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A lifelong journey in music
and worship
by Allen Brown
One of my earliest
memories of church is of singing “Jesus Loves Me.” Later, worship became
personal as the Sunday school lessons reinforced the music I was singing to
expand my understanding of God. However, "Jesus Loves Me", with its simple
music and profound truth, continued to be special to me.
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I grew during my
college years, developing skills, more responsibility for my
spiritual growth, and more exposure to music and worship styles. I
knew that God was leading me toward a church-related vocation.
Eventually I enrolled in the School of Church Music at The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary. Here were years of intense music
training and study, which widened my understanding of the scope of
worship, my personal responsibility in the practice of it, and new
ways to link up with my Creator in the creative process. |
I knew
that God
was
leading
me... |
I
joined the staff of the Virginia Baptist Board in 1962 to develop a program
of training in church music for approximately 1,450 Virginia Baptist
churches. This became the Department of Church Music, and my work as
Director lasted 31 years. In the conferences, workshops and retreats, as
well as time spent with pastors, music committees, and music directors, the
ultimate focus was on worship. As I helped Baptist leaders select, prepare
and use music in worship, as well as seek the personal spiritual growth of
those who participated in worship, I discovered more definitions of worship
and experimented with different ways to worship.
In
1967 Broadman Press published a Christian folk musical entitled "Good News,"
marking the beginning of tremendous changes in church music (and worship
styles). A flood of "youth music" provided most of the impetus for what we
now know as "praise and worship" services. Along with music leaders,
pastors, choir members and other church members, I have struggled with
reconciling the new styles with what was most meaningful and helpful to me
in worship.
That
quest continues: I am still learning what true worship is for me. My wife,
Charlotte, and I have been blessed as members of Richmond’s First Baptist
Church. The worship services provide us times of fulfillment, discovery and
challenge. The choir rehearsals are more than times of learning music - they
are times of learning what that music and text are saying and how we can
communicate our faith and joy through it.
The choir
rehearsals
are more than
times of learning music - they are times of learning what that music
and text are
saying and how
we can
communicate
our faith and
joy through it. |
Since retiring, I
have participated in mission trips to Brazil, Germany, Slovakia and
India. Each place has its own style of worship, but whether we
prayed and sang in Portuguese, German, Slovak, Malayalam or Hindi,
we were saying the same things.
I do not expect a
final answer to "what worship is," because it varies with times,
places and circumstances - it is an ever-changing, ever-expanding
experience. A final answer would limit my understanding to that
description and deprive me of the joy and excitement of discovering
still more. "Jesus Loves Me" remains central. That fact opens the
door for me to worship and provides one of the reasons for my
worship. Our ways of worship will change; some of our music will
change, but Jesus and His love, grace and mercy are constant. |
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