Ray, founder of Selah Ministries, has been in full time ministry for 39 years. He travels in the U.S. and internationally as a speaker, author, storyteller, singer/songwriter and musicologist. In addition to his research and teaching expertise, Ray is recognized internationally as a clear prophetic voice.

Ray is passionate about training musicians, releasing creative people into their destinies, and launching them with purpose in the world.  He is a prophetic historian who re-digs the old wells of biblical, world and recent history for the purpose of releasing the fresh word of God for the kingdom today.  Selah Ministries is based out of Bethel Church in Redding, CA.

Laura Hackett is a worship leader and songwriter at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City.  She has been singing and leading worship at IHOP for the last ten years.  After finishing a prayer internship at IHOP she went on to get a Bachelor of Music Theory at University of Missouri-Kansas City and now currently teaches Prophetic Singing at IHOP's Forerunner Music Academy. Laura’s motivation for songwriting comes from a desire to have authentic relationship with the Lord Jesus and to write honest songs that draw people back to God’s heart.  Most of her songs come from journal entries and time spent at the piano before the Lord.  Some songs are questions, some are the Lord’s perspective, some are straight from the Bible, but all carry a theme of responding to the initiative of the Lord in relationship. 

Glenn Packiam is an Executive Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he oversees Spiritual Formation and serves as the teaching pastor for NewLifeSundayNight. Glenn is the author of Lucky: How the Kingdom Comes to Unlikely Peopel (David C. Cook, 2011), Secondhand Jesus: Trading Rumors of God for a Firsthand Faith (David C. Cook, 2009), and Butterfly in Brazil: How Your Life Can Make a World of Difference (Tyndale, 2007).

Glenn was also one of the founding leaders and songwriters for the Desperation Band and has been featured on several Desperation Band and NewLifeWorshiprecordings. Glenn released his debut solo album, Rumors and Revelations, with Integrity Music. Glenn has written a few well-loved worship songs like "Your Name", "Everyone (Praises)", and "My Savior Lives."

What all this means is that Glenn talks with a lot of people, plays a lot of music, and drinks a lot of coffee. And all of that makes for a wonderful life. Glenn, his wife, Holly, their two daughters, Sophia and Norah, and their son, Jonas, are enjoying life in the shadow of the mighty Rocky Mountains.

A musical collective bound together by friendship, united in vision, and a life lived together in community. United Pursuit defies today’s worship genre norms, always reaching for more . Their sound is diverse as their members, ranging from soaring worship anthems to powerful ballads, mixed in with folk influences and even a bit of gospel soul. What started as a dream, now has found its expression in a destiny-driven group of friends spanning this nation. Nathan Fray states their purpose clearly: “Our mission is to create a culture of worship and of hosting God’s presence, all centered around community living. It’s in this place of God’s life-giving presence that our songs are born and we pray will stir the heart of a generation to love Jesus and pursue Him with everything. This is our united pursuit.”

Josh Garrels is a lot of things, or has been: son of a hippie commune, skater boy, suburban drug dealer, music/design student, coffee roaster, urban shepherd, and now nation- and globe-trotting minstrel of hope and healing.

He is also a beacon of light in a marketplace rife with artists who, whether wanting to acquire fame or just their next meals, have sold their souls to the not-so-almighty dollar and forsaken their first loves – the song – in the process. 

More than a band, more than songs craftily arranged by musicians, more than a group of dudes running after their dreams. Ascend The Hill exists for a purpose far greater than selfish endeavors…they exist to make much of the name of Jesus.

A.W. Tozer said, “thirsty hearts are those whose longings have been wakened by the touch of God within them.” Our desire is that every person who comes in contact with our music will have the opportunity to be “wakened by the touch of God,” and will never be the same for it.

The ministry and anointing that has been entrusted to Ascend The Hill is that of:

RESTORATION – preparing a spotless bride for Christ 

& 

RECONCILIATION – bringing the gospel of Jesus to the lost

It is their conviction that through the power of His presence, and the gospel of Jesus Christ preached in every gathering – this world will experience an awakening.