By Mark Cabaniss

I will never forget to this day that special night my father drove me to our church in my hometown of Shelby, North Carolina to my first rehearsal, ever.  It was for children’s choir and Mrs. Melba McWhirter was the director.  I can remember what my father and I spoke about, what was playing on the radio, and where the room in the church was.  And a lot more.  As with all musicians, I’ve seemingly been in thousands of rehearsals since then, but that first one will always stay with me.  I couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old at the time, so that I can remember those feelings of excitement and anticipation decades later (as if it were yesterday in some ways) shows how powerful that experience was for me. But I know I’m not alone in recounting such a story.  I’m sure you, too, can easily remember such a musical occasion from your childhood that resonates so strongly.  And perhaps it was also in a children’s choir.

Children’s choirs create lifelong magical musical memories.  But it’s not just memories that you’re creating when you have a children’s choir, it’s a whole lot more.  These days, when I’m doing reading sessions and other presentations before church musicians coast-to-coast, when I ask the question “Who has a children’s choir?” not nearly as many hands go up as did 25 years ago.  There are a variety of reasons for that as we know, but I think it’s a terrible shame that many churches have relinquished the battle for children’s time and energy in favor of other competing activities.  I say it’s time to reclaim those precious moments for children’s choir!  The long-term (and short-term) gains are more than worth it.  So here are my Top 10 Reasons for having a children’s choir in this day and age:

10. Music Appreciation. Nowadays at an airport gate, I’m amazed as I look at the families sitting there with children.  99.9% of the time, every child…from the youngest to the oldest…has their head buried in their device of choice.  (So do the adults!).  Get those heads out of those devices and into the interactive world of making music.  Music appreciation is always enhanced by music education, and children’s choirs can and should be fertile ground for some basic music education.  I know rehearsal time is relatively brief, so I’m not talking about anything massively involved.  But the basics of note reading, rhythm, and harmony can lay a foundation for a lifetime of music appreciation for those children in the choir who will most likely make their living someday outside of music.

9. Train Them Up. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” While of course we know this Proverb isn’t referring to children’s choirs, I think the principle applies to children’s choirs as well.  “Train up” a child in the children’s choir and there’s a good chance that child will keep singing their whole life long.  Hopefully in the adult choir eventually.  And even if they don’t remain in an organized choir program, having a positive experience at church can stay with them into adulthood, making it more likely they’ll at least continue as a churchgoer.  And we need all of those we can get nowadays (especially the younger types).

8. You Raise Me Up. Singing in a choir at an early age helps develop positive self-esteem, studies have shown.  Performing in front of people when the choir is fully prepared and confident creates a powerfully imprinted positive impression on the child(ren).  And take things a step further:  Performing in a musical* where dialog is employed with songs heightens the experience and confidence level for successfully tackling the challenges of childhood (and success breeds success, helping the child develop into a healthy adult with the confidence to tackle the challenges of adulthood).

7. A Little Child Shall Lead Them. Every time a children’s choir sings in a worship service, it’s a special event.  Uncles, aunts, cousins, and others who might not be regular churchgoers come to church to hear their special one sing.  It’s a wonderful moment that is commonly captured on those “devices of choice” and cherished for years to come.  Do you want more bodies in the pews whose lives can also be positively impacted?  Start a children’s choir and have them sing regularly or at least semi-regularly to “bring in the sheaves.”

6. It’s Not hard. There are countless resources available to help you start and maintain a successful children’s choir.  Sure, once you’ve jumped in the water you’ve got to keep swimming to go somewhere.  But the benefits for all concerned will make your efforts wonderfully worthwhile.  And I suspect there’s a volunteer(s) from your choir or church who will happily and ably assist you in helping make it a roaring success.

5. It’s an Opportunity. While a cast of thousands isn’t required to support a children’s choir, it can create an opportunity to involve some other members of your church (especially senior adults or teenagers who generally love children).  Invite a Sunday School class or other individuals to sponsor and serve refreshments at a break during or after rehearsal.  Then reward them by singing your latest anthem that is “ready for prime time” as a private performance after the refreshment break.  And if you prepare a musical, there are opportunities to involve some others in the production through various additional roles if you so choose.

