CURRICULUM VITAE

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Education

PhD in Religion | Duke University | Durham, NC | 2015

Focus: American Christianity, Church History, Worship
Dissertation: A Beautiful Noise: A History of Contemporary Worship Music in Modern America
Certificate in College Teaching

Master of Theological Studies | Duke Divinity School | Durham, NC | 2008

Focus: Church History, Theology
Thesis: RJ Rushdoony: Understanding Christian Reconstructionism as an American Phenomenon

Bachelor of Arts in History | Duke University | Durham, NC | 2005

Double Major in History and Religion

Academic Experience

VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF WORSHIP AND MUSIC
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY | BIRMINGHAM, AL | 2018-2021
Teach undergraduate courses in worship, theology, and the arts. Increase and sustain student enrollment through recruitment. Direct the undergraduate campus worship team ensemble. Create and oversee Samford Worship, a recording project that releases albums from Samford’s worship ensembles. Mentor worship songwriting students through co-curricular offerings. Support continuing education opportunities and professional networks for musicians in local churches. Provide training and mentoring for student worship leaders in conjunction with the Office of Spiritual Life. Serve on University committees. Collaborate as a musician and/or theologian with University colleagues on worship gatherings and other endeavors.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR WORSHIP & THE ARTS
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY | BIRMINGHAM, AL | 2018-2021
Assist the Executive Director in developing, implementing, and sustaining the Center’s vision. Supervise the Center’s Student Residents and Program Fellows. Direct the Center’s Student Worship Teams Cohort program with regional congregations. Help direct Animate, a five-day summer program for teenagers and their adult mentors in worship and the arts. Direct resource creation and curation for equipping and training young people in the practices of worship leadership. Host and interview worship scholars and artists for the Center’s Worship Exchange Program, including Constance Cherry, David Bailey, and Wendell Kimbrough. Teach in the Center’s Online Certificate in Worship Leadership. Help facilitate focus groups and host consultations with church leaders, teenagers, and prominent academic voices in adolescent spirituality, worship, and the arts.

ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR OF CHURCH HISTORY AND WORSHIP
DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL | DURHAM, NC | 2017-2018
Taught graduate courses in church history and worship. Mentored students discerning calls to ministry and ordination.

GRADUATE INSTRUCTOR AND PRECEPTOR
DUKE UNIVERSITY & DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL | DURHAM, NC | 2009-2015
Taught graduate and undergraduate courses in church history, theology, ethics, and religion and media. Mentored students discerning calls to ministry and ordination.

Publications & Presentations

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES

Bowler, Kate, and Wen Reagan. “Bigger, Better, Louder: The Prosperity Gospel’s Impact on Contemporary Christian Worship.” Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation 24, no. 2 (July 1, 2014): 186– 230.

BOOK CHAPTERS

“Forerunning Contemporary Worship Music: The Afro-Pentecostal Roots of Black Gospel.” In Essays in the History of Contemporary Praise & Worship, edited by Lester Ruth. New York: Wipf & Stock, 2020.

“‘The Music that Just About Everyone Sings’: Hillsong in American Evangelical Media.” In You Call Me Out Upon the Waters: Critical Perspectives on the Hillsong Movement, edited by Tanya Riches and Tom Wagner. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2017.

“Blessed to be a Blessing: Israel Houghton & the Prosperity Gospel in Contemporary Worship Music.” In The Spirit of Praise: Music and Worship in Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity, edited by Monique Ingalls and Amos Yong. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2015.

ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRIES

“Contemporary Christian Music,” “Church Growth Movement,” “Christian Copyright Licensing, Int.,” “The Gospel Coalition” in Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, edited by Thomas Kurian and Mark Lamport. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2016.

MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS

Khandelwal N, Hough CL, Downey L, Engelberg RA, Carson SS, White DB, Kahn JM, Jones DM, Key MD, Reagan W, Porter LS, Curtis JR, Cox CE. “Prevalence, risk-factors, and outcomes of financial stress in survivors of critical illness.” In Critical Care Medicine, 2018 June, 46 (6): e530-e539.

Cox CE, Hough CL, Jones DM, Ungar A, Reagan W, Key MD, Gremore T, Olsen MK, Sanders L, Greeson JM, Porter LS. “Effects of mindfulness training programmes delivered by a self-directed mobile app and by telephone compared with an education programme for survivors of critical illness: a pilot randomised clinical trial.” In Thorax, 2018 May 23, Pii: thoraxjnl-2017-211264.

Cox CE, Jones DM, Reagan W, Key MD, Chow V, McFarlin J, Casarett D, Creutzfeld CJ, Docherty SL. “Palliative Care Planner: a pilot study to evaluate acceptability and usability of an electronic health records system- integrated, needs-targeted app platform.” In Ann Am Thor Soc, 2018 January, 15 (1): 59-68.

Cox, C. E., C. Hough, D. Jones, A. Ungar, W. Reagan, M. D. Key, T. Gremore et al. "Effect of a Self-Directed Mobile App Mindfulness Program for ICU Survivors: A Pilot RCT." In American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 197. 25, 2018.

Greeson, Jeff M., Laura S. Porter, Derek M. Jones, Maren K. Olsen, Wen Reagan, Brenda Walton, Anna Ungar, Catherine L. Hough, and C. E. Cox. "Development Of A Novel, Scalable Digital Psychosocial Intervention Platform For Intensive Care Unit Survivors And Their Family Members." In C26. FAMILY CENTERED CRITICAL CARE WITHIN AND BEYOND THE ICU, pp. A4736-A4736. American Thoracic Society, 2016.

