What a great way to launch WIWN.com – an interview with Rita Springer 
Rita writes and records powerful worship music and has lots of insight and wisdom to share! I first came across her music when one of my background singers, the lovely Andreana Arganda-Tait, played me some songs from an album of Rita’s on which she had sung BGVs. Small world! The songs hooked me in, as Rita writes with transparency, honesty and passion. She is based in Huntersville, North Carolina, and took some time out to chat with me and share some wisdom with us here at WIWN… Enjoy!
Vicky: “How did your journey as a worship leader begin?”
Rita: “I was clueless until about 19 or 20 years of age. I wanted to sing in Broadway musicals and was headed to NY to become a Tony Award winning actress (or so was my plan). My mother died when I was 21 and in the pain of dealing with that I realized that God called me to write and sing not just in the living room of my house but in the church and the world! That’s when the real journey began!”
Vicky: “Did you have female worship leader role models when you were starting out in your ministry?”
Rita: “No, unfortunately not. I do believe though that it’s because of the lack of of finding those great mentors that I have given my heart to being one. Honestly, writing and singing is great but to actually throw courage onto other worshipers reaching for hope is where my heart catches the most fire. I realize that I paved and pioneered a way for many women in the church with rock type voices to feel that there was a place for them in the church out side of the CCM scene. I am forever grateful that God mentored me and has given me a great passion to pass that on!”
Vicky: “What advice do you have for girls and women who lead sung worship or sing on worship teams?”
Rita: “The best advice is to fall in love with Jesus. The relationship that I found with him early on was the foundational part of my start. I wanted to know more and more about how God thought, felt and loved. It has become the anthem I cannot live without. It is the security to the insecure, the healing to the wounds, the understanding to the confusion, and the power to the purpose. My encouragement to women in worship is to find your identity in his opinion about you. If you don’t know what he thinks about you, ask. When he starts to tell you grab a hold of that truth. It is essential to keeping the flame of true worship lit.”
Vicky: “What do you do to have fun?”
Rita: “The most fun I have had in the past 5 years is literally staring at the beautiful face of the best sound i ever made or song I ever wrote; My son Justice. I adopted him at birth and his origin is Zimbabwe. He is the most fun I have ever had. I also love the beach. Justice and I spend our free time building sand castles and watching dolphins swim to school!”
Thanks to Rita for sharing those insights! Here is a photo of her very adorable adopted son “Justice” (who has killer fashion sense at such a young age!!)
WIWN is all about helping you get encouraged and resourced. I asked Rita to answer these questions for us, as she has the same heart!
She offers a fantastic opportunity for twelve women/girls to spend a week with her, getting mentored and trained. These retreats are called “DIVE” (Deep Innovative Vertical Expression) and take place in NC several times a year. Check out the DIVE website for details by clicking here! There is a DIVE school that starts april 11-18, and also one in June and August. So go to DiveWorship.com or email diveworship@aol.com for more info.
You can also check out her website RitaSpringer.com and follow her on Twitter! (Twitter.com/RitaSpringer) (I do and she’s great fun!)
Have a great day!
Love,
Vicky
