Reflections as 2023 SBC Music Director
/God called me to ministry when I was 16 years old. He called me to serve His church and to lead people to worship the matchless excellencies of Christ Jesus. To me there is nothing greater than singing songs to my savior. As a worship leader, I have the exciting responsibility of inviting others to join in the song!
Last week I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead worship for my denomination’s annual meeting, and it was absolutely incredible! At times, there were 18,000 people in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA, as I led worship for the Southern Baptist Convention. Most worship leaders will never have that opportunity, so I am very grateful that God stewarded me with the job. It had been a dream of mine to lead an original song for such a large group of people, and God allowed me to sing the song I co-wrote with Kris Redus, “Do Not grow Weary,” as the final song last Wednesday. How cool is that!?
As I reflect on the experience, I wanted to share some things I learned/re-learned and some things I am thankful for.
Three Things I Learned/Re-Learned:
1) People Who Love Jesus Love to Sing Together
I know that because of my love for Jesus, I love to sing. It doesn’t take much to get me up on Sunday morning to worship God, because all I have to do is think about the amazing fact that God demonstrated his own love for me through Jesus dying on the cross for me even when I was a sinner (Romans 5:8). Yet sometimes it seems like worship can be so lackadaisical, and worship leaders often complain about how lethargic and unengaged their congregations are.
Coming into the SBC 2023, I wanted to pick songs that people knew, therefore removing any barrier to them singing along. I remember one of the first things Mrs. Tracy Barber, Bart’s wife, told me about picking music was, “Those people love Jesus and will sing if you just give them something they can sing. Often no one knows the songs, and they can’t sing along.”
It is challenging to pick songs for a group of people as diverse as Southern Baptists are. I know that we have churches who sing traditional hymns, southern gospel, modern CCM, modern hymns, African-American traditional hymns, gospel, bluegrass, the Gaithers, Bethel, the Gettys, Hillsong, Passion, Fanny Crosby, Chris Tomlin, choral music, band music, and everything in between. So I intentionally chose really well-known contemporary songs by referencing the CCLI Top 100 and the Southern Baptist CCLI Top 100 (yes that is a thing), but avoided controversial songs. I also chose interesting modern arrangements of well-known hymns. We did some gospel because we were in New Orleans. We did bluegrass and Southern Gospel/Southern Rock versions of “Because He Lives” and “Victory in Jesus.” I also tried to choose songs by Baptists because I am tired of us outsourcing all our lyrics to people who don’t agree with us theologically and missiologically. God has given us a voice for our own churches!
At the end of the day, the most important step was praying and asking God to bless the work. I told the choir, orchestra, and band that our top two goals were to “Exalt Christ” and “Encourage the people to sing.” I believe God answered those prayers. The participation was through the roof during our group worship times and the singing was particularly gripping as we sang “Amazing Grace,” “Behold Our God,” and “Revelation Song.” Everyone gathered together to exalt Christ, and it was a blessing to sing and worship Him together. Praise God!
2) The Word of God is Powerful and Important in Corporate Worship
I am so grateful that every pastor and every church I have served with has understood the importance of reading the Bible during the entirety of corporate worship and not just before the sermon. Paul told Timothy “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13, ESV). Many times it is argued that reading Scripture in between songs interrupts the flow of worship. First off, this is an unbiblical argument. Flow is important, but following God’s word is more important. Secondly, I find it to be false. Scripture augments the flow of worship when done well.
If you missed it, go back and watch Nelly Juarez read the full chapter of Revelation 4 before we sang “Revelation Song.” It was so powerfully moving and worshipful that it helped exalt Christ, helped us focus on our heavenly Father and the Lamb on the throne, and led beautifully into the singing of the song that is based on that scripture. I am very grateful for “Christ-Centered Worship” by Bryan Chappell, “Worship Matters” by Bob Kauflin, and “Scripture-Guided Worship” by Joe Crider (who will be leading the music at the SBC in 2024), which all have shaped my commitment to the public reading of Scripture in corporate worship.
As “people of the book,” Baptists should be leading the way in our commitment to the public reading of Scripture in worship, not lagging behind, like it seems we have been for decades. Y’all, God’s Word is SO GOOD! Make it a priority to read it more in your worship services!
3) Worship Leaders Continue to Need Quality Training
a. In congregational song
b. In music
c. In technology
d. In philosophy
e. In Pastoral care/shepherding/ministry
Although the job of SBC Music Director can be done by a variety of people and can be accomplished in a variety of ways, the experience and teaching I have received in the five areas enumerated above helped me be able to serve in this role. I also serve as an Adjunct Professor of Worship at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and am very grateful for the men and women serving in colleges, universities, and seminaries who are teaching the next generation of worship leaders. Let me recommend that we double down in our commitment to teach in these five areas.
