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March 2005 Table of Contents
Off The Top Of My Head
Dixie
By Jerry Evans
 As I sit to write my article for this quarters Communicator, many thoughts and emotions are running through my mind. I reflect on the past month and the conferences and I feel joy and anticipation for the many new products introduced by the publishers and some incredible thoughts that were placed before us by our speakers. One of the highlights of all the conferences to me was hearing Dave Williamson share his thoughts about "the Volunteer, the Committed, and the Covenant choir. It made me rethink everything that I was telling my choir concerning their faithfulness. Dave is one of these rare jewels in this industry. Not only is he a tremendous writer and arranger, but he also is a worship pastor and to top it all is an outstanding speaker and seminar leader. If you don't know much about Dave, I would suggest that you find out more. You can thank me later.
We had many new products and even a few new companies introduced at the January Worship America conferences. Integrity continues to roll out more and more worship resources and the response to these has been nothing short of phenomenal. Kim Noblett and G3 Worship introduced the first ever E-Choral collection called SURROUNDED. I'm not sure whether this is the wave of the future or not but the response was pretty good. We unveiled the second edition of Hymns For This Generation and found that there is a great need for this product. The thing that seems to be the sales point for both these products is they allow you to buy as much or as little as you want. You pick and choose. There are still many dangers in this format especially in cross company copyrites. I believe it will continue to have a small place in the music industry but, like your daily newspaper, which in a lot of cases can be downloaded, the majority of our music will continue to come to us in a pre-printed form.
Word, Brentwood-Benson, Lillenas, and other of our major publishers had many (too many to name) new and exciting products. Praise Gathering has a major hit in the new "Alpha Praise" products. This new division is headed by Tom Fettke (where have I heard that name before?) and he's writing like we haven't seen in many years. Keep up the good work Randy and Tom. (OK you too Jay) David Clydesdale and Deborah Craig-Claar have teamed up to bring us what seems to be the biggest patriotic musical for this year. Our Flag Was Still There is not only a good work but one that is attainable for most any choir.
I got an e-mail the other day which really set me to thinking from a person who, for reasons you will understand, did not identify himself. He wrote to share with me a problem in his life that he feels is a major problem in the ministry, internet pornography. After reading his letter and praying about it I felt that what he had to say would be helpful to all our readers. We are going to run at least three articles from him about his dealing with this problem. Part of his e-mail read as follows
"Several years ago at one of your Church Music USA conferences one of the speakers in the morning worship service challenged us, saying "Some of you are looking at things on TV and other places this week so bad that if your church at home knew about it, you wouldn't have a church when you got home." Or something to that effect. I wish I could recall what year it was or who was speaking, but I cannot. That statement struck home for me that day, because I knew I had a problem with pornography. I could not own up to it that day, and could not for many years since. But last year I finally was able to, through some providential circumstances, and my experience in recovery since then has been absolutely amazing. I have learned so much this year, about myself, about this problem and how many other men face it. I was startled to learn that estimates are that half the people in the evangelical church today have a problem with internet pornography. Estimates for men in the ministry are not much better, around 40 percent. My Christian counselor has said that he thinks this is the number one problem in the church today. Chuck Swindoll said the same thing this year also."
I pray that these articles will help you in your ministry or in your personal life. I have no idea if there are others who need this help, but my fear is that we can't afford not to address it.
All of the emotions that I experience as I sit here are not joyful or even thought provoking. We in the field of church music lost a great lady this past month. Oh, as I mention her name, most of you won't recognize it but rest assured she is a star in heaven. Dixie Thompson was more than a customer of J & J Music she was a friend to Jackie and me and to the many of you who met her at some of the conferences over the years. I asked that I be allowed to put her picture in my article this quarter not because she directed the largest choir nor did the biggest productions, but because Dixie always ministered. We had the privilege of visiting her at her church several years ago and were blown away by how the people to whom she ministered, loved and respected her. She was an encourager. I have received phone calls at times when things were just not great to tell me that she was praying for us and she believed what we were doing mattered. She was a worship leader. One year at our Branson conference, one of our worship leaders didn't show up so we ask Dixie, with about 24 hours notice, to lead the worship time. I recall it as one of the most creative worship services that I have ever experienced. No screens, no band, no praise team, just worship.
I worry sometimes that in our desire to do the next big thing that we forget that our first calling was to minister. I want you to know about one who never forgot. She is with the Lord today but I want to introduce her to you. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Dixie Thompson, Minister in Music.
We love you Dixie.
Jerry
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