Hey everyone! My name is Kris Baines and I've been playing the piano in churches on and off for over 30 years - that makes me feel old!

I basically took the skills I had, and through a lot of trial and error, gradually learned how to support the congregation, and play in a way that helps (I hope!), rather than hinders worship. There weren't any courses I could take that were specifically for church piano players, and over the years I've realised how many unique aspects there are to that role, compared to playing the piano in any other setting.

There's nothing quite like the joy of helping God's people adore and praise Him, giving Him the glory He deserves. It's a privilege, and a blessing I am thankful for.

Due to the loving encouragement of some special people in my life, I decided to take everything I have learned over the years, and package it all into an online course to help people like you - church piano players, or those thinking about taking up that role (it's a great decision to make and I'm sure you will be a blessing to your church!). One of the most helpful things about this course, is that you don't need to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on piano lessons (that likely don't deal with the specifics of church piano playing), or spend hours and hours searching YouTube for tutorials - you just need to put the time and effort into learning the essential concepts and skills required to play music in church, and support your congregation as they sing.

In addition to this, because I have spent 26 years serving as a pastor in a few churches, I understand the dynamics of congregational worship, from both sides of the piano. Because of that, I decided to make this course a bit different, and give you not just the musical instruction, but also the theological foundations, and pastoral perspectives, that really help you have a well-rounded understanding of being a church musician.

If you want to find out a bit more about me, you can check out my website krisbaines.com and as I've been an independent musician for some time now, you can also find my music streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora (USA only). If you want to hear my "life story/testimony" you can listen to that here from a podcast hosted by Church & Family Life.

I was born in the UK, where I am now living with my wife Becky and 8 of our 9 children (one is married). However, until late last year we had been living in the beautiful country of New Zealand for 26 years where I worked as a pastor, paramedic, and pianist (all those 'p' words!). First and foremost, I am a follower of Christ, thankful to have been saved by His amazing grace, and then I'm a husband and father. After that, I get to help people like you play better, and bless your church!

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you sometime soon on the course! Here's a little showreel (below) of some of my music work - I hope you enjoy it!

Happy playing!

Kris