4. It’s an Outreach. Have your children’s choir sing at some assisted living and/or nursing homes.  It will show the children a world they might not be familiar with (especially if their grandparents aren’t yet in those spots…and if they aren’t, it’s a good introduction to that world).  The residents of the center will be overjoyed to see the young, energetic, smiling and singing faces in their midst (and again, if you prepare a musical, that’s particularly a wonderful thing to take “on the road”). 

3. Music is Therapeutic. As you know, there are entire college degree programs based on the practice and career of music therapy.  Studies have shown music has a positive impact on the child's motor/sensory, and academic/cognitive function.  By having children actively involved in a choir on a weekly – or at least seasonal – basis, the inherent therapeutic benefits of music can shine through.

2. Music is transformative. There are plenty of quality team-building, social interaction, you-name-it activities in which children can engage that don’t involve music.  But as we know, music is a unique, God-given transformative experience like none other.  Sure, the child will probably always remember that goal they made that won the soccer match for the team, but can they sing that twenty years later? (Therefore, reproducing the original transformative experience practically verbatim…note for note).  Forgive me for comparing music with sports (although many do make that comparison for good reason at times).  But the takeaway here is that sports vs. music is truly the old apples vs. oranges equation.  The two activities aren’t mutually exclusive, and one can complement the other.  But I believe music is in a league by itself, since the benefits of music performance and music education are too numerous to document here.

1. In Spirit and Truth. Singing in a worship service…and therefore helping lead the worship service…helps children feel the power of the presence of God in the context of worship.  It will make them better worshippers as they start to grasp the impactful beauty of the worship experience.  Singing in a choir at school or in a community group is its own unique experience.  And likewise should singing in a children’s church choir be so…with the additional spiritual (and yes, eternal) aspect.

My personal children’s choir experience, while life-changing and unforgettable, is not unique I’m happy to report.  I estimate millions of children’s lives have been positively changed by their early choir experience.  If your church doesn’t have a children’s choir, I urge you to start one.  As soon as possible.  Those transformative experiences are waiting in the wings to happen (and will give the participating children wings of their own).  And if you do have a choir…bravo!  Hopefully this blog affirms the many benefits you see from your program.

A coda:  I’m still in touch with my dear director, Melba McWhirter, after that first rehearsal those many, many years ago.  Another incredible gift of that wonderfully auspicious, long-ago evening! (and the power of children’s choir).

Editor’s Note:  In this day and age when some churches have ‘fired the choir’ in favor of praise teams, Jubilate Music Group invited Mark Hill…Minister of Music at First Baptist Church Garland (Texas)…to express his thoughts on building and maintaining a successful choral program in today’s church.  Mark leads a flourishing music program at this large church.  Of particular interest is his success at attracting twenty and thirty-something aged members to his ministry (in addition to older folks).  Our thanks to Mark for sharing his thoughts about the blessings of shepherding a strong, choral-centric music ministry.

God Still Uses Choirs!

I have been blessed to serve at First Baptist Garland, Texas for almost fourteen years. Our church has a great musical heritage that includes choirs and instrumental groups.  We desire to encourage all ages to use their gifts to sing and play praises to the Lord. Our choirs start as early as age 4 and range to 90+!  It can be challenging in our current culture to continue the legacy of using a choir to lead worship weekly when many churches have replaced choirs with praise bands and schedules are more packed than ever before.

God has continued to bless our Preschool and Children’s Choirs as they learn how to worship and praise Jesus through the gift of music. I believe that our Preschool and Children’s choirs provide a foundation both musically and spiritually. How many of us learned our first Bible verses as songs? Our Children’s Choirs present a musical twice a year, memorize hymns and praise songs, and sing in worship services several times a year.

