People like Steven Furtick

Larry Stevens "Steven" Furtick Jr. (born February 19, 1980) is an American Baptist evangelical Christian pastor, author, and songwriter of Elevation Worship. He is the founder and senior pastor of Elevation Church, based in Charlotte North Carolina .

Furtick was born and raised in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and attended Berkeley High School. At the age of 16, after reading the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala, he felt called to pastor a church in a major city. Furtick received a Bachelor of Arts in communication from North Greenville University and a Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

In 2004, Furtick served as worship leader at Christ Covenant Church in Shelby, North Carolina. In 2006, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and founded Elevation Church with seven families and his own. The church had their first service on February 5, 2006.