SBCMC Journal

Editor's note: These essays were presented by the panel participants to begin the forum, "For Such a Time as This."

Ten Short Essays on The Future of Church Music

INTRODUCTION

My name is Bob Burroughs and it is my pleasure to act at the Moderator for this Question and Answer Session—with YOU as a major participant. Each member of this esteemed panel will give a two-minute opening comment based on the theme of this Conference: FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. Then, the floor will be open for questions, either general of specifically to one of the panel, and they will attempt to answer. Participation is the key here, or else we’ll be sitting on our hands!

A word of introduction to our subject is necessary, to get your mind going: as church music leaders in the early part of this 21st century, we are experiencing new realities in the purpose of sacred music as it relates to worship and ministry and--its place in the future of today’s church.

In recent years, we have been urged to pay attention to the future of our craft and to encourage and mentor future generations of church music leaders. We are currently in a state of flux with lots of questions are being asked—and it seems, there aren’t many answers.

Myriad changes have taken place—are taking place—and will continue to take place in music ministry, whether we like it or not—as if we had much of a choice in the matter!

No longer do such terms as: choir, church music, music ministry, Minister of Music, children's choir, youth choir have the same definition as most of us remember so foldly. I think the root of the differences and problems in the practice of church music lies in value systems ( the things we embrace as being important). Some value choral music, some congregational singing, some value a near flawless worship “flow” led by a “tight” worship/praise team, others value children and youth choirs, some value performance, others value themselves—as God’s gift to worship.

Each person on the panel will “champion” a different element. At the central core, however, is the non-negotiable common ground— the object of our collective, timeless endeavor— pleasing THE Master.

Now, here is our distinguished panel. When I grow up, I want to be like each of these people! They will speak in the order in which I introduce them.

Wendell Boertje
Mel Tunney
John Campbell
Mary McDonald
Dennis Worley
Wayne Causey
David Hamilton
Dick Tunney
Jon Duncan

#1: Generation to Generation
Wendell Boertje, Minister of Music, Central Baptist Church Bearden, Tennessee

I have been invited to sit on this panel representing the traditional music program—as an “older” active church musician.

Those of you from the Knoxville area who have seen publicity for our programs or looked in on our worship at Central Baptist Church in this last year would question my qualifications as a traditional church musician.

You would have witnessed a patriotic service honoring WWII veterans, an ensemble concert, an instrumental concert, Handel’s Messiah at Christmas with players from the Knoxville Symphony and soloists from the University of Tennessee, a Young Pianist Series, Holy Week Maundy Thursday Service, a gospel night patterned after the Gaither Homecoming Videos, a Jazz trio offertory on “Like a River Glorious” and much more. You might say Wendell is a church musician who is classical, liturgical, traditional, praise and worship, gospel and free church (with creativity and variety).

If the definition of tradition includes “handing down of statements, beliefs, customs, etc. from generation to generation,” then indeed, I am a traditional church musician who is “handing down” the expressions above.

I think it is important to realize that all of us are “handing down” what we believe and what we do. We are all traditional church musicians in that sense. We simply have to decide what we want to pass along or hand down whether the period of time for the tradition is one month, a year, or “from generation to generation.”

Church music that is not traditionist (adhering to tradition as authority) but is what Joseph Martin has described as “transitional traditional” is church music that is active and viable in its “handing off and handing down.” It moves us along where we are and points us to where we want to be headed. I have been a traditional church musician in that sense. That’s what I will always be and where I will end.

#2: Spiritual Fumes
Mel Tunney, Worship Leader, Composer/Arranger, Recording Artist, Wife to Dick Tunney and a “Mom”

William Temple, the Archbishop of Canterbury, back in the 1940’s said: “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love, and submission of will to His purpose. And all of this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions of which we are capable.“

What a privilege for me that my title on staff at our church is Worship Leader. Each week, my desire and my goal is to encourage every person—from the front row to the very back of the church—to engage in worshiping Jesus. But with that title comes personal responsibility. My heart has to be tuned each day, each time I’m planning the worship, each time I’m in rehearsal, to allow our corporate worship not to be about my style preferences or what I enjoy, but about what God wants for our body of believers as we glorify Him in music. I cannot be effective as a worship leader when I am running on fumes spiritually.

