Sly Samudre

Contemporary Worship Leader

Minister to Students

Sly's Testimony

I was raised in a Christian home and attended Kempsville Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA. I received Jesus Christ as my personal savior at the young age of seven and was baptized soon thereafter. My family moved to Northern Virginia while I was in high school, and I began attending Grace Baptist Church in Woodbridge at the age of sixteen. I became involved with the youth ministry and recommitted my life to walking as a follower of Jesus Christ.

I went to George Mason University and worked on the staff at Grace Baptist as a Student Ministry Assistant to the Youth Pastor. While studying as an English major, my experiences outside of the classroom taught me about life and ministry. For the Youth Group at Grace Baptist, I helped organize retreats, prepared devotions, ran small groups, and spoke regularly for the youth group. I also helped with youth choir and the youth praise band. I enjoyed serving in ministry alongside people of all ages and backgrounds. I saw that what truly united us was a desire to bring glory to God, and I have committed myself to pursuing ministry as a fulltime calling.

After completing college, I became more involved with the worship ministry at Grace Baptist. I began playing keyboards for the Contemporary Worship Services and started singing in the choir for the Traditional Service as well. I also started singing as a tenor in a smaller vocal ensemble called Measure of Grace. I soon began filling in for the Contemporary Service Worship Leader whenever he was away. I have also formed a worship band called Beggars Made Believers, which consists of a rotating roster of instrumentalists and vocalists from different churches in the area. We lead the worship music for youth events across Prince William County and three months after starting, the band released a CD of original material.

These experiences have given me a strong desire to glorify God's name through music and worship. I believe worship draws people into fellowship and unifies hearts under the banner of Jesus Christ. By God's grace, I have been given the opportunity of joining Him in His work of bringing creation back to Himself, and I will seek to continue in that calling for the rest of my life.