Congregational song will help worship leaders “know the room” and “know the history” which helps them pick singable songs to edify the people. Music theory and training in voice and instruments is necessary for us to be as excellent and skilled as possible as leaders. I admit I learned about almost all of the technology used last week on my own. However, higher education is doing more now to teach the next generation about In-Ear-Monitors, click tracks, STEMs, audio-visual-lighting, video editing, and presentation software, and this is so necessary. Philosophy helped me formulate my commitment to a variety of musical styles when possible, utilizing multiple languages at times, including a choir, and planning a biblically-informed flow of worship. Pastoral care and shepherding is so critical for worship leaders so that we don’t just plan songs but also minister to souls.
Three Things I Am Thankful For:
“I Thank my God every time I remember you, in all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:3-5, NIV)
1) I Am Thankful for My Pastor Bart Barber
I am so grateful that God stirred in Pastor Bart Barber a willingness to recommend to the search committee a 24-year old seminary graduate to be Associate Pastor/Worship Pastor at FBC Farmersville in May of 2015. Bart is the kind of pastor who always tells you what a great a job you are doing. He is the kind of pastor who sneaks up in the tenor section of the choir every now and again just because he loves to sing and be involved. He is the kind of pastor that has rejoiced with me when I have rejoiced and mourned with me and my family when we have mourned.
I am so thankful that Bart asked me to lead the music at the SBC in 2023. He and I are in complete agreement on worship philosophy. Any plan I come up with is generally what he is thinking already. Any time he makes a request, it is pretty much what I was thinking already. It is fun to be on the same wavelength like that. At one point in the convention, Bart was kicking things back to the worship team and he told the messengers, “I know James Cheesman like the back of my hand, and I know he would want you to stand right now- right James?” He was right; we were about to read a call to worship and then sing “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”
Bart was so encouraging to me throughout the convention. He came by and saw the choir and band multiple times and excitedly thanked them for their leadership and remarked how great the congregational singing was. I was also grateful for Bart’s even-keeled, gracious leadership during the business meeting of the SBC.
2) I Am Thankful for The Amazing Team God Assembled
We had an amazingly fun time playing and singing together last week. The team had such a spirit of camaraderie and joy that it was palpable and contagious. It was bittersweet when we finished our last set because we all enjoyed the time together so much! Thank you to all who sang on the platform with me, who played in the band, who played in the orchestra, and all who sang in the choir either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Thank you to the Lifeway production team, led by Kevin Jarrell. Thank you to Duran, Adrian, Chris, and Chuck with Lifeway. Thanks to Blackhawk audio, including Rick, James, Austin, Tristan, and Jaylon.
Here is a list of all the musicians, who came from Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee:
James Cheesman (vocals, mandolin, piano) FBC Farmersville TX
Georgia Logan (fiddle) FBC Covington LA
Augustine Hui (acoustic guitar, vocals) Metairie Church, Metairie LA
Kenny Hilliard (banjo, guitar, mandolin, vocals) Nashville, TN
Claire Hilliard (vocals) Nashville, TN
Hugo Encorrada (bass, upright bass) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX
Quint Adkins (drums) Westwego, LA; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Chris Callahan (electric guitar) New Orleans, LA
Rick Draper (organ, vocals) Baton Rouge, LA
Sterling Shanks (vocals) First Baptist Church Hurst, TX
Chloe Ward (vocals) SWBTS
Adam Watson (vocals) FBC Covington, LA
Stephanie Venson (vocals) FBC Covington, LA
Daram Choi (piano) FBC Covington, LA
The orchestra of FBC Covington, LA
Larry Cheesman (trombone) FBC Cuero, TX
Tuesday: combined choirs of FBC Covington, LA, FBC Farmersville, TX, and Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, and Southwestern A Cappella
Wednesday: vocal team- Southwestern A Cappella (SWBTS)
Wednesday: combined choirs of FBC Farmersville, TX, New Orleans Singers (NOBTS), and FBC Mandeville, LA
Directors: Adam Watson and David Logan, FBC Covington, LA. Ellis Lindsey, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. Dr. Jessica McMillan, New Orleans Singers. Dr. Chuck Lewis, Southwestern A Cappella. Jared Purvis, FBC Mandeville, LA.
3) I Am Thankful for My Church: FBC Farmersville
We have an amazingly supportive church. Thank you to all the staff who helped give people rides in New Orleans and helped me get everything done. Thanks to the volunteers like my wife Megan Cheesman, along with Heather Hodge, Judy Williams, Barbara Williams, Bob Collins, and Joanna Robertson who helped with choir music, shirts, and logistics.
I love my FBCF Choir! It was so awesome to have 27 of them singing both days. I am thankful for their commitment, hard work, and hearts for worshipping the Lord! On Tuesday as Sterling and Chloe were rocking “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” I was just minding my own business, stepping to the gospel groove, when I looked over at the choir for a split second. I saw a handful of our choir members with their hands raised and singing their hearts out, and it brought me to tears right there on the platform. There is no one greater than Jesus. There is nothing better than getting to worship Him. The fact that I got to lead worship for our family of churches with my FBCF church family on the platform with me last week was something I will never forget!