Sure, I can go through the motions, which sadly, I’ve done and seen done. But in my heart of hearts, I know that there is only power in my worship leading when I have spent time with Jesus, when I am seeking Him for my creativity, and when I have emptied myself of myself and asked for the Lord to fill every part of my being.

Sometimes our head knowledge can be dangerous. It becomes so easy to go on cruise control. But truly, there is only power when we recognize that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

I just returned from a trip to Brazil where I was privileged to teach on worship. Did they want to find out if we used drums or not? Or whether we were more contemporary or traditional? No, they just wanted to know, "How do we worship?"

My opinion? Sometimes we spend so much energy on issues of style and musical preferences and we forget to hold those in leadership accountable to their own personal walk with the Lord. Someone said to us years ago, “God will never use you publicly unless He’s tutored you privately.” As we train those who will come after us, may we point them first of all, to personal relationship and commitment to Christ. May they understand that only in absolute surrender to the Lord will they find power and creativity and value and fruit.

#3: A Singing People: Thoughts on the Future of Music in the Church
Dr. John W. Campbell, Music Faculty, Choral Conductor, Georgetown University

God’s people will sing. They always have; they always will. The question is: what will the church sing?

I think the music of the church should be something like a stained-glass window. Many prefer the blue of Watts and Wesley, while others like the green of Maranatha praise songs. But there are reds and yellows and violets too, like Taizé prayer, African call-and-response, new hymns. We certainly need not neglect the core of traditional hymnody, even while we sing contemporary praise choruses or treasured gospel hymns. We don’t need to fear any one kind of music, as much as we need to fear the rut of narrow personal preference.

God is much, much bigger than our praise, and we celebrate God best when we do so through as wide a range of musical expression as we can manage with integrity. It is up to the leaders of the church’s music to continually educate themselves to know what is available and how it should be sung.

Colleges, universities and seminaries have a responsibility to model and advocate music from throughout Christianity. Church musicians have a responsibility to move beyond their comfort zones, because other Christians live out there and may need that song, and because we can learn from their faith.

We all need to help each other along the path as fellow pilgrims, learning and teaching as we go. We do need to carefully sift what we lead the people to sing. The texts need to be worthy of the God we worship. The music needs to model the creativity, yet accessibility, of the One we worship.

Remember, just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s worth singing. Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s worth singing, either. When in doubt, go for depth. Our people need the anchor of solid congregational song.

#4: The Future Is Ever-Changing
Mary McDonald, Composer, Arranger, Publisher, Pianist, Past President of SBCMC

The music and lyrics written back in the mid-1600s touch my heart every time I hear the hymn, “Fairest Lord Jesus.” Likewise, one of the most recent new hymns by composer, Keith Getty, “Speak, O Lord” leads me directly to the throne of God. These two examples span nearly 400 years—but are timeless in their effects on worship. I believe the hymns, anthems—old and new, and praise choruses all have a place in worship. Our preferences need not dictate one over the other; rather we should allow the Holy Spirit to serve as a conduit between our song and God’s throne.

We serve in a time where problems far greater than musical styles are facing the church. Christians are battling each other rather than seeing the spiritual battle for what it is. It may sound trite to say, but it is time for Christians to join hands and stop the infighting over petty issues such as traditional, blended, or contemporary music. Worship doesn’t need a label. If we can make room for all styles of music, we can better assist those who come to church to make a connection with Christ.

A “call to ministry” has never wavered. Young men and women are being led to serve every single day. I am not sure our formulas are relevant and maybe these need to be revisited. Likewise, far too many churches are undergoing makeovers or, worse yet, stuck in a rut of doing church the same way today that it was done 30 years ago. We have a God who knows no paradigm, no limitations, who will do far more than anything we can hope or imagine if we commit ourselves to follow Him.

The future is ever-changing. The induction of the Kindle may well work its way into choir lofts in the future where music will be purchased and uploaded onto hand-held pads for the musicians. Technology is evolving in ways that may make print music obsolete.

