Born as one of eight children, John has performed and ministered since he was old enough to stand. “My dad was a Worship Pastor and my family traveled around and ministered as the ‘Bolin Family Singers.’ Music is in my DNA,” says John.
Being a part of such a musical family opened doors for John to use his talents at a very young age. After being called to full time Music Ministry not too long after becoming a follower of Christ, he traveled across the country leading worship and performing in many concerts. When John was 15, he was offered an opportunity to manage a Christian radio station, and during that same year, John was awarded the East Texas Young Musician of the Year Award.
John went on to pursue a music and composition degree from California Baptist University. John composed and arranged songs that were recorded by three of the four primary vocal groups at CBU while building a reputation as a premier vocalist with the University Choir and Orchestra as well as The Gary Bonner Singers.
During his junior year of college, John was pursued by Houston’s First Baptist Church to join the staff as Director of Worship, leading the Choir and Orchestra. John continued to travel back and forth from California to Texas a couple times every month for the remainder of his collegiate career. In 2009, John began full time ministry in Houston as the Minister of Worship & Arts and under his leadership, the Choir and Orchestra at Houston’s First exceeded 350 in number, a School of Fine Arts launched in 2012, all student and children’s worship programs returned, and “Celebration”(a christmas musical production) was birthed that reaches over 20,000 people a year. As a whole, the First|Worship program is known as one of the largest Music Ministries across the country as it ministers to thousands on a weekly basis by radio, webcast, and other resources. The worship teams at Houston’s First have recorded many worship, Christmas, and instrumental projects and travel both domestically and internationally leading worship at revivals and teaching conferences.
John is an accomplished and dove-nominated writer/arranger with over 70 arrangements, and over 60 original songs through anthems and musicals through Lifeway Worship. Through this partnership with Lifeway, John’s writings and publishings for the First|Worship team reaches the church globally. He has performed over 1200 concerts across the world, produced or performed on more than 25 records, and led congregations of people in worship on a weekly basis for 20 years.
As a teacher and multiplier, John serves on the worship steering board for both California Baptist University and Liberty University, and trains worship leaders in conferences and events all throughout the country.
But John’s ministry and impact begins first and foremost in his personal relationship with the Lord and with his family. John married Paige in July of 2011. They have four beautiful children; Grace, Hudson, John Luke and Levi.