. The reality that it won’t start from new cool lighting or a new sound board, but from personal revitalization that can only come through a healthy relationship and two way communication with God. The question I think I must ask myself more often is what am I doing to keep my relationship with Christ at the point of being the latest and greatest?
I wonder why it is so difficult for us to maintain a strong, healthy prayer life alongside studying the Word of God? I wonder if it is because we don’t see the link of our dreams becoming reality to the daily devotion of pursing the Lord’s dreams and plans for our lives? I’m reminded of Psalm 37:4, “take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” I find comfort in those words, that the dreams and desires of my heart will be fulfilled as long as I devote my life to Christ continually.
