Peace

Artists

Album Info

Label: American Artists

From the album back:

This record album is unique for two reasons. 1. Nearly all of the songs contained in it
are original. 2. One section contains a song and story sequence on the life of Fanny
Crosby, best known of the nineteenth century hymn writers. Both of these
characteristics reflect qualities of our music ministry. God has given us a ministry of
musical helps in the churches. We attempt to “lend a hand” in the development and
growth of local church music programs including choirs, revivals, clinics, conferences,
concerts, and sermons. In these we try to be both forward-looking and retrospective.
Surely the great accomplishments of the past ought not to be discarded and ignored.
Our present-day church music can benefit much from studying the methods and
instructions of Ira Sankey, PP. Bliss, Homer Rodeheaver, and others. Attacks are
being made to destroy this musical heritage in hymns by the liberal church movement,
and biblical music programs are endangered by the loss of interest in hymnology
already evident. We believe in the local church program, the only one of which the
New Testament speaks, and reject the “superficiality” and “easy believism,” post-
millenialism and “universal churchism,” of so many modern gospel musicians. But we
do not have our heads in the sand. We are not pessimistic. It is God’s will for the
church to sing (Eph. 5:18-20; Col. 3:16-17), and not just “psalms and hymns,” but
“spiritual songs” of constant and continuing creation.

Like lsaac Watts, who, when he critized the stodgy, formalism of his church music,
was told to “write something better if he could,” we feel fundamental, Bible-believing,
Baptist musicians should produce more music for Bible-believing, Baptist churches.
That’s why we have written and published songs and hope to write more. You will find
no false doctrine in our songs, but you will find Bible doctrine, and Bible truth, and
Bible standards. The Lord began our song ministry, sometimes even waking us at night
with a thought and a tune.

We do not “revolutionize” or “modernize” or “revitalize.” We “evangelize.” Church
music ministries do not need to be torn down, but built up and charged with the real
purpose of their existence, - “teaching and admonishing one another,” as they
enhance and reinforce the preaching of the Word. “And Elisha said, . . . now bring me
a minstrel (musician). And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of
the Lord came upon him. And he said, . . . ll Kings 3:14-16.

Church music is the handmaiden of preaching. Rightly used it is an effective tool in
the salvation of the lost and edification of believers. We want to be found using it that
way.

Ron and Pat Secrest

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