The next step for our students is to worship together through our Middle School and High School choirs. These students rehearse faithfully September through early July, lead worship, present musicals, and serve during a summer choir mission trip.  The senior class takes a lead role planning which songs to use for the musical, creating and teaching the choreography, and leading worship times during the mission trip.  The summer mission trip is a huge draw for our students – they love to sing and serve in communities all over the United States.  Music has granted us the opportunity to witness in places that would not be open to other forms of the gospel.  We have sung the gospel in a Muslim market, a Hindu temple, and many other areas where traditional witnessing methods would not be welcome. We are blessed to have approximately 100 students participating weekly in our youth choirs.

Our Sanctuary Choir is a vital part of our Music Ministry and they lead worship every Sunday in our traditional worship service. (We also have contemporary and blended worship services.) I realized early in my ministry at FBC Garland that not every adult at our church who wants to sing in a choir is going to attend the traditional service. To give those people an opportunity to participate, the choir also sings once a month in our blended worship service, and they are also able to sing with the choir for our Easter and Christmas presentations. I encourage you to utilize your choir weekly and to challenge them musically and spiritually. Our choir loves to sing and lead worship and also enjoy getting “outside the walls” of our church to minister through music at assisted living centers in the area.

One of the hardest questions to answer is, “How do you get young adults to be involved in choir?” There is no easy answer, but here are a few ideas and tips that have worked for us:

• Build personal relationships with young adults and then invite them to choir
• Provide childcare for rehearsals
• Have fun and creative parties and include door prize cards in any new music you put out. Door prizes can be anything from a candy bar to gift cards, you don’t need to spend a lot. We’ve even used bottles of water!
• Visit adult bible study classes and find out who has sung in school choirs or church choirs in the past.
• Use social media to promote your choirs. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all good options.
• Most importantly: pray that God will send you young adult choir members. Prayer works!

God still moves and works through music and choirs of all ages and sizes. Keep singing and keep encouraging others to sing – God inhabits the praises of His people.

Mark Hill has been the Minister of Music/Worship at First Baptist Church in Garland, TX for 14 years and has been in the full-time ministry for 26 years. Hill graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Music in 1991 and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting in 1993. He is also the Assistant Director of the Singing Men of North Central Texas and Assistant Varsity basketball coach for Wylie Preparatory Academy.

Mark has been married to his wife, Darcie Hill, for 24 years and they have 3 children: Callie, 20 (Jr. at Baylor University); Abbie, 15 (Freshman HS); and Isaac, 7 (2^nd grade).  Hill enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis and basketball, watching sports (especially the Dallas Cowboys & UNC Tarheels) and entertaining with comedy and music! His favorite hymn is “My Jesus, I Love Thee” and his life verse is Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Editor’s Note:  Dr. Stan Pethel is Professor of Music Emeritus at Berry College near Rome, Georgia. He has been on the music faculty there since 1973, having served as Chair of Fine Arts from 1994 to 2013. He holds Bachelor of Music, and Master of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Georgia and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. In addition to his duties as Chair of Fine Arts at Berry College, Dr. Pethel taught music theory, composition and arranging, world music, and low brass lessons.  He retired from Berry College in May 2016.  Dr. Pethel is a widely published composer and arranger with over 1300 works in publication with 30 different publishers.  His writing includes works for choir, piano, organ/piano duet, symphonic band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, handbells, solo instrument and piano, and various chamber music ensembles. He is a regular recipient of the ASCAP Standard Award. Dr. Pethel has served as minister of music at several area churches in the Northwest Georgia area.

He is married to Jo Ann Pethel, a pianist and music educator. They have three children and five grandchildren.

JMG:  What and when was your first published piece of music?  How did it feel to see your music and name in print for the first time?

SP:  It goes back a way.  Back in 1976 I composed a setting of Patrick Henry’s Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech, four movement oratorio style, college choir level.  The Berry College Concert Choir performed it and it was a big success locally. There was a fellow in the audience that wanted to publish it, so he started a publishing company.  Well, nice idea and it sold a few hundred copies, but that company didn’t last but a few years even with some anthems added later on as well.

