True Stories
References
“When we serve in a celebration team, we all want to serve God and steward our talents to the best of our abilities, but seeing a practical way forward can be daunting. Coaching for any team might seem like a big expense, but the rewards for growing a team and setting up a healthy culture radiates out into the rest of the congregation. Invest in your community by giving your team the ability to grow together musically, relationally, and spiritually. The process is transformative, affirming, and wonderful! It's not an exaggeration to say that coaching has had a profound influence on us.”
– Jeremy Graeff, Contemporary Worship Coordinator, Grandview United Methodist Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“Ad Lib Music was contracted to coach our worship team to bring them to a higher level musically and in leading the congregation into worship. The sense that Dave’s love for God and genuine desire to see the church deepen in its worship was ever present in the coaching. Little did we know at the time that we would soon experience a dramatic change in the worship leader position. Dave responded well to the events as they unfolded. He was able to help the team move forward through the experience. Dave also helped us in the search for a new worship leader and provided some valuable insight and information that helped us in that process. I really felt like he went above and beyond what was expected in the contract. I would highly recommend Ad Lib Music and Dave Helmuth to any pastor or church that has the desire to improve their worship experience.”
– Dennis Loose, Senior Pastor, LifeSpring Fellowship in Lititz, Pennsylvania
“Dave Helmuth is not only a well seasoned worship leader who can equip a worship team to glorify God at a high level of excellence, but he is a Spirit-led person whose leadership can impact an entire church culture. Dave has helped to transform our congregation, enabling us to experience worship at a depth not known before. He has the ability to reach both the traditional and contemporary mindset, bringing them into a fuller expression of unity in Christ.”
– Craig Snow, Senior Pastor, Swamp Christian Fellowship in Reinholds, Pennsylvania
“It’s been a humdinger of a year for us. Dave’s efforts were greatly appreciated throughout this process and his direct intervention was absolutely crucial. Thank you Ad Lib Music! The words just seem empty in comparison to what we’ve worked through together, but I believe the shaky ship has been righted, and we are ready to voyage forward.”
– Luke Dougherty, Steward Board President, Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
“Dave Helmuth is a great musician, a creative thinker, and a clear communicator. He has broadened our repertoire of worship music, demonstrated an excellence of performance, and connected with our worship teams and congregation at a heart level. Our interaction with him has been nothing short of pure joy!”
– Charles Stock, Senior Pastor, Life Center Ministries International in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
“As a congregation, and particularly as a worship team, we have been very blessed by the ministry of Ad Lib Music. What was especially helpful was that they were able to come in with an outside perspective and address things that we couldn’t see from inside. Any time someone can honestly assess where you are at in a particular arena of ministry from an external perspective it helps you to see the bigger picture more clearly. We have been able to move forward as a worship team and as a congregation with the assistance and counsel of Ad Lib Music.”
– Keith Blank, Pastor, Mountville Mennonite Church in Mountville, Pennsylvania
“Ephrata Church of the Brethren is a traditional church with over a hundred years of history. In 2002, we sensed God calling us to launch a worship service with a more contemporary feel. Dave Helmuth came along side of us in a coaching capacity and helped us lay a solid foundation for this worship ministry and as a result, today it continues to be used by God to bring people into his presence.”
– Galen Hackman, Senior Pastor, Ephrata Church Of The Brethren in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
"Having Dave lead at our retreat was a great experience for our entire team, and it allowed me to do what worship pastors should do at such an event - retreat. I was able to step back from leading and enjoy time with my team without having to develop and prepare all of our group sessions, worship times, etc. What Dave presented was practical, timely, and God-inspired - we are still talking about what an awesome time we had together!"
– Scott Byrom, Worship Pastor, Ephrata First United Methodist Church, in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
"It was refreshing to release the leadership responsibility of a team retreat. Dave brought a unique approach to our retreat that opened each of us up individually to what God wanted to do with us as a worship team. Dave was intentional and prepared but not scripted or controlled by an agenda. His Spirit led teaching style through word and worship, and his desire to seek God desperately, enabled us to experience God's movement in a powerful way."
– Dean Sensenig, Director of Worship & Music, Ephrata Church Of The Brethren in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
“I have found in Dave a rich resource for providing short-term coverage for Sunday mornings, as well as helping us through seasons when we were searching for a ‘permanent’ worship leader. He has connected us with worship leaders and musicians and helped us think through what is needed for our worship service at any given time. Dave is not only a tremendously talented musician; he has a deep grasp of the nature of worship, shows extreme sensitivity to our particular way of worshipping, and interacts with others in a pastoral manner, nurturing younger musicians by teaching and example.”
– Mike Alleman & Andrea Brown, Pastors, Grandview United Methodist Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“I appreciated Dave’s timely, specific and insightful feedback into situations and dynamics on the team. I felt like he speaks from a place of experience, but also as one spending time with and hearing from the Lord. The things he shared were very practical, applicable and helpful in navigating through each situation.”
– Elizabeth Comeaux, Worship Leader, The Door Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“Dave Helmuth doesn’t just lead songs; he leads people in relationship with God.”
