I was blessed to be able to share some comments yesterday for a good friend, Jim Brown, who retired from serving as the choir director for Robinson Baptist church after 30 years, a good number of those I was privileged to enjoy with him.
Well done, Jim
My remarks were made for sharing orally, but this represents the highlights!
WHAT VALUE IS 30 years of work?
What matters here is threefold:
PROFESSIONALISM
His professionalism and sense of looking after the details is rare in a ministry world where slick presentation and persona are all the rage.
Jim’s interest in music went well beyond leading a choir, he rather knew how to Participate in one and to follow others lead.
PROFESSIONALISM
He recognized that the Essence of a good choir was to be found in the balance of many singers, not the fascination with one.
And those years where we were invited to share your ministry with the Holland Choral were rich for us, and I suggest a source of continued development of his craft.
PROFESSIONALISM
THOSE DETAILS!
The devil it is often said, is in the details but I contend that the beauty of your work in the Lords House resulted from the attention you paid to the details of good diction, correct breathing, and proper pronunciation.
My experience: …had many of the skills but fell short in the absence of character, humility, and godliness; all 3 of which you practiced with excellence.
HIS VALUE TO THE PASTOR
Any pastor really burdened for authentic worship wants the church to worship well; it doesn’t happen with a worship team in the absence of good intentional leadership.
I noticed that Alistair Begg insists on being a part of the worship ministry at Parkside church.
HIS VALUE TO THE PASTOR
With The the goal that the church may sing!
One of my biggest challenges is getting the church to sing
When I attended churches… I saw a lot of people, standing, looking blindly at a screen, looking like zombies but not singing!
HIS VALUE TO THE PASTOR
Not only was Jim the choir director but the leader of the congregations worship and he always treated the audience like one large choir; rather than sitting at an instrument entertaining us in a restaurant.
The responsibility of a church is that it may lift its collective voice toward God and Sing!
HIS VALUE TO THE FAMILIES OF ROBINSON
Think about the role of the music program in the local church. With fewer and fewer public school dollars directed towards music, particularly choral music, and a tough sell for many in Christian schools, the role of the music program becomes critical in training up the church to value good music!
HIS VALUE TO THE FAMIES OF ROBINSON
Listen to me: my children were raised in the years that I was here and their lives are richer because the training they received under Jim’s leadership with the choir and ensemble.
Josh honed his skills under Jim’s tutelage, blossomed to become a great lover of music.
THE VALUE TO THE FAMILIES AT ROBINSON
- Daniel benefited from his years here, and while, not nearly as involved, shared his knowledge in Iraq and is more discerning in his own church program
- And Mickie, now making decisions about where she’ll worship and serve, can think intelligently about what constitutes good music… We have discussions you know…
.. All because of the modeling and mentoring that Jim provided.
That doesn’t happen by accident!
THERE YOU HAVE IT!
- The value to the craft
- The value to a pastor
- The value to the church of tomorrow
Dr. Delnay! Leave a scratch on the next generation
Peyton Manning: Handling adversity! I just tried to keep preparing, act like a professional, and keep the faith!
In my years, here, Jim was always prepared, always acted like a pro, and kept the faith once delivered to the saints!
And our lives are richer for it!
The challenge to Phillip
Love music, pursue excellence and balance, and build a heart for worship into the younger lives of this church.
A way of life
Sermon reflective 