But the music will live on and that which was relevant 400 years ago will always be a part of the church. That which is yet to be created will find its place as well because all that comes from God will be used by Him for His Kingdom. It is not our call to make.

#5: Four Things I Am Learning About Worship—In Two Minutes or Less
Dennis Worley, Worship Leader Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, TN

Private and Corporate Worship

Our folks hear all the time about the importance of daily prayer and Bible study—their "quiet time". Most don't know how to do that, nor do they take the time to do that. I have encouraged them to start, even if
it's just one day a week besides Sunday. To help them, I give them a simple suggested printed guide. We all know that if our church members "worshiped privately each day," our corporate worship services would be a celebration beyond words. we've all heard it said "What if people came worshiping to church?"

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

Colossians 3:16 is a reminder that we are encouraged to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in our hearts to God. My prayer is that we would move beyond what we or what we think our congregation want us to sing in worship and simply follow the commands of the scripture.

The Word of God in Worship

As worship leaders, if we have something to say when we are leading in worship, let's say words from the Bible when at all possible. Use scripture to connect songs, read it aloud with the congregation. Nothing can take the place of the Word of God in the Worship of God.

Promote Respect and Unity in Worship

We all know that worshipers outwardly express their praise differently. May we respect one another in that, and do everything possible to promote unity in our diversity. We all know it's not about us anyway, so let's do our part to encourage the expression of our worship in a Biblical and authentic manner and not get bent out of shape if the person next to us either does or does not do what we think they should or should not be doing.

#6 – Traditional—With A Twist!
Wayne Causey. Minister of Music. Forrest Hills Baptist Church, Brentwood, TN

My congregation calls the worship music style at Forest Hills "traditional—with a twist." Depending on one’s perspective, Forest Hills could be labeled one of several styles. For today’s discussion we'll call it "blended," although I've never really cared for that label. It conjures up the image of how my great aunt, Mildred, made tuna salad: empty the can of tuna in the blender, drop in some pickles, a boiled egg and a plop of mayonnaise--and bind it all together. After a minute in the blender, pour out the salad. Mmmm!

Many churches do this with their worship music and call it “blended.” Throw in a hymn or two, drop in a chorus and add just a plop of modulation-naise to bind it all together. I've prepared orders of worship in this manner and found that everything just started sounding alike—it all just tasted the same.

I pray the worship service music that my team and I prepare always has chunks of traditional hymnody, rich new hymns, and the flavor of the new choruses that converge together with integrity. I feel that this edifies the believer, and unites the congregation in the Spirit of God as we worship. And really, we're only talking semantics at this point. Blended, traditional, emerging, contemporary, and liturgical are all the words we use to convey meaning. The truth is that we are seeking to serve faithfully and with integrity to scripture in the context we find ourselves.

#7: Some thoughts on learning to be a more excellent, inspired musical leader
David Hamilton, Composer, Arranger, Concert Artist, Pianist for Brentwood Baptist Church

Would you describe yourself as an inspired musical leader, or mostly a tired musical leader? I’ve been learning some things about being inspired. Some of it from a few people who’s joy and passion for making music was so contagious it rubbed off on me.

1. When was the last time you listened to a piece of music for the pure joy of it? Have you been blown away by the majesty of a melody, letting the music feed your soul, or move you to worship, or simply letting it lift your tired spirit? To do this, you have to open your heart to what the music has to say without analyzing.

I love to collect and study orchestral scores. Sometimes even after a long day of working, I’ll pull out a score that I love, put on the CD and let the music “wash over me”— I’m inspired.

2. I love to listen to lots of different kinds of music. It keeps my ears tuned up and I have a greater appreciation for God’s rich and diverse gift. I love being inspired by a great jazz improv solo, a bluegrass picker, or a Beethoven symphony. A great composer once said, “you write what you know, so make sure you know good stuff!”

3. I think gratitude is perhaps the most powerful source of inspiration. I’m grateful every day for what God has done for me. His grace has impacted me so powerfully that the only way I can respond is with gratitude. I want to offer Him my best. I’m convinced that leading with a sense of gratitude creates a spirit of humility and passion which can be truly inspiring— even in small ways.