 My first “national” publication was a setting of a text from the 1956 hymnal, Are Ye Able Said the Master in a denominational publication titled Gospel Choir in the late 1970’s.  Those periodicals became a great outlet for my writing in those days.  It’s still rewarding to see your name in print.

JMG:  What do you enjoy most about the compositional process?  

 SP:  It varies.  Sometimes it’s a blank page to a completed work. This can happen with anything from a symphonic band piece to a piano prelude.

 Other times it is the arrangement of an existing tune in a different treatment, or perhaps an existing text to a new tune.

 Either way, it’s a matter of creating a moment in time for listeners using music.  Music for me, is basically using notes, rhythm and often lyrics to create a meaningful and interesting  experience for the listener.   The neat thing about music is that it can be re-created, maybe not exactly the same way, but basically it can happen again and again.  Just think of the classics by Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, et al.

JMG:  Who have been the most influential people in your writing career?

 SP:  I’m sure my fellow composers and arrangers in the church music field will agree that we have been given special gift from God to do what we do, and a unique role to play.  It is up to us to use that gift in a responsible way.

 Along the way there are those who help you develop your skills.  Here are mine:

 My high school band director, Ron Evans,  a fine musician and conductor.  He started me on trombone and became my mentor.  My arranging career started in high school doing Herb Alpert tunes and other pop tunes charts for my high school band.

 My college music composition instructor at the University of Georgia, Dr. John Corina, an oboist, church musician, organist and composer.  He made me get serious about music composition.

 JMG:  You have a musical out with JMG (on the Alfred Sacred imprint) titled “There’s a Song in the Air.”  Tell us about that! 

 SP:  I’m a child of the 1956 Baptist Hymnal and one of my favorite carols was and is There’s a Song in the Air. 

 It’s a fine melody that I could use in a simplified “leit motiv” kind of way, and it includes a lot of the Christmas story.

 It will sound great with a smaller choir and even better with a large one.  Traditional telling of the Christmas story with familiar carols and original music.  An optional drama is available on-line for no charge.

 JMG:  With the changing tides of church music styles over the last few decades, what encouragement can you give to choir directors of today’s church?

 SP:  We have witnessed some major changes or perhaps better stated a broadening movement in church music in the last 20 years that is primarily generational in my opinion.  I remember the first time I saw a drum set in a church sanctuary about 1966 for the musical Good News.  Scandalous!  Now it’s rather commonplace.

 I would encourage today’s church music leaders not to abandon the importance of choral singing and congregational participation.  Avoid the “performers on stage syndrome” and keep the emphasis on congregational participation, quality of music, and a worship centered presentation.  Musical literacy may be on the decline, but the historical foundations of music for the church have not changed.

 There are churches of all sizes and styles these days.  Music leaders will hopefully lead in worship with both new songs and the heritage hymns of our faith.

 JMG:  Is there a writing project you have yet to tackle or hope to accomplish?

 SP:  Not really.  Over the course of my career I’ve composed and/or arranged for everything from unaccompanied flute to full orchestra with a saxophone section!  There’s even a concerto for trombone and orchestra from my graduate school days.  Maybe a soundtrack for a documentary?

 JMG:  Do you have a favorite story of conducting something you wrote?

 SP:  I get some comments at Composer Days that are quite interesting.

 Concert attendee:  “Every song you right is better than the next one.” (Think about that )

 Concert attendee:  “The music you write has meant so much to my husband since he lost his mind.”

 Concert attendee:  “Your music is like water to a drowning man.”

 And my favorite:

 Elderly lady:   Stan, “You look just like my third husband.”        Me:  “That’s something.  How many husbands have you had?”        Elderly lady:  “Two!”

 JMG:  “Getting to Know….Stan Pethel” -  Our “Lightning Round” of quick questions and answers:

 -What is on your summer reading list?

