A Look Behind the Leader: Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller of The Well Church and Training Center says her church is all about family.Rachel is director of worship at The Well. Her husband Matthew is assistant pastor, and her mother-in-law and father-in-law Kathy and Michael Scott are co-founders and co-pastors of the congregation.
“Our heart and vision is to restore families and people really feel a part of family when they come to The Well,” she noted.
Originally beginning as a house church, then sharing a building with another church, The Well now has its own facility – in a storefront along Breton Rd. SE just south of 44th St. SE.
Rachel leads music during their 4 p.m. Sunday worship for anywhere from 75 to 100 people. She spends about 10 hours a week in her role – selecting songs and preparing and rehearsing with the worship team, as well as actually leading worship.
The volunteer worship ensemble is a standard set-up: drums, bass, electric and acoustic guitar and keyboards. “Actually we just added another electric guitar player and another singer,” she said.
Rachel leads the songs from behind the keyboard. Her guitar-playing husband Matthew alternates between electric and acoustic and also co-leads on vocals.
THE SONG PROCESS
“We all really work as a team,” said the director. “I usually pick out the songs and confirm them with the pastors. One of us will be ‘hearing’ a song throughout the week and we’ll let each other know if there is a song that God is really highlighting.”
Current songs in the mix are selections from the worship-based groups Bethel, Jesus Culture and All Sons & Daughters. The Well also features some original music in worship.
“No Longer Slaves,” (Bethel/Jonathan David Helser) is a tune that is becoming a favorite, Rachel noted. Another one is “Forever,” a ballad co-written and popularized by singer-worship leader Kari Jobe.
On Wednesday evenings the Fuller family hosts one of the church’s Impact groups, which meet in homes for worship, fellowship, doing life together and impacting the community. Rachel and Matthew lead worship for their group gathering.
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP
Raised in a small town in eastern Wisconsin (Oostburg), Rachel began piano lessons as a 5 year-old. “In 6th grade I got tired of it and quit and just played on my own,” she recalled. “I ended up loving it and went back to lessons!”
Rachel also liked to sing but didn’t like singing and playing the keys at the same time. She would ask other family members to play for her while she sang, but they were often too busy.
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She became part of a worship team at her Christian high school and played in chapel services. Rachel came to Grand Rapids to study at Kuyper College and then Cornerstone and has a degree in music and worship leadership.
Right after college a friend invited her to a conference where an itinerant minister named Kathy Scott was speaking.
“God connected us at that point,” said Rachel, who began traveling with Scott and leading worship at conferences.
Rachel eventually met (and married) Kathy’s son Matthew more than five years ago. (The couple now has two young children).
Kathy and her husband Michael began The Well in 2011. Naturally, Rachel and Matthew were part of the effort. The local church is part of the Global Awakening movement, based in Pennsylvania.
GOING DEEPER IN “THE WELL”
“We did a worship workshop here a while back, and one thing we highlighted is the importance of having intimacy with God and spending time worshipping on your own as a worship leader,” Rachel said.
“It really makes a difference, because on Sunday your heart really comes out. And people are able to engage as you are engaged and have a heart of worship,” she explained.
“My heart is to take people deeper in their relationship with God. In order to do that, I have to go deep in my own relationship with Him.”
Who: Rachel Fuller, married with two young children
What: Director of Worship
Where: The Well Church and Training Center, 4488 Breton Rd. SE, Kentwood, www.thewellgr.com, (616)-777-7116
How: Leads music during worship, selects songs, oversees worship team and rehearsals
Philosophy on the role of the music in worship: – I believe God is a musical God. It’s all through the Scriptures. In Job 39 God speaks to Job and says “Where were you….when the morning stars sang together?” Even in creation God had a musical accompaniment. He loves music as a way we communicate and express our love for Him, and He sings over us. (Zephaniah 3:17).
Editor’s note: If you have a suggestion of an area church music/worship leader for a profile in this column, please send the information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
