by Hannah Fair, Public Relations Writer
Cedarville University’s traveling worship ministry, HeartSong, uses online music streaming services to reach tens of thousands of listeners every month. HeartSong reached 45,544 song streams on Apple Music and 257,004 on Spotify in the past three months, as well as an average of 19,200 monthly Spotify listeners.
Online music streaming services are searchable worldwide, allowing people to hear HeartSong music without knowing much about Cedarville. People from all around the world stream HeartSong music, including a ministry in Brazil that requested to use a HeartSong piece in their program.
“Music has a unique way of telling the story of who someone is, so we try to make sure that our music is theologically rich and culturally relevant to the people that we are ministering to,” Jim Cato, associate vice president of Christian ministries, said. “We are very intentional about our doctrine, but we are also working to engage and be relevant to the culture we live in.”
HeartSong also expands Cedarville’s presence. “We talk a lot in HeartSong about communicating the livable reality of the gospel as seen through genuine worship,” he said. “In doing that, it helps expand the university’s presence because we are in step with the university.”
In addition to their online platform, HeartSong travels on the weekends during the school year and 10 weeks every summer to various church camps, youth retreats and conferences around the country. During the 2016-2017 season, HeartSong performed for 31,730 people, including 20,876 campers. They partnered with camps and saw 979 individuals accept Christ during that time.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,963 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.