Brooke Ligertwood Reveals The Salvation Army Influence Behind Her Worship Leadership
Brooke Ligertwood Reveals The Salvation Army Influence Behind Her Worship Leadership. Worship leader and songwriter Brooke Ligertwood has opened up about her journey to faith, revealing how a quiet invitation from the Holy Spirit and the guidance of an older church member shaped her spiritual life and ultimately influenced the way she leads worship today.
Ligertwood shared that she did not grow up in a Christian household and first encountered the Lord on her own when she was 15 years old.
“I came to the Lord alone in my bedroom at 15, and then started going to church,” she recalled.
Her first church experience came with what she described as a “still small voice” prompting her to seek out Raewyn, one of the church elders, and ask if she could visit her home for a cup of tea once a week after school.
For Ligertwood, that experience became an early lesson in the importance of Christian community and discipleship, particularly for people who did not grow up surrounded by faith.
She encouraged those in similar circumstances not to become discouraged by their background, but instead to remain attentive to the Holy Spirit and willing to follow the people and communities God places around them.
“That’s why God places us in a family,” she explained, pointing to the biblical picture of God setting the lonely in families.
Ligertwood also reflected on how her first church, a small Salvation Army congregation, had a lasting influence on the way she approaches worship leadership.
She recalled that the person leading worship was not necessarily the strongest singer or even a member of the worship team. Instead, the role was often carried by one of the elders, who would stand with a Bible, read a passage of Scripture and then guide the congregation into a song that connected with the theme of the passage.
“The worship leader wasn’t actually a singer,” Ligertwood explained. “The worship leader was usually one of the elders.”
That model left a lasting impression on the Grammy-nominated worship leader and songwriter, helping shape her belief that worship leadership involves far more than simply performing songs.
Ligertwood acknowledged that her tendency to read Scripture, speak into moments and pray while leading worship can be traced back to those early experiences in the Salvation Army.
“I think that’s why I tend to read and, you know, interject and pray,” she said.
Her reflections highlight how the environments and people encountered early in a believer’s journey can leave a lasting mark on their understanding of worship and ministry.
For Ligertwood, the lessons began not on a major stage, but in a bedroom at 15, a small church and a weekly cup of tea with an elder who helped her take her first steps in faith.
Those formative experiences continue to influence how she approaches worship today, with Scripture, prayer, discipleship and spiritual community remaining central to the way she leads others into worship.
About The Author