 SP:  My two favorite authors are Joel Rosenberg and John Grisham.  I read just about anything they write.  Right now, I’m in process of reading John Grisham’s Gray Mountain.

 -What types of music do you listen to most?

 SP:  Southern gospel, jazz standards (especially anything with a good trombone soloist), and blue grass.

 -What is your favorite vacation spot?

 SP:  The Caribbean.  Jamaica, St. Lucia, Bahamas, etc.

 -What is your favorite summertime frozen treat?

 SP:  Pineapple sherbet!  Mayfield preferred, but any brand will do.

 JMG:  Thank you, Stan, for your time today.  You’ve long since earned a following with music directors literally around the world for your playable and singable arrangements.  Keep up the great work, and we’re honored to have your music with Jubilate Music Group.

Browse Stan Pethel's publications here.

Editor’s Note: The following interview was conducted by Mark Cabaniss of Jubilate Music Group.  Mark says “Doing this interview with Mark Blankenship was a true honor and pleasure.  Mark’s work as a composer/arranger/producer/publisher and church musician has had a profound influence on my life and career…reaching all the way back to my high school days.  Mark encouraged me to follow my dreams when I first spoke to him as a 17-year old, and he has continued to be a source of encouragement and wisdom in my life and career.  I am one of countless individuals who has been inspired by his life, career and his music…and I am deeply honored to call him friend and colleague.  We’re thrilled at Jubilate Music Group to have his music in our catalog.”

JMG:  Mark, you’ve had  rich and varied career in the church music publishing industry as a composer, arranger, orchestrator, producer, conductor, and publisher (not to mention your work as a singer on national television with Buryl Red and in the local church).  Of all of those varied roles through the years, do you have a favorite one of them all?  If so, why?

MB:  Needless to say, I enjoyed every minute of it all. Most of my training was in the study of voice, and I received my Master of Music degree in Opera and Song Literature from The University of Texas in Austin.  While studying there, I also took some additional course work in composition and arranging, as well as studying orchestration.  I was a full-time music and youth minister the entire time I was working on my Master degree, as well as being married and our having a new-born baby daughter Beth.  

I began seeing many anthems being published by various evangelical publishers.  I said to myself, I think I can do that . . . and I did.  So my writing creativity was developing, and building upon my Church Music Degree I received at Oklahoma Baptist University.  Since I did not attend seminary, being a pastor’s son, attending OBU, and having Dr. Warren M. Angell as a mentor, gave me be a great foundation for my ministry work in the local church. So I really enjoyed local church music ministry, and then came all the prolific composition, arranging, orchestrating, producing recordings, and being involved in publishing church music.

JMG:  What was your first published anthem and how did it come about?   

MB:  My first arrangement was with Crescendo Press in Dallas (which is no longer in the business).  Then I had a few pieces taken by LifeWay (The Baptist Sunday School Board). That followed with a folk-rock collection of songs, which I first wrote for a contemporary high school ensemble at First Baptist Church, Midland, TX, and it was published by Lillenas. There were 10 selections in that collection called “Revelation" and that was influenced in musical style by much of what Ralph Carmichael and Kurt Kaiser had been writing in their youth musicals.

 JMG:  As a composer, you’ve written dozens and dozens of anthems through the many years…let alone several best-selling musicals (such as “Kneel at the Cross”).  But readers probably best know your song (with lyrics by Terry York) titled “Worthy of Worship.”  How did that hymn come about? 

MB:  Genevox had asked Terry York and me to write an Easter musical for the smaller size church.  We were in that process when Terry told me that he wanted to end the musical with a song that gave praise to the worthiness of our God.  He handed the lyrics to me at Ridgecrest Music Week in June of 1987. I wrote the music to “Worthy of Worship” the day after I returned home from that music conference.  The musical “Praise the Risen Savior” was released in 1988.  

