The Worship and Performing Arts Ministry (WAPA) of Church on The Rock (COTR) is a multifaceted and indispensable one. It encompasses the Church’s Music, Dance, and Drama Departments, and includes lighting, sound engineering and multimedia teams. It is a vital support to nearly every other area of ministry in the church, lifting up the Name of Jesus Christ by ushering in His Presence so He can save souls and help them discover and walk in their purpose. The Ministry is currently in the hands of husband and wife team, Bro. Kevin and Sis. Nadia Billingy.

Whether through music, dance, or drama, WAPA plays an integral part in COTR’s Sunday Worship Services and Tuesday evening prayer meetings. It also supports the Church’s special services, for example all-night prayer meetings and funerals as well as outreach activities such as the Single Mothers Conference. Additionally, WAPA is often called upon to assist with projects like the annual Christmas nuggets, which are short performances of any type put on by each Zone in the weeks leading up to Christmas to share the true meaning of the season.

Members have gained access to numerous opportunities to  grow and develop their spiritual gifts. Mime, puppetry and acting classes have been held as well as retreats and vocal training. Sometimes, team members themselves are the ones conducting training. The Drama Department, for example, has trained missionary teams to use the arts in their evangelism efforts on missionary trips.

There have been many successes for WAPA over the course of time. A choir was formed in the 1990s under the leadership of Sis. Julia Baptiste. It did very well at the annual Open Bible Concert of Choirs. The Drama team has written an original play and performed it at COTR, and has also partnered with a theatre company to perform at Queen’s Hall.

Additionally, many new members are in the process of being trained and developed to ensure continuity of the ministry. Some of these new members actually represent either revival of what already exists or an entirely new direction for COTR, as their areas of specialty have either previously been part of COTR’s worship experience or are new additions to it. This has come about as Rev. and Sis. Agard have sought to obey the instruction of the Lord in 2019 to raise up the dancers, choir, and orchestra. The orchestra now includes violinists, a trumpeter, a clarinetist and pannists.

The WAPA Ministry’s most important success, however, has been and will always be, people’s lives being transformed in the presence of God, as the ministers use the arts to preach the gospel both inside and outside the walls of the Church, to one another, and to strangers, that people might come to salvation, deepen their walk with the Lord, and fulfil their divine purpose. The Ministry’s leaders stand at the ready to respond to the Lord’s instruction and leading in the future.