Stephan Nosrat
Worship Director | Musician
Where are you from?
"Originally born in Sweden, raised in the United States."
What is your profession, and why do you do it?
"I'm a Worship Director, professor, and musician. I lead worship at church, teach at a Christian school
and university, and put on concerts and events. Basically, I spend my life trying to use music to bring
people together. There's something about worship specifically that I don't take lightly. Helping people
encounter God through music is a privilege. And working with students is just as meaningful. Watching
a young musician find their confidence and grow into their gifts never gets old. Whatever the setting,
that's really what I'm after. Connection. Something that points people toward something bigger
and greater."
Why do you love America?
"When I was three, my parents moved from Sweden to teach at the University of Michigan, and this
country gave them a real shot for stability, freedom, the ability to build something. I grew up watching
that and it stayed with me. America took us in and let us call it home. In America, I've gotten to actually
pursue what I felt called to do. Ministry, music, teaching. I didn't have to choose between them. I love
that about this place - the diversity, the openness, the fact that people are still out here trying to build
things. I'm proud to be one of the American people."
What freedoms do you value most in this country?
"Freedom of worship, more than anything. Just this past week I was with my student praise band at St.
John's, and I stopped for a second and thought.. we can just do this. Openly. Without fear. That's not
true everywhere. My dad had to flee Iran 47 years ago. My mom's family left Yugoslavia under similar
pressure. I've seen what it looks like when those freedoms disappear. So I don't take it for granted.. to
be able to worship freely, speak freely, build freely."
What values do you hope America never loses?
"Free speech. Free worship. The belief that if you work hard and do things with integrity, you can
actually build a good life. The ability to disagree with someone and not have it turn into something
dangerous. That stuff matters. It's worth protecting."
How has living in America shaped who you are today?
"It gave me a sense of what's possible. In my life, I got to see that calling and career could actually line
up - that you didn't have to just pick the practical thing. America showed me that. It shaped my work
ethic. It gave me space to lead and build. But more than anything, it gave me room to become who I am..
not out of fear, but because the door was open."
What does “the American Dream” look like to you?
"To me, the American Dream is the freedom to pursue what God has placed on your heart - and to build
a life through diligence, creativity, and character. It’s not just financial success. Its contribution. It’s
building something that serves others. It’s raising a family in safety. It’s being able to dream boldly..
and actually act on it."
What part of America’s history inspires you?
"America’s willingness to stand against tyranny, to go fight for people who weren't even Americans, at
enormous cost. That meant something. It still does. America hasn't just fought for its own freedom - it's
gone out of its way to fight for others."
What do you wish more people understood about this country?
"That Americans are genuinely good people. The ones I know: neighbors, people at church, small
business owners, teachers.. they're generous and they care. And I don't think that's rare. I think it's
actually who Americans are at their core. When something goes wrong, whether it’s a disaster, a
tragedy, a community in need - Americans show up. They give, they volunteer, they drive hours to
help strangers. That instinct to look out for one another, to step in when it matters, runs deep in this
country. I wish that side of America got talked about more."
What do you think is important for the next generation to know?
"Freedom isn't automatic. It was paid for by people who sacrificed enormously, and it has to be taken
care of. I think something my generation and the ones coming up need to hold onto is that gratitude
and responsibility aren't separate things. Use your voice well. Work hard. Serve people. Don't assume
the freedoms you inherited will just always be there."
“I’m grateful that I can worship openly, build something from nothing, and call myself fully
American, and actually mean it in this country.”
How are you celebrating America's 250th birthday?
"I might actually be overseas this July, reflecting and celebrating America from another country. Some of
my proudest moments of feeling American have come when I'm far from home. 250 years is remarkable.
I'll be thinking about what this country has meant to my family, what it cost people to build it, and how
grateful I am to belong to it - wherever I am in the world when that day comes."