Jones, Derek M., Wen Reagan, Haley Goucher, Stephanie Gundel, C. L. Hough, Jessica Mcfarlin, May Hua, Christopher E. Cox, and N. G. Wysham. “Attitudes Of Critical Care Clinicians Toward The Use Of Triggers For Intensive Care Unit-Based Palliative Care Consultation." In A14. ADVANCE CARE PLANNING AND PALLIATIVE CARE: PATIENTS TO POLICY, pp. A1013-A1013. American Thoracic Society, 2016.

NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

“Bethel Music and Bieber Sang It. But Do We Really Believe in ‘Reckless Love’?” Christianity Today Online, April 24, 2018.

“The 6 Songs Billy Graham Picked for His Funeral.” Christianity Today Online, March 02, 2018.

“Should Churches Stop Singing the Songs of Fallen Worship Leaders? Experts weigh in.” Christianity Today Online, April 24, 2016.

“‘Oceans’ Keeps Rising - Why the Hillsong hit still tops the charts.” Christianity Today Online, June 10, 2015.

“Needles in a Hymnstack.” Christianity Today, April 2015: 80-81.

INVITED TALKS & PRESENTATIONS

“A Historical and Theological Introduction to Ordination,” Forum on Ordination, Samford University, April 2019.

“Hillsong in America: Sound, Sight, Sacrament,” Institute of Sacred Music, Yale University, February 2019.
“The Arts in the Church,” The Church and the Arts: A Theological Forum, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, September 2018.

“Introduction to American Christianity,” Spiritual Leadership Institute, Duke Divinity School, January 2016.
“A History of Contemporary Christian Music in America,” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, November 2013.

“Rock and Roll and American Christianity,” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, April 2010.

CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION

CONSULTATION

Songwriter and Academic Consultant, Porter’s Gate Worship Project, Nashville, TN, January 2019.

Songwriter and Academic Consultant, Worship Songwriters Consultation, Calvin College, May 2018.

Academic Consultant, Porter’s Gate Worship Project, New York City, July 2017.

Academic Consultant, Worship Pop/Rock Consultation, Calvin College, May 2014.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

“I Am a Friend of God: The Prosperity Gospel of Contemporary Worship Music Superstar Israel Houghton,” American Academy of Religion, November 2011.

“Old Words, New Tunes: Indelible Grace & the Rise of the Modern Hymn Movement,” Calvin College’s Festival of Faith & Music, February 2011.

PANELS

“The Worship Leader as Pastoral Musician,” Calvin College Worship Symposium, 2016.

“Best Contemporary Worship Music You May Not Know,” Calvin College Worship Symposium, 2016.

“Writing and Recording Worship Music with Your Music Team,” Calvin College Worship Symposium, 2016.

Courses Taught

WORSHIP PRODUCTION | Undergraduate, Samford University
WORSHIP DESIGN | Undergraduate, Samford University
CAMPUS WORSHIP TEAM ENSEMBLE | Undergraduate, Samford University
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN WORSHIP | Graduate, Duke Divinity School
SONGWRITING IN THE CHURCH | Graduate, Trinity School for Ministry
INTRODUCTION TO CHURCH HISTORY | Graduate, Duke Divinity School
AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY | Graduate, Duke Divinity School
RELIGION AND POPULAR MUSIC | Undergraduate, Duke University Thompson Writing Program

Other Teaching Experience

Awards & Honors

WILLIAM E. AND WYLODINE H. HULL FUND FOR CHRISTIAN SCHOLARSHIP | 2020
DUKE UNIVERSITY DEAN’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING | 2014
E. BAYARD HALSTED SCHOLARSHIP | 2012
DUKE UNIVERSITY DISSERTATION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AWARD | 2012
GRADUATED MAGNA CUM LAUDE, DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL | 2008
PHI ETA SIGMA HONORS SOCIETY | 2002
DEAN’S LIST AT DUKE UNIVERSITY | FALL 2001, FALL 2002, SPRING 2003, FALL 2004

Fellowships

LOUISVILLE INSTITUTE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP | 2013 (Declined)
LOUISVILLE INSTITUTE DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIP | 2012
GURNEY HARRISS KEARNS SUMMER FELLOWSHIP | 2012, 2011
INSTRUCTOR AND WRITING TUTOR FOR THOMPSON WRITING PROGRAM AT DUKE UNIVERSITY | 2011 JAMES B. DUKE FELLOWSHIP FOR THE PHD TRACK IN RELIGION | 2008-2012

Professional Organizations

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CHURCH HISTORY | 2008-PRESENT

Academic Service

Non-Academic Experience (selected)

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND WORSHIP
BLACKNALL MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | DURHAM, NC | 2021-PRESENT

DIRECTOR OF WORSHIP ARTS
ST. PETER’S ANGLICAN CHURCH | BIRMINGHAM, AL | 2019-2021

PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE VISUAL FAITH PROJECT
VIBRANT FAITH MINISTRIES | DURHAM, NC | 2018

DIRECTOR OF WORSHIP
ALL SAINTS CHURCH | DURHAM, NC | 2016-2018

CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR, TIER III
PULMONARY & CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE | DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | 2014-2018

MUSIC DIRECTOR
CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH | CHAPEL HILL, NC | 2005-2015

Worship Design & Leadership (selected)

Published Music

ALBUMS (SONGWRITER, ARTIST, AND PRODUCER)

SINGLES (SONGWRITER, ARTIST, AND PRODUCER)

PRODUCER & ENGINEER

SAMFORD WORSHIP: SALVATION UNTO US HAS COME | 2020
SAMFORD WORSHIP: MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD | 2019
SAMFORD WORSHIP: CONVOCATION LIVE | 2019
STUART PIERCE: TOO FAR TO FLY | 2006

CO-WRITING