I developed an interest in music ministry at an early age, and was nurtured in that interest by the churches of my childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After the happy surprise of winning the high school division of a choral composition contest sponsored by Oklahoma Baptists, I was encouraged to develop the skills of composition for use in my ministry.
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In 1986 I received a Bachelor of Music degree in Theory and Composition from the Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts at Oklahoma Baptist University. I continued preparation for music ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, where I graduated with a Master of Church Music degree in 1989 (when the school was devoted to progressive thought).
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At Southern Seminary I met my wife, Cindy, who is a gifted pianist/organist and church musician. We make our home in Knightdale, North Carolina, and joyfully share life with our two adult children, Ryan and Kelly, and their spouses, Jessica and Bryan.
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In 2001 I gratefully became the Minister of Music for Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina - one of the most liberal and open Baptist churches in the United States. The congregation's welcome statement gives voice to the church’s identity:
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Our community welcomes all:
The Certain and the Doubtful;
The Excluded and the Included;
People who are Able and People who are Challenged;
Rich, Poor and In Between;
Divorced, Partnered, Single and Widowed;
Atheist, Agnostic,
Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish or Nothing;
Heterosexual, Homosexual and Transgendered;
African-American, Asian, Latino; Citizens and Guests.
The Certain and the Doubtful;
The Excluded and the Included;
People who are Able and People who are Challenged;
Rich, Poor and In Between;
Divorced, Partnered, Single and Widowed;
Atheist, Agnostic,
Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish or Nothing;
Heterosexual, Homosexual and Transgendered;
African-American, Asian, Latino; Citizens and Guests.
It is in this inclusive context that I enjoy exploring ways that congregational, choral and instrumental music can engage and express an ever-evolving humanity.
For information on Pullen's Music Ministry go to: pullen.org/music.
For information on Pullen's Music Ministry go to: pullen.org/music.