Last year I pushed myself to learn a new orchestral piece. I had one shot to conduct it in a pressure situation with a very accomplished orchestra- one chance to win them over. I was prepared, but I was nervous. I had discovered this piece earlier listening to a new recording. I tried to conduct it with joy, humility and gratitude. When the concert ended that night, I had to pinch myself. Did God really just allow me to do that? It was an inspiring moment I’ll long remember – I’m truly grateful.

#8: Change Happens

Dick Tunney, Husband to Mel, Father, Pianist, Recording Artist, Worship Leader in Brentwood, Tennesse

It is a daunting task to assess the temperature of music ministry. Over the past 20 years or so, Mel and I have been privileged to be ministry guests in upwards of 500 different churches and in touring with another national artist over the past couple of years the total is ever expanding. There are as many music ministries and ways to worship as there are churches. Each Body is unique, each Body has been gifted differently and each leadership personality brings different skills to the Body. Our own leadership experience has been to emphasize that the leading of worship come from the Psalm 24 model (with clean hands and a pure heart) and that the worship on any given Sunday or Wednesday be authentic.

As the church is ever evolving, so to is the ministry of music and worship. I would dare say that few churches operate the same way they did 20 years back, or even 5 years ago. For example, think of the progress in the area of media—lighting/video/visual presentations recent advancements. And where would we be without the online services that we tap on a daily basis. Change happens. Change is inevitable. Resistance to change is disheartening and can slow the progress of any organization including God’s church.

Think about the apostle Paul’s early ministry in Antioch (Acts 13). The ministry “Dream Team” is in place (Paul, Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius and Manaen—pretty big-time church staff!) and in the midst of when things are going exceptionally well, God chooses to remove Paul and Barnabas and “set them apart” for a different work. Things changed drastically in a very short period of time. Not change for change sake, but change for the spreading of the Message and the growth of the church.

This applies to us, as well. While I have not received a seminary education, we have been on the campuses of many Christian colleges who are grooming the next generation of church leadership. There are merits to the education of the “minister of music." But there are other institutions that are leading the way in grooming “worship leaders” for tomorrow’s church. The University of Mobile, in concert with their friends at Integrity Music, being one. Educational institutions are evolving annually.

It is my honor to sit on this panel and pray that words spoken here on this day in this room will be honoring to the Lord and his church.

#9: Worship Complexities: Reason to be Optimistic
Jon Duncan, Georgia Baptist Convention Church Music Director,
Conductor, 2010 President of SBCMC

An optimist is one who jumps out a ten-story building and when he has reached the fifth floor states: “So far, so good.”

I am not sure where we are going regarding worship issues; however, I am optimistic that we may be actually heading in a good direction.

As a denominational leader, I am working with churches in all regions of Georgia dealing with alternative services, venue worship, transitioning strategies, and more. I have yet to hear a pastor or minister of music ask for help in moving towards a more biblical approach to worship. The request seems to generally deal with style before moving towards content. The pressures for appeasing lobby groups within a congregation are real. Threats of leaving and taking their children to a more progressive service or withholding tithes until worship includes their top ten list of hymns have leaders on the lurk for the ideal in worship models.

The inability to please all groups leads Godly leaders to provide worship a-la carte. The reality is a short- term fix to a long-term problem. This issue has wearied the most patient of servants. We have planned out every service model known to man and discover that it often releases a new set of problems.

Einstein was right when he stated: “significant problems of our age cannot be resolved at the level of thinking that created them.”

In other words, each solution leads to more complex problems requiring answers to even more difficult questions. For many, the issue of change is just not worth the effort.

Here lies the choice: we must be willing to leave our comfort zone if we are going to have a voice in the future. Many of us are strong with “roots” but no so in terms of relevancy. Thus relevancy is left to those deficient in core values. This will either be a tragedy or opportunity. We are at the fifth floor—how is the view so far?

The struggle is not only theological but also sociological. Worship today is generally spiritual and often passionate. Worship, after all is religious. Our churches are often like spiritual pharmaceuticals where clergy and laity gather for a dose of soul adrenalin. The buzz we often experience may not always provide a fully orbed cross-bearing disciple. On the societal front, the local church spectrum is made up of many systems, each with their own proclivity.

