Stephen Robert Cass

Verified Standard (Annual) Account

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I am electronic technician by trade (retiring at the end of 2024!). Since I can remember, I've had a guitar in my hands and singing in front of people. I began that fun at the age of 12 in church, and have since blossomed into a worship leader as well as a Classic Rock band member. I've been makin' records and producing audio and mixing the band at church for many years. Not done yet :-). I love leading worship. Golf is fun, and I love writing blogs and books. Especially songwriting.

When and why did you start writing books?

My first self-published book came in 2014. It began as an assembly of guidance blogs (we actually called them articles before the word "blogs" came in vogue) over the years as a worship team member manual. I have always written because I really want to communicate what's on my heart and found that my communication was more clear and complete by writing. But I also grew to love the art of communicating via the written word: you know, learning how to effectively communicate rather than just spilling words out on the page. I love this.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

Writing for me now is a second career now that I'm approaching retirement. I see writing as a tool to communicate the important job I have as a human: to do my part to help communicate the gospel of peace. Yes, I want to write about my experiences as a worship leader and what I have to offer as far as being a band leader, a musician, a studio rat, and songwriter.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

How to Be a Worship Songwriter. This book encapsulates the message on my heart to songwriters of small churches: that you can do it! You can write songs that will be heard by people in your community.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

I think the same book, How to Be a Worship Songwriter. I wanted to encapsulate this large wish I have for those songwriters who have been called by God to write songs, that they find success. And I offer a really lovely solution. It's a very involved idea that is not an easy story to tell, in my opinion. But I think I really did it with this book! I hope readers feel the same way.

Who is your favourite author and book?

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I'm a huge fan of American history, and I love a great book that tells the story of it by bringing the characters to life.

What book are you reading right now?

Seek First by Jeremy Treat. It's a book about the intentions of Jesus when he said, "Seek first the kingdom of God."

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

God. I don't mean that as a flippant or a deflected answer. I believe that God placed the inspiration for what I write on my heart. But God intends that I gather inspiration from the people who are ALSO living this same dream, as well as the people who care about worship tech. There are many of us who share a similar dream.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Marketing my books! I have a love-hate relationship there, but I am truly trying to love the process! No sense hating what you do, you know? But what I really love doing in my spare time is writing worship songs. When that's not happening or guitar playing or singing is out of the picture, I love binge watching my favorite shows. I'm a huge Star Wars fan. I saw the original movie in the theatre 13 times. Long before home video was a thing.

Do you have any new books in the works?

YES. I will continue writing books regarding How to Be a Worship Songwriter that culminates in the Worship Songwriting Academy (which will become an online songwriting school). There are several ancillary books toward this end, books that will help promote the Worship Songwriting Academy: The 5 Disciplines of the Holistic Congregational Songwriter, The Proverbs 27.17 Song Critique Method, The Power of 1:1 Songwriting Time with God, and more that will support this effort. But beside the Worship Songwriting Academy goal, I have other inspirations for books. One of them is Hang Together or Hang Separately. This famous quote from Benjamin Franklin means much more than the historical context in which he spoke it (hey, the English are going to kill us unless we do this together). It was quite prophetic, in my opinion. The same quote is true of us in America today for what we're going through politically, and we need to take stock of this. Stay tuned!!