Chris Ritchie is a husband, father of four amazing children, third-generation worship leader, pastor, independent filmmaker, and actor. He carries a deep passion for leading people into the glorious songs of worship and releasing the sounds of Heaven.

Chris’s passion for music and entertainment began at a young age. He dreamed of playing on the big stage and acting in film, and he was driven to pursue both music and acting. While attending college, Chris and his older brother moved from band to band before eventually forming the Christian alternative/pop-rock group Salt The Band. Their debut album, Mr. Brown, was released in 1999. Christianity Today heralded them as one of the top ten unsigned Christian bands of 1999, writing, “If you’ve ever wanted to be into a band before they broke big, now’s your chance.”

The band went on to play festivals alongside Petra, Audio Adrenaline, The Katina Boys, Plumb, Christafari, Skillet, and many other popular CCM acts of the late 1990s and early 2000s. TobyMac personally asked Chris to audition to be a DC Talk dancer, but Chris declined.

After nearly ten years as an independent band, Chris and the guys walked away from a recording contract offer, choosing to remain true to what they believed God had called them to do.

Today, Chris Ritchie serves as the Lead Pastor of Encounter Church Vegas, where he continues to pursue his passion for worship, ministry, and seeing lives transformed by the presence and power of God.