ABOUT US
Our mission is to use music to bring Light into culture, bringing God's hand and people's hands together, while equipping leaders to do the same.
OUR TEAM
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Jon Shabaglian
Founder, Music Minister & Recording Artist
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Jared Elston
Minister of Music & Recording Artist
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Hanna York
Voice Instructor
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Lawrence Bohanon
Pro Musician & Senior Pastor
Our Story
After 20 years of worship ministry in the local church, record releases, and inner city and international mission, the 9 pillars of Psalmist Mission were being formed before any thought of a formalized movement.
I had been asked by Fresno Pacific University to lead a Worship Institute experiment to train college and city musicians. I felt the Spirit say, “Jon, raise up TRUSTWORTHY PSALMISTS.” At the same time, two Kingdom philanthropists began to press upon me the need to create some infrastructure to begin formally raising up more missional artists and worship leaders. With few excuses left, my option was either to run away or give God my “scary yes.” The non-profit was laying in my lap before I knew it. In that moment, it was as if my mind went completely blank except for two words—Psalmist Mission.
This title helped crystallize the burden I’d been carrying for two decades but didn’t understand. This mantle was more than making music or “getting heard,” and even beyond the honor of leading worship for the saints, it had the capacity to carry the life changing Gospel into even the darkest regions of our world. Since music is the language of the soul, a work was beginning to train musicians from the inside out to be “Psalmists on a Mission.”
While trying to lead by example as an Armenian,, I began inviting in gifted and kindred friends like Jared Elston, my African American brother and minstrel counterpart in the community. He became my first co-instructor as we birthed the idea of raising up more trustworthy Psalmists in our first worship cohort. God then pulled in remarkable producers like Jonathan Hendrickson & Sam Hart, along with a wonderful board of to help build this Kingdom model. Soon, a community movement began to birth. Churches began to be strengthened through their worship leaders’ growth. This movement of missional musicians, armed with greater skill, scripture in their hearts, and a Psalmist family they could worship and serve together, a multicultural missional family of musicians and worship leaders began spreading ripples through out California’s Central Valley.
Growing in community with other kindred artists as we relished the cultural and denominational diversity like a pre-Heaven party, the Psalmist Mission family has grown to nearly 90 graduates across California, as we’re on 5th year of our worship cohorts. We are in awe of God as now this movement expands to a national and international conversation.
At a time in history when our culture continues to shake, we’re so excited to keep flooding churches, the streets and the airwaves with more trustworthy psalmists…on Gods mission!
—One life at a time,
Jon Shabaglian
TESTIMONIALS
Have you experienced a Psalmist Mission Worship Cohort? We’d love to hear about how God moved through your time with us! Contact us below to tell us your story.