Hypocrisy is claiming to believe one thing and then doing another. (Or as I’ve heard it, your walk doesn’t match your talk.) I’ve been thinking about hypocrisy because it’s something we church musicians deal with as a matter of course in our ministries. Being on a church’s staff means that you see a lot of …
3 Ways to Avoid Disillusionment in Your Ministry Read More »
I always feel like summer is a fun, freeing season for church music. Sure, there are usually fewer resources with the choir on break and instrumentalists on vacation. But I like a creative challenge!
Growing up in independent, fundamental Baptist churches, I couldn’t figure out why things made sense to the people in charge. Why did the preacher think his explanation of a biblical text made sense? Why did fundamentalist authors say their conclusions were obvious from a bunch of (random to me) “facts”? Didn’t they realize how illogical …
Fundamentalist Christianity’s Philosophical Roots: An Infographic Read More »
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda!
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda! If you’d like to read more about my research, click here!
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda! If you’d like to read more about my research, click here!
My doctoral dissertation, “The Right Kind of Music: Fundamentalist Christianity as Musical and Cultural Practice,” is now available!
Church acoustics reflect what a congregation believes are important sounds. Church acoustics also reveal what church leaders think the Hears of the Word should hear. That’s one reason Protestant Reformers changed their church buildings—they wanted to hear different sounds, like a sermon. And today, a church that uses a contemporary worship style will design a …
What’s So Important About Church Acoustics? An Infographic Read More »
The American Guild of Organists’ magazine recently featured an electronic organ on the front cover. This cover photo (which is a paid ad) validated organists whose primary instruments are electronic, but dismayed others by implying that these instruments are on par with pipe organs. These feelings arise from basic questions: What is a real organ? …
Pipe Organs: The Real, the Good, and the Beautiful Read More »
When writing about church music, people often cherrypick early church leaders’ words to support or not support a present-day practice or viewpoint. It goes like this: “Shiny quote from Augustine. Therefore, do/don’t do XYZ in church.” If you’re talking about How Church Music Should Be, it’s easy to pull soundbites from people like Basil the …