In 1986, John and Carol Watilo first began to discern God’s call on their lives in the area of praise and worship. Through the encouragement of their pastor at a small church in Denton, Texas, they began a journey that continues today: an exploration of the role played by music and other art forms in the worship of the Most High God.
In mid-1995, the duo expanded into a praise and worship band consisting of musicians and worshipers from different churches and diverse backgrounds – yet all with one common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
John & Carol, with Dwayne Jacobson
In October 1995, Heart of Praise was officially recognized as a Texas Non-Profit Corporation and, soon afterwards, received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Purpose
Our mission is to provide an environment – spiritually, musically – that allows believers to express their praise for and worship of God. We are independent of any church and denomination – yet each member is a committed believer who is active at each of their respective churches. We do not promote the agenda of any particular denomination because we believe that the human race is living in a time in which God is pouring out his Spirit on all flesh (and all denominations), bringing us together through the essentials of the Christian faith in worship of Him, despite doctrinal barriers.
Approach
While we are comfortable with both current and classic praise and worship choruses, we do not simply play concerts or showcase the latest fad songs. We understand that music itself must not be exalted; rather, our goal is to utilize the music to exhort and inspire us to exalt God Himself above all else, leading others by example into a united, yet personal praise and worship experience that emphasizes the love and care of the Father toward all of His children. Above all, we endeavor to allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and to operate interactively with the leadership and congregation as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ’s body.