Distinguished Alumni

Brian Hehn 

Brian is an inspiring song-leader equally comfortable leading an acapella singing of “It Is Well” as he is drumming and dancing to “Sizohamba Naye.” Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has lead worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children's church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multiple journals and co-authored the book All Hands In: Drumming the Biblical Narrative, published by Choristers Guild. While working for The Hymn Society as the Director of The Center for Congregational Song, he is also adjunct professor of church music at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina and lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife, Eve, and son, Jakob. 

Sarah Bilaye Benibo

"The MSM program taught me to see the Church as a mosaic of vibrant colors, rather than a picture in black and white. From the diversity of the faculty, to the diversity of the reading materials, to the diversity of the music we studied, I feel equipped to lead from both a local and global perspective. I am forever indebted to Perkins School of Theology and the MSM program for affirming my identity, challenging my assumptions, and reigniting my passion for congregational song."

Sarah Bilaye-Benibo has been a worship leader for over 15 years. She currently serves as the Worship Pastor at Embassy City Church, a multicultural and multigenerational church in Irving, Texas. There, she leads the music department and congregation in various genres, consisting of Gospel, Contemporary Christian, and hymns. Prior to becoming a full-time worship pastor, Sarah traveled nationally and internationally with the Stellar nominated gospel trio, God's Chosen and other gospel groups. Between 2008 - 2014, she served as the Minister of Music at her father's church, Temple Church of Christ, in St. Louis, Missouri. And between 2015 - 2017, she served as a worship leader at Willow Chicago (a satellite location of Willow Creek Community Church).  

More than anything else, Sarah credits her love for church music to her Pentecostal upbringing. After experiencing God's presence through music in her youth, her passion centers around giving others the opportunity to experience God's presence in a tangible way. Through song writing, teaching, and leading worship, Sarah is committed to bringing heaven to earth, not just for a moment, but for lasting impact. 

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Music from Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia) and Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology/SMU (Dallas, Texas). She has released three albums with God's Chosen: Love Ever After, 1 & 6, and God's Chosen. She currently lives in North Dallas with her husband and son.