WORSHIP LEADER, Chris Roberts

            Chris Roberts is Associate Pastor of Music and Worship at Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, NC, where he serves with Dr. Greg Mathis, Senior Pastor and former President of the Baptist State Convention of NC.  A native of Asheville, NC, Chris has served churches in Virginia and North Carolina.   He holds degrees from Gardner-Webb University (Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music/1986/summa cum laude) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of Church Music/1988).  While at Gardner-Webb, Chris was awarded the prestigious Huggins Award as the Outstanding Male Graduate of 1986.  He has also done additional study through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.  In addition to local church ministry, Rev. Roberts currently serves as Professor of Music at Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute in Hendersonville.

             Chris leads a fully-graded music ministry at Mud Creek Church while conducting the Choir and Orchestra.  In addition leading three major worship services each week, he oversees the annual Christmas Pageant. 

            Chris has established himself as a versatile and diversified worship leader in church music ministry.  Chris brings high academic credentials into a church music environment where such styles as classical, traditional, contemporary, gospel, and praise and worship work together to create a vibrant and exciting music and worship experience.  His work in worship leadership earned him the 2002 Award of Merit from the National Religious Music Week Alliance for meritorious achievement in creating an outstanding worship music program.  Chris was among only 20 leaders in the United States to receive such distinction.  He also has vast experience in the areas of music and evangelism and has led worship for Evangelism Conferences for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2009.

             From 1995-1999, Chris served as an adjunct instructor and later Instructor in Music with his college alma mater.  Chris’ university choirs have toured throughout the Southeastern United States and in the Holy Land, and his church choirs and orchestras have appeared on State Evangelism Conferences in both Virginia and North Carolina.  Most recently, the Mud Creek Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra appeared at the 2005 annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

             As a professional musician, Chris has appeared on major stages and conferences throughout the United States and Canada.  His work with the Melody Masters Quartet from 1999-2000 earned him critical acclaim in Southern Gospel Music.  Chris maintains membership in the North Carolina Baptist Singers and is in increasing demand as a guest worship leader and soloist.

             An ordained minister, Chris is married to the former Janet Leigh Ballard and they have two children: Tara, age 18 and Nathan, age 17.  They reside in Flat Rock, NC.

ALSO FEATURING: David Roach, Pianist

David Roach, a resident of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, has been playing the piano since the young age of 5. After his parents discovered him playing church songs without music, they started him in piano lessons with Sara Moss of Forest City, NC. David continued lessons for the next 11 years with Sara studying classical music (his favorite) as well as developing his ear for playing Southern Gospel through the guidance of another teacher, Frankie Harder of Hendersonville, NC.

Currently, David is pianist for Floyds Creek Baptist Church in Forest City where he also serves as a deacon. He is the accompanist for the chorus at Chase Highschool in Forest City, the pianist for the Southern Gospel group "In His Glory", and is the conductor of the Foote Hills Community Band located in Rutherford County. David also teaches some 30 plus private piano students. David is married to Janet and they have 2 children, Wesley 16, and Ashley 13. David is also a Gideon and works with his son’s Boy Scout troup as a charter organization representative.

He is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC and in 2002 was recgonized by the University as a distinguished graduate.

David realizes that his talent comes from God and has devoted his life to use that talent to honor God. His heart's desire is for people to be blessed and see God through his music.