Sometime in 1988 and 1989 when [the 1991 edition of] The Baptist Hymnal was being put together, Terry came to me and asked that I would put “Worthy of Worship” in a hymn format.  I did, and the committee accepted it, and the rest is history.  The hymn has been included in many hymnals and has been sung around the world.

JMG:  Through the years, you’ve had the wonderful blessing of conducting and hearing countless performances of your work.  Can you share a particularly meaningful occasion of one of those performances?  

MB:  Again, I have enjoyed conducting them all, but I guess three have remained stuck in my mind.  The first musical that I wrote (Kneel at the Cross), was written for the large adult choir and orchestra at North Phoenix Baptist Church, where I served for a short time.  It was also my first major attempt at orchestration as well.  The Lord blessed the performances there as well as when it was published and premiered at Ridgecrest and Glorieta Music Weeks in the summer of 1975.  The second musical was the youth musical The Followers, with book and lyrics by Ed Seabough.  It was commissioned by and written for the Baptist Youth World Congress in Manila, Philippines in 1979.  This was an incredible event and the musical was one of the many highlights of the conference.  The third was a commissioned musical for the 50th anniversary of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA.  I wrote both the music and lyrics for Children of God, based on the book of 1 John.  It has always been amazing to me at the quality of choirs and orchestras which were found in local churches in 1975 and beyond and Broadmoor Baptist was one of those.  There have been more musicals that have come from my pen, but I guess these early three remain strongly in my memory.

 JMG:  In your many roles in the church music industry, and as an active church musician for decades, you’ve certainly witnessed sweeping changes in worship music.  What words of encouragement and tips for success can you offer today’s church music leader of choirs?  

MB:  I have lived through many of the changes in music experienced by churches across the country.  Many have tried to relate church growth or great worship to one style of music or another.  Or even that one style or the other will reach more people or help them to worship the Lord in a better way.  This subject has been discussed in so many speeches, articles, and books for the last fifty years.  I feel there is really no easy answer or solution for a particular church.  I think that the local church must allow the Lord Jesus to direct them through their prayers and supplications, and find what is the best direction for that Church to go.  They should not just mimic a “growing church” in their city.  I personally like most styles of music, and have written in most musical styles used in evangelical churches today.  I think that most, but not all churches find the niche for their particular church by doing a blended style of worship music which incorporate most of the musical styles available today, and then may decide to emphasize one musical style over another one. 

I must admit that I am disturbed and disappointed by the blatant decision by many worship leaders to not use our rich heritage of great hymnody.  There is ALWAYS a time in worship for “Holy, Holy, Holy,” Blessed Assurance," “A Mighty Fortress,” or "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."

JMG:  Jubilate Music Group is the publisher of the new “Mark Blankenship Choral Series.”  You’ve had choral series devoted to your music in the past.  What is your vision and dream for this new series?

MB:  I think that good choral music remains for a long time, though not always sung by many churches since the year in which the music was written.  I hope that some of my early writings that are not known as well to many churches might still see the light of day if they are reworked and released again for churches to use.  I also want to provide some new creative compositions that still reflect my writing style, and hope they will find a place in worship for many churches in all denominations. I am always looking for wonderful lyrics from people I don’t yet know, for excellent lyrics are hard to find.

JMG:  Although your bio says you’re retired, I know that’s not quite the case.  You’re seemingly as busy and enthusiastic as ever.  Tell us about some of your favorite things you’re doing these days.

MB:  Through the years I enjoyed racquetball, running, basketball, golf and other sports. But I find that in my "senior years” I enjoy spending more time with my wife Judy (we’ve been married 55 years), and we both love seeing much of the U.S.A. that we have never seen before.  We now live near our son Britt and his family in Huntsville, AL.  We also enjoy visiting New York City where our daughter Beth and her family live.  I find great delight in reading Biblical Commentaries of New Testament books.  To read in-depth explanations and insights from wonderful theologians is quite a treat for my soul, and I pray draws me closer to the Lord Jesus Christ whom I worship and serve, and for whom all this music has been written and will be written in future years.

Browse Mark Blankenship’s publications here.