Church Me, Part 3: Music

It is true that the Pastor is the face of the church. He is God’s man, sent to deliver God’s message, eat fried chicken, visit the elderly, pray for the sick, appease the deacons, and raise a family, all for just barely over a living wage. After that, the next largest focus rests on the music in the church. Being a music director for seven years, I realize the vital importance music brings to the service. Churches in the Caldwell County, NC area, if you need an experienced music director for your church, contact me. We can end this series here and now. So, here are the questions for the music quiz.
1: Your music director goes by the title:
A: Music Director
B: Minister of Music
C: Worship Leader
D: Song Leader
E: We have a praise team- united to serve!
F: Mike
2: Your music director is comparable to:
A: Cliff Barrows
B: Bill Gaither
C: John Tesh
D: Darlene Zschech
E: Martha Munizzi
F: Sweet Little Eloise
G: A hyena in heat
3: Your church thinks Albert E. Brumley is/was:
A: A founding deacon of the church
B: A great songwriter whose songs are used frequently
C: A great writer of his time, but this is now!
D: That kid on the cover of Mad Magazine
4: A hymn is:
A: A pronoun describing a male human
B: Essential for each service
C: Nice every once in a while
D: The way they used to sing music; now obsolete
5: You keep your hymnals:
A: In the back of the pews
B: In the choir loft
C: In the storage closet
D: In the men’s Sunday school room; the herrals are in the women’s
6: You think worship music is:
A: Nice every once in a while
B: Any song, no matter how old or new, that draws us to God
C: Too new-fangled for our church
D: the only music that churches should use, man!
7: The number of people in your church that can read music is:
A: Fewer that 5
B: 5-10
C: 10 or more
D: Everyone can read it- they put the words on the screen!
8: The number that can read shaped notes is:
A: I told you, they put the words on screen!
B: What are shaped notes? Aren’t they all round?
C: There are people that can read shaped notes here
9: Your church’s music could be described as:
A: CD Quality. How do we contact Integrity Music?
B: CD Quality, because it’s on CD
C: We make a joyful noise. That’s all that matters!
D: Did you see the end of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure?
10: Our biggest concern musically is:
A: Keeping the old ladies from complaining
B: Keeping the youth interested
C: Trying to sound like we practiced
D: Bringing focus on Jesus and making the Pastor’s work easier
True confession time: I HATE praise bands. I think they’re a copout for not having a choir. I am a traditionalist. I like the songs in the 1951 Church Hymnal. I have a hymnal collection. My wife likes more contemporary & worship music. She and Levi love the new Israel Houghton CD, which drives me nuts.
So what I am looking for is this: a music service that isn’t afraid of mixing old & new. There is great substance in the old songs. There is merit to some of the new worship songs. A church that can put the two together will be a learning resource to the youth and a fountain of youth for the old. That’s what I look for in music.