Starting in January!
Are you ready to finally learn how to play worship songs on the guitar? Join the in-person Beginning Guitar for Worship classes—designed just for homeschooled students and adults who want to combine their love of music with a desire to worship.
This is the perfect class for you if you’ve felt any of these things:
You’ve always wanted to learn the basics of guitar but didn’t know where to start.
You have a passion for worship and want to grow your skills to lead others.
You’re tired of courses that focus on boring details instead of practical skills.
You want to play real songs—not just learn facts that you’ll never use.
You’re looking for guidance from someone with experience leading worship.
You want lessons that are approachable and easy to understand—no confusing jargon here!
You appreciate the accountability of a weekly class to stay on track.
You’re looking for an affordable alternative to private lessons.
What This Class Is (and Isn’t)
This is not a course for going into nerdy technicalities. This hands-on, practical course is designed to:
Focus on what really matters—the skills you need to actually play and enjoy music.
Include just enough memorization to build a strong foundation without being overwhelming.
Help you play real songs quickly so you can start worshiping with your guitar right away.
Why Join?
These classes are your opportunity to:
Learn from an experienced worship leader.
Gain skills that will bring joy to your own worship and give you a powerful tool to serve others.
Stay motivated with weekly lessons that help you find progress.
With your effort and dedication, you’ll soon be creating sounds you love and playing guitar like you’ve always wanted to.
Don’t miss out! Space is limited, so apply today!
Hi! My name is John Gabriel Arends, and I’m a worship leader, songwriter, and recording artist. I began playing guitar when I was 12 years old. I’ve had the privilege to lead worship in 5 different nations, have songs playing on the radio, and currently have 67 songs out on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. I’ve shared the stage with Sean Feucht, Kim Walker-Smith, Steve Swanson, JoAnn McFatter, and many others. And most importantly, I’ve been plugged-in serving my home church in worship on a weekly basis for 22 years.
From this experience, I’d love to help you learn how to play guitar—specifically for worship. Knowing how to play guitar for worship is one of the most personally satisfying experiences a person can have. This skill is also a powerful tool that can bless countless other people, whether that be your own family, a small group Bible study, a whole church, or more.
Many guitar teachers offer lessons with no end-goal in mind. At the end, they give lots of assignments for the memorization of music facts, and you might know how to play “Hotel California” (whatever their favorite song by the Beatles is), but they have no real reason WHY. I will teach you guitar with the deepest and most meaningful purpose in mind—worshiping and connecting with the God who made us.
My previous students have come away from lessons with the ability to play guitar confidently at home or to lead worship. Some of my students have even gone on to become worship leaders in their own churches and to record worship albums.
(For the interest of any homeschool families, I was homeschooled all the way until university. My wife and I have 5 boys that we also homeschool.)
Meet your instructor
Details
Dates: January 11 - May 31
Time: Saturdays evenings (the exact time will be determined by what serves the majority of students)
Location: The River, 1275 US HWY 2 West, Kalispell, MT
Cost:
$20 per one hour class session if paid in advance. (20 weeks for the spring semester, totalling $400.)
$30 per one hour class if paid week by week.
Requirements and Rules:
Our classes will be very fun, but to make sure it’s a great time for everyone, we need to make a few things clear.
Students must be at least 12 years old.
Students must bring their own acoustic guitar. A steel string guitar is highly recommended. (The principles learned in this class will be applicable to electric guitar, but they are too loud for the class setting.) If you need help choosing a guitar, please mention it in the comments of your application.
Students must demonstrate maturity and respectfulness to the instructor and classmates. This includes paying attention, participating, and not distracting from the lesson. If a student fails to demonstrate this maturity, they will be removed from the class.
Unless prior arrangements are made, students must arrive on time and stay for the duration of the class. Showing up late or leaving early is disruptive to the learning environment.
Refunds are not available if you miss a class. Your instructor and classmates still must plan and show up whether you do or not. (If true emergencies arise, at the instructor’s discretion, a prorated discount may be given if a student must completely drop out of the class.)
Apply
If you are interested in being part of a guitar class, please fill out the application below. The class will be limited to 10 participants. (If additional students apply, another class may be formed to accommodate the interest.)