The Institute (協会)

Anthony, I trust you remember me from New City Fellowship Chattanooga. It is with mixed emotions that I read your blog entry regarding Jubilee. I have a long history with that convention, beginning with its inception at Grove City College in 1974. Off and on I was a musical guest, and then worship leader with my own multicultural sound for at least 8 years in a row until about 3 years ago when there was a serious regime change. I was thanked for my honorable service, and several people I knew in the CCO staff were either let go, or moved on.
But I said mixed emotions because I rejoice that they are returning-- and I repeat, returning-- to a multicultural sound with young new stallions. My band and I are now in our 40s and 50s, except for Kirk, whom I brought in toward the end of my tenure. We did latin praise songs, gospel, and my own blended style, in addition to some mainstream music.
During my history with the Coalition, Terry and Natalie Thomas, Byron Borger, Bill and Joan Painter, Bill Romanowski(now known as William David Romanowski of Calvin College)all 'raised their kids' on my early records. I came back to lead worship when their band was a glorified retreat pick-up band doing in-house songs that only people within 50 miles of Pittsburgh had ever heard.
When I left, my replacement was an African American who brought in his 'peeps.' He lasted one year.
It is as if a whole era of my work in cross-cultural music is now part of the fabric of a great organization's evolution in God's time and God's way. And Josh Moyer stands on our shoulders.

Praise God for the continuing witness of the Coalition for Christian Outreach, or whatever they call themselves now.(smile)
May God give you grace to enjoy his blessing on your life as you too will go through the stages of ministry, just like Elward Ellis, Carl Ellis, and a host of us others before you.

Jim, remember you?? As many times as I hung out in your house both summers? At any rate, thanks for a bit of history. I had no idea. I had never heard of CCO or Jubilee until a year ago. You did blaze a trail for sure and Josh Moyer and friends definitely bring a style that samples an entire era. I'm always encouraged to see baby boomers give up the stage so that younger leaders can develop, grow, and lead.

What I'm curious about is why that multi-cultural sound is not a part of college ministry below the Mason-Dixon line? Why it's not requested, fostered, encourage, etc., in the college ministry scene? Any ideas?

Also, Jim I was thinking that if I ran a conference like that I would never have one group do the music more than two years in a row anyway. There are too many musicians who need opportunities to do things like that.

Anthony, in response to your question to James W.

I just listened to the Josh Moyer band on myspace. First time i have heard them, and this is exactly the type stuff I wanted to do as a new Jesus follower in college in Chattanooga (not cov college). Fusing creation, fall, redemption, restoration, mission into songs I wrote and hymns I reworked that had more funk/jazz/world stylings, yet I was discouraged by some mentors back then in this way, "Nathan, consider congregational singing...this would be difficult for most white folks to sing together." I absolutely had the bass player and drummer to pull it off and they were diggin the stuff, yet i was convinced otherwise and resigned myself to more folky sensitive white male accoustic stuff. I know, ugghh.

I think this is one reason why college folks south of the MD head away from a multicultural sound. They either cant pull it off, or they are scared people wont be able to sing with it.

Anyway, im tired of it and everyone looks tired singing it. I got sooo weary of it in chapel at Cov Sem. It was just decided that I am taking more of a leadership role for our worship team here in Houston and I dusted off my guitar a couple of weeks ago hoping to explore this stuff again.

This Houston suburb is staggeringly diverse culturally because of the oil industry. In the congregation we have many hispanics and South Americans, one guy from Norway, some folks from Nigeria and Sudan, etc. But predominantly, it is white engineers (northern and southern) who work for Shell and BP. Im gonna try and mix things up slowly so we shall see if the linear thinkin', no rhythm havin', engineers can hang.

Severely regretting that I somehow never hooked up with JW in Chattanooga as I once saw him lead a reformation service at the Kirk of the Hills. Fantastic stuff! But thanks for this post and the links...confirming the itch I am just about to scratch and I pray it will bless the congregation and our city. And that i dont get fired too quickly.

Nathan said, "I absolutely had the bass player and drummer to pull it off and they were diggin the stuff, yet i was convinced otherwise and resigned myself to more folky sensitive white male acoustic stuff. I know, ugghh."

Wow, bro, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I guess it just may take a while before a multicultural sound breaks the dominant culture's preference for themselves.

What's interesting is that in your past when you were told that "whites couldn't pull it off" I guess they were to concerned about others not connecting at all to the acoustic anglo stuff.

A Korean friend who taught at another Christian school said to me once that the administration does not understand that the minority students do not attend his school's chapel because of the music. If you want a multi-cultural audience you at least need a multi-cultural sound. Some are figuring this out if different parts of the country (but it's really hard to pull off well).

"Some are figuring this out in different parts of the country (but it's really hard to pull off well)."

That is a huge comment right there. I meant to put this somewhere in my last comment. I am not sure i have the skills to pull it off. Not by myself anyway. I have to find the musicians to do it and currently we do not have that in my church ( a couple of vocalists could but not the instrumentation yet). In my assessment, it is vital to do this well (as should we do all worship music well), but if you try to do this and dont have the skills, then it comes across as VERY hokey.