– Keith Yoder, Founder, Teaching The Word Ministries in Leola, Pennsylvania
“Since I have been using Ad Lib Music to create my PowerPoint, the quality has been exceptional and most of all I have more time to actually work on my sermons. I email a copy of my sermon and receive a PowerPoint presentation back in short order for me to proof. I found Dave Helmuth to be professional and easy to work with. The cost is well worth the savings in time and finished product. I highly recommend this service.”
– Lester Zimmerman, Senior Pastor, Petra Christian Fellowship in New Holland, Pennsylvania
“Dave helped me process a lot of what I have been wrestling with and gave me solid tools to grow as a leader! He ‘cleared off’ my mental desk as he completed my thoughts and helped me to contextualize my ideas. This weekend when I lead, I’ll be able to put into practice the ideas that have been floating around in my head. Knowing how to put my knowledge to use in my context makes all the difference.”
– AJ Leaman, volunteer Worship Leader, ACTS Covenant Fellowship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“I came to my Coaching Moment feeling as though the nitty-gritty of life and leadership had blind-folded me and spun me around, leaving me quite dizzy and a little less certain I was moving in the right direction…it was a real pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey moment! Dave listened to me ramble, and brought fresh perspective and insight to the issues I've been struggling with. I left our meeting feeling encouraged in the right direction, able to see a little more clearly, and definitely less dizzy!”
– Heather Ross, Worship Leader, The Door Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“We certainly appreciated the work you did here already and I would hope to partner again with you…”
– Barry Wissler, Senior Pastor, Ephrata Community Church in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
“I appreciated Dave’s seasoned listening ear. He has a way of continuing to pull ideas and resources out of his ‘bottomless bag’ of experience (remember Mary Poppins?). He was ‘right with me’ as I shared, leaving me to feel heard and understood. Priceless!”
– Cheri Groff, Worship Overseer, ACTS Covenant Fellowship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“Your attentiveness and willingness to answer our endless supply of questions were a great help to be guided through the pre-launch process. The exercises you used to help us determine the “what’s” and the “why’s” were very valuable and necessary.
– Keith Blank, Senior Pastor, Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
“I so enjoyed getting to know Dave. His laugh, mannerisms, but most of all his heart for the pure and true worship of the Father. I don't think the conference would have been as effective without him. There is something that flows when the Holy Spirit is working through a person, and he was most certainly that person.”
– Fran Malfer, Coach to Int'l Ministries, LIFE International in Grand Rapids, Michigan
“I think the most valuable tool from the consultation was the vision and core values statement. Dave took time to hear us describe our current structure and issues and helped us tailor our language to our existing culture . We appreciated the heart and passion of Dave and George and their ability to draw out of us areas that needed attention.”
– Jim Martin, Worship Coordinator, Weaverland Mennonite Church in East Earl, Pennsylvania
“You have a gift of putting people at ease and enabling them to enter into the stream of worship. God has enlarged your heart to embrace people where they are at and He has given you the ability to lead them to a higher place. That's your anointing.”
– Rusty Richards, worship musician and Founder of Pray Big!
“Dave Helmuth is a man with a passionate devotion to Jesus Christ. Dave is unique, in that he combines experienced musical skill and consistent excellence, with the heart and presence of the most humble worshipper. I remember the first time I experienced Dave’s worship leadership. My observation was, ‘Here is a guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously, but he takes God very seriously.’ I love that about Dave.”
– Sue Eikenberry, Director of Women's Ministries, Counseling, and Body Life Ministries, Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton, California
“Dave does an amazing job of supporting the leaders rising up around him. He’s a great leader and shows a good balance between forward thinking/long range planning and decision making related to weekly operations. It’s great to see him empowering directors to lead with appropriate amount of autonomy, yet setting up a system of reporting and accountability to leaders and the rest of the team. He does this so well. It's great to have such a capable person as Dave working on this! So many days, I comment to Deborah (my wife and fellow worship leader) about how awesome he is and how much I love playing on the same team with him. His creativity, indomitable spirit, encouraging perspective are so valuable.”
– Eric Dombach, Elder, Life Center Ministries International in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
“I really enjoyed the group atmosphere (in the Worship Leading Crash Course). A sense of ‘family’ sharing, loving, and light heartedness, yet at times seriousness and intensity (but not so intense that I felt intimidated). I felt loved, welcomed! It was fun to get to know new people who are in the same ‘boat’ as us (worship leading) and getting to know the different, yet awesome, styles of everyone. I never felt like I wasn’t ‘making the cut’ and was going to be dismissed for not being ‘perfect.’ I learned a lot! From how to approach worship, to how to minister God’s grace in worship. How to keep it light hearted and joyous to how to keep worship intimate and beautiful. Also, how to help make it flow with the Holy Spirit. How to use it to bring Honor and Glory to God’s kingdom! All I can say is, it was one of the best, most awesome times in my life!”
– Kristi Martin, Children’s Ministry Worship Leader and participant in Ad Lib Music’s 8-Week “Worship Leading Crash Course”, Petra Christian Fellowship in New Holland, Pennsylvania