As God created us with a need for community, many are beginning to see the value of discovering consensus and engaging in ministry within these intra-relationships. Whereas many of us grew up in a system of absolutes and non-disputable doctrinal foundations, many are coming through the doors of our churches living in abstract and complex belief systems. Churches are flooded with spiritualism, mysticism, experientialism, and “me-ism.” How we deal with this diversity will be critical in providing both root and relevancy in ministry. Even though this is not new ground for many of us, we need be reminded of the value of adaptability, which is critical in staying relevant, while at the same time nurturing timeless principles of faith and doctrine in our practice.

The more we press towards appeasement and segregation according to system proclivities, the more we fail to meet the need for community. I believe we are heading for convergence in corporate worship. The future music minister or worship leader will need to be strong musically, diverse in musical application, theologically grounded, strong in problem solving (conflict resolution), and ecclesiastically adaptable.

We may have jumped out the window but something tells me we are about to land on our knees. This is where we are supposed to be in the first place. So far—so good.

10: A Place At The Table
Dr. Joseph Hopkins, Dean, School of The Fine Arts, Samford University,
Birmingham, Alabama

I am currently serving in a medium-large, evangelical. main-line denominational church, as a part-time minister of music.

When I arrived a few months ago, the twenty-four hundred members had taken sides over issues of musical style. After decades of a rather traditional worship legacy, the church hired a contemporary worship leader. After twelve months, the pastor and the worship leader were gone, but the congregation was left with mixed responses.

Proponents of traditional music spouted the virtues of rich poetry and the heritage of congregational song, while waving hymnals in the air, bemoaning the presence of a screen in the sanctuary.

Champions of contemporary music pointed to scores of young new church members keen on the idea of hearing a familiar style of music, led by guitarist and band; they talked about being relevant and engaged.

The traditionalists feared that the church would offer less than its best in worship, and the contemporarians feared stoic and heartless music.

As interim leaders, we were asked to bring the two together.

Initial efforts led me to unexpected answers. I learned that only two church members had been called upon to sing solos over the past year, and the choir and “Praise ensemble” had been relegated to backing up the worship leader. The involvement of church members in music ministry had dwindled to a small core of devoted, yet unchallenged servants.

This church is typical of many across the nation. A loss of purpose in worship permits congregations to battle over the manner and mode of music. Uninformed pastors, ministers, and church leaders attempt to grow the church by offering a table for everyone—rather than a place for everyone at the table.

The minister of music who comes to the vocation by a calling is replaced by a worship leader, perceived to be relevant and handpicked by a pastor, who functions more as chief executive. Too often, young musicians are caught up in the opportunity to lead in worship—only to find angry congregants assailing their efforts in a rather self-righteous language that recounts how the church may have worshiped for the past seventy or eighty years.

Regardless of whether you wrestle with these issues in your congregation, you are certainly aware of a larger community of churches confused by these circumstances.

What then of promoting a call to vocational church music? How can universities, churches, and convention leaders appeal to students with a call to serve in a life of ministry and music?

Too often, it seems would-be ministers are turning away; perhaps they hope to avoid the volatile battleground of the worship wars, or maybe they fear the capricious manner in which far too many music ministers have been asked to give up their position to make way for the new leadership's “music person.” Isn’t it quite possible that the church’s slackened expectations for academic preparation cause young students to lower their standards?

I submit that the community of Baptist churches, educators, and denominational leaders must come together and deal with the question of calling. There must be a strengthened voice from the pulpit and a genuine commitment from educators to call out and equip young ministers.

We must all turn our focus from an affinity for styles and modes to an affection for the people of God and worship of the Almighty.

For every Sunday we choose to focus on worship conflict, we are missing the opportunity to experience Pentecost and we are losing generations of disciples in music ministry.

A few Sundays ago, an elderly member of the congregation came to me and offered this comment: “You know, our church has become so focused on why and Who we worship that we just don’t argue anymore.”

May it be true this Sunday in our churches.