Jamin Cousins
Worship Director
Involvements:
I grew up in Deerwood, MN, typical small-town northern country. It was close to Brainerd, but still pretty rural. Growing up, my siblings and I loved building forts in the woods. I loved sports and worked at golf courses every summer through high school.
I accepted Christ at a young age. Even so, I still remember it vividly and remember understanding the weight of that commitment. Through high school I went through some turbulent times, but never strayed far.
Music has always been a huge part of my life. It began in piano lessons as a kid. I played at church through junior high and high school. The first time i was ever moved by worship, emotions and spirit, I was standing in my room, listening to “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” by Sonicflood. I got teary-eyed and emotional, and it was a really strange experience because that had never happened for me with any kind of music. I formed a band in high school that did shows around the state. We weren’t very good, but we had a blast. After high school I toured around country for two years with a band and ministry team, doing youth conferences, camps, etc. In those two years I travelled to almost every state as well as Canada, London and Russia.
After touring, I attended Northwestern College. Music was everything I had my sites set on until I began attending college. I was at a crossroads. I needed to take a break from music and think about what I’m going to do in life, as a clear-cut career path. I graduated with a degree in Management Information Systems, and I was voted Student Body President. I learned a lot of lessons that shape how I lead today.
When I first attended Substance it was because of a poster at Northwestern. As soon as I began attending, I felt like I had been there my whole life. It was an absolute heart-match. I slowly got involved in music, and my role continued to expand from there.
I love overseeing the community of worship people at Substance. I love to be able to train people in music and worship and see them grow in their ability and leadership. I also love to see people healed from past worship or church hurts. I believe that God has uniquely gifted Substance to bring about that kind of healing. I can’t believe how many people I’ve seen step into their giftings and callings as worship leaders. In the music department, we are instilling fresh worship DNA in people and helping them to be life-giving in their leadership. Above everything, though, I LOVE being a part of bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. Through music we get to experience God in a fresh way, and I am honored to help the Substance community do that.
I met my wife, Elizabeth, at Northwestern College. She stalked me on Facebook until we became friends. She waited me out for a couple years until I finally asked her out and the rest is history. We were married September 13, 2008. We try not to take things too seriously and laugh constantly with each other. She is the most amazing woman in the world, and there would be no way I could do what I do if it wasn't for her.
August Gil Cousins, born July 26, 2010. We love to take family walks at different spots around Minneapolis. We also love to go on bike rides and Elizabeth is a wonderful, aspiring photographer and is constantly taking shots of the family.
I'm looking forward to teaching August how to snowboard and play music. Liz and I are also very passionate about adoption and hope to be able to adopt someday.
On days off, you can usually find me snowboarding, biking, reading, playing racquetball, or spending time with my family. I also love to obsess over music gear, recording technology and technique, and the latest trends in music. You can also find me doing freelance work like recording albums for bands or DJing wedding receptions.
Facebook: Jamin Cousins