Cassidy Crenshaw Coaches Newly Formed Chapel Band

Cassidy Crenshaw

Talented Mississippi College students comprise the university’s chapel band elevating God’s word and creating an awesome worship experience on campus.

Effectively leading MC’s new chapel band, Cassidy Crenshaw brings energy and passion to his assignment. He’s receiving accolades for effectively leading the worship band this Fall at Swor Auditorium. Cassidy doubles as the worship pastor at Pinelake Church in Clinton.

Each week, Crenshaw coaches students on song selections and musical performances. The Philadelphia, Mississippi native joins them at rehearsals, and during sound checks, while offering encouragement to the team.

“Our students are so incredibly gifted that they make my job easy,” says Crenshaw, an adjunct music professor at the Baptist-affiliated university.

He credits MC music professor Will Bishop for recruiting such a powerful team of young worship leaders to the stage.

At the same time, Cassidy helps promote the growing pipeline of college-age people from Pinelake Church to the Clinton campus. The church’s main campus is situated in Brandon.

“I love seeing partnerships between the local church and educational institutions. But I honestly never thought I’d be right in the middle of it like I am.”

A 2008 Mississippi State University graduate, Cassidy first met Bishop in 2013 when they were students at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Cassidy worked in the school library at the time, while Will, then living in Texas, often checked out piles of books. They got reconnected in Clinton last summer when Cassidy began his duties as Pinelake’s worship pastor.

Bishop spent lots of time wondering how to strengthen worship levels and chapel programs for Mississippi College students. The leader of MC’s Worship Collective, Will asked his friend over for lunch and wanted to see if he was willing to lead the chapel band.

“A big part of why I wanted Cassidy to come to MC was that I had seen the way he helps train and equip young worship leaders at Pinelake,” Will Bishop said.

Watching Cassidy on the job at Pinelake in Clinton showed he was focused on helping church musicians sharpen their own skills. “I could tell that his heart to help equip young music leaders and church musicians was a perfect fit for the mission of the worship leadership program here at MC,” Bishop said.

While he stays busy full-time at Pinelake, Cassidy agreed to accept the chapel band assignment and teach worship leadership classes. The Clintonian also polishes his skills as a proficient vocalist and guitarist.

There was much attracting Cassidy Crenshaw to America’s second oldest Baptist college.

“When Dr. Bishop shared his vision with me some months ago, I was floored by the opportunity. Anyone who knows my heart for ministry knows that I love to train young worship leaders.”

The added workload at Mississippi College, Cassidy said, “just felt like a natural extension to what God has me doing.”

Students in the Christian university’s chapel band include: Chandler Greenwood, Jake Hall, Jacob Ginn, Caleb Ginn, Daniel Grewatz, Courtney Brooks and Will Edwards. Daniel also serves on the church worship team at Pinelake.

Juggling his work schedule at Pinelake and Mississippi College quite well, Cassidy Crenshaw makes family a top priority in Clinton.

Married for a dozen years to Dru Fulton Crenshaw, the couple has a daughter, Emory Rose, 8, and a son, Carson, 3.

Cassidy sums up his ministry goal in a few words. It is to “artfully, skillfully and carefully combine God’s Word with music & the arts so the gathered church may worship in Spirit and in Truth.”