Internship: Congregational Songwriting for the Urban Context

I'm happy to announce that I'm piloting an internship program through my church community that will focus on writing congregational worship songs for the urban context. In this program, 4 interns will study theology, worship, and African-American music by the decade within its historical context, so that they can write theologically informed worship songs for the urban congregational context. 

The link to more information about the internship you can go to: 

http://www.eastendfellowship.org/worship-music-and-songwriting-summer-internship/2011/05/10/

The internship is a paid internship. If you know of anybody age 18-25 that would be interested, would you please let them know about it.

Thanks,

David

With Willingness, Skill, and Creativity, You Can Contextualize Anything

This past weekend I was one of the presenters for a leadership program called Richmond Christian Leadership Institute (RCLI).   The purpose of RCLI is to give Christian leaders a civic and Biblical understand of topics that affect the Richmond Region.  I went through the inaugural class and now I serve on the board.  It’s a great program and organization, you should check out the RCLI website.

This weekend’s topic was “Culture & Mind Molding”.  I shared a little about the type of work I do and how I help churches and organizations contextualize their music to reach the demographic they desire to reach.  I have found that there are 3 phases that are needed to help organizations contextualize their music and reach out cross culturally:

1.)  Awareness of the Need to Change

2.)  Willingness to Change

3.)  Skill and Creativity to Change

My RCLI talk was an introduction to the awareness to change, but the video below will show you what willingness, skills, and creativity can do.

Many of you all may be familiar with Will Smith and his TV Show, “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.  If you want a reminder of the theme song, click here to view the original song.  The video below will show you one way that music can be contextualize with creativity and skill.