Profiles

Emily Snider Andrews believes worship is a critical agent of Christian discipleship, and she is deeply committed to connecting people of all ages to its transformative power in church and life. She is an associate professor of church music and worship leadership at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where she also serves as executive director of the Center for Worship and the Arts.

Andrews teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Samford with particular emphasis on congregational song, worship design, music and theology, and intergenerational worship arts. As executive director of the Center, she leads programming, research, and collaborative initiatives that have secured funding for projects on adolescent worship practices, race and worship, and ministry with those experiencing sensory sensitivities, among others. Her research interests include contemporary praise and worship, sacramental theology, and the liturgical lives of young worshipers—work that bridges academic inquiry and practical church life.

An ordained Baptist minister, Andrews maintains an active presence in local church ministry, having served congregations in Alabama, Texas, and California. She serves with her husband, Matt, also a minister, and their three young children.