About Me
As a worship leader, songwriter and producer, Frank has been involved in Christian music ministry for over 30 years. Very soon after giving his life to Jesus he discovered the joy of leading worship in small home groups and writing songs! In 1973 he met the Agape Force, an evangelistic ministry involved in inner-city outreaches, including ministry to children. He signed up for a year… and stayed for 15! In 1976 several of the songwriters and singers, including Frank, were formed into the recording and touring group, Candle, which eventually recorded the Agapeland series, including The Music Machine and Bullfrogs and Butterflies!
In 1980 Agape Force created a new contemporary Christian music group, Silverwind. Frank and his wife, Betsy, recorded and toured internationally with Silverwind for almost 6 years. During this time they also continued writing and recording several other music projects, including Character Builders, The Bible: The Amazing Book, and a Saturday-morning cartoon series, Little Clowns of Happytown, for the ABC Television Network. Yes, it was a busy time for them!
In 1989 Frank and Betsy moved to Nashville, Tennessee with their two young children. Over the next 11 years, as songwriters and as a producer for the EMI Christian Music Group, they created several more award-winning children’s CDs and videos, including Hide ‘Em In Your Heart and The Adventures of Prayer Bear, both featuring music artist, Steve Green. They also received a Dove Award nomination for Kids In Worship, released in 2000.
Frank loves working with kids and his commitment to them is not limited only to songwriting and studio production. Since 1993, he has been actively involved as a Children’s Pastor, Children’s Choir Director, and Kid’s Worship Leader. He and Betsy received the Excellence in Ministry to Children award from the International Network of Children’s Ministry at the 1999 Children’s Pastors’ Conference in Nashville, TN.
April of 2000 found the Hernandi (plural for Hernandez) moving to the Seattle, WA area, where Frank served on the staff of Eastside Foursquare Church as the Department Head and Director of Music Ministries. Then in 2006, seeking to continue his ministry to kids, he joined the staff of Christian Faith Center in Seattle, serving as the Children’s Performing Arts Director, leading kids in worship, writing songs and creating seasonal programs for the Kid’s Choir.
Desiring to write and produce songs for children on a full-time basis, Betsy and Frank now live in Boise, ID (close to family), developing their production company, His & Hernandez Music. They also travel whenever they can to minister in churches and hold workshops. Frank also continues leading kids in worship regularly in local churches.
My Songs
Kids in schools all over the country recite the Pledge of Allegiance each day. I thought it would be great if they also had the opportunity to SING it! In this version they can also pledge their allegiance to the Lord!
It’s easy to assume that kids have ‘half-pint’ faith because they may be only half as big as we are! The truth is… their simple trust and belief in who God is may be far deeper than most grownups imagine!
I lead kids in worship regularly, and one Sunday morning I asked them to thank the Lord for specific things (not just for "everything!"). I made a mental note of that thanksgiving list and the following week I was able to write a song incorporating their simple prayers of appreciation! I also focused on the idea that we can be reminded to give God thanks every time we take a breath or feel our heartbeat, which is in itself a gift of life!
Blog
Leading kids in worship is one of the things I love doing most! Luke 2:52 describes how Jesus grew "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." I believe when we lead kids in worship we are helping them to grow in wisdom as they grow in the knowledge of God, and in favor as they learn how to draw close to Him through corporate and personal worship.
Many worship leaders feel very comfortable leading hundreds of adults into God’s presence, but ask them to lead a room full of kids and suddenly they’re not quite sure where to start!