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BCMC JOURNAL 2003
CHORAL MUSIC IN MISSIONS
By Fred Spann
Presented at the Baptist
Church Music Conference, Broadmoor
Baptist
Church, Shreveport, Louisiana, June 3, 2003
Edited by Jere Adams
Acts
Chapter 13 relates how on the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas they
were invited to testify to governors and politicians. In Acts 13:7 we read that
they were summoned by the "proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence . .
. to hear the word of God." (Acts 13:7) Those first missionaries were privileged
to witness in neutral situations, to secular audiences. As we served in Brazil
we had many similar opportunities to share the gospel through choral music. In
the most unexpected ways the North Brazil seminary choir was asked to witness,
often representing evangelicals at official ceremonies of the military or at
special city and state government events. We received invitations to sing with
the Recife city orchestra; we competed in various national and international
choral festivals. With rare exceptions, we sang every selection in the
Portuguese language, even the "classics," for communication of the text was
considered a paramount objective. We made diverse trips to virtually all the
states in Brazil performing in civic auditoriums, opera houses, universities as
well as local churches; audiences usually consisted of two-thirds non-Christian
persons.
On one
journey we were invited to sing in a town which had only a small Christian
congregation. The son of the evangelist leader was a seminary student in our
choir. So we stopped in the "sertao" - the interior part of the state of Pernambuco – at Exu, a well-known, little village famous because one of the most
popular folk composers of
Brazil
hailed from there. As we approached, our bus was stopped by guards; they began
to search for firearms because there was a family feud in progress between two
clans – the Sampaios and the Alencars. When they discovered a Bible in my
briefcase and I explained the purpose of our visit, they allowed us go on into
town.
That
night we gave a choral concert of Christian music, clearly delineating the plan
of salvation. We sang in the town square because the forty choir members would
completely fill the small space where the congregation was meeting. On that
Monday evening approximately 1,000 people attended with armed guards all around
and the audience neatly divided - the Sampaios on one side and the Alencars on
the other. But right in the middle on the front row was Luiz Gonzaga, the famous
folk singer, composer and accordionist. He had flown up from Rio de Janeiro in
his private plane just for our program.
We had
prepared to sing a rendition of his most famous folk song ‘White Wing." The idea
of the text is that people suffer terribly from drought in that parched
semi-desert area but when the little white-winged bird begins to appear, it is a
sure sign that rains are forthcoming. Therefore those who have left for a better
life in the cities, feeling a deep longing for their place of birth, begin to
return home to the Sertao.
Luiz
Gonzaga was obviously emotionally impressed as we finished our program singing a
special arrangement of "White Wing." After giving me a burly Brazilian hug, he
asked to speak to the group. He invited all of us to stay with him at his ranch
appropriately named "White Wing." Before leaving the local area the choir mingled
with the audience and the soldiers (in this instance well over 95 per cent
non-Christian) talking with those who manifested interest in the gospel and
noting their names. This information was given to the leader of the Christian
group of the town. Then we proceeded to Luiz Gonzaga's ranch.
At his
home Luiz gave a private concert of his music, presented us with his latest
recording and we visited for over an hour. I spoke with him about the gospel of
Christ and the importance of becoming a Christian. He said, "I really wish I had
raised my children as Christians for their sense of values is all up-side-down
and Rio is such a wicked place. Oh, that I had heard this
message sooner in my life. I truly want to accept Christ, but not just now."
Luiz
Gonzaga, as was Sergius Paulus, the proconsul on Cyprus, "amazed at the teaching
of the Lord." (Acts 13:12) We felt a warmth and acceptance in that place, even
though encircled by armed guards and so very few Christians present. On this
particular trip we sang to senators and national leaders at the capital city
Brasilia, in the baroque opera house on the Amazon River, in universities, on
T.V. appearing in 10 states. At that time evangelical television programs were
just getting started. In the city of Fortaleza the director of the program, also
a former choir member, made the comment that they would replay that concert from
now on until the Lord returns!
Just
before our retirement I spoke in the beautiful, majestic Memorial Baptist church
in Brasilia. I told the congregation that if I had another life to live for
Christ, I would give it also to serve the Lord through music in Brazil.
Brazilian youth are so musical, so anxious to learn, so willing to witness to
their own through music that our ministry is multiplied exponentially, even
today. Ex-students are serving as ministers of music in large churches with
complete programs, others teach music privately or in the schools on the side to
make ends meet, while others have established "miniature music conservatories"
based in the local church. Some lead choirs sponsored by city governments,
factories or universities using repertoire we published.
While on
the mission field we discovered that beautiful music has a strange way of
communicating unusual feelings to a listener in such a way that he yields
unresistingly, as it were, to an aesthetic allurement and thus involuntarily
assimilates even what is most alien to his nature. Music functions in missions
for it illuminates the gospel as an unparalled method for expressing what one
feels about God.
We are
conscious of the fact that the International Mission Board is not appointing
many music missionaries who will serve just as we did, however, we also know
that if anyone feels that the Lord is leading them to use music in their
ministry on foreign soil, the IMB will carefully consider that desire and work
with you. Personally I want to thank the Lord for the opportunity of being
able to teach and train Brazilian youth to serve God through Christian choral
music.
Fred Spann is a retired music missionary from Brazil,
the International Mission Board, now living in Colt,
Arkansas, and serving as Minister of Music, First
Baptist Church, Parkin , Arkansas.
Jere Adams is Editor of BCMC Publications,
Nashville, Tennessee
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