Church Music in the Real World

The Church Musician's Handbook For the Rest of Us

by Bob Burroughs

This review by Edwin M. Willmington

The name of Bob Burroughs is familiar to anyone who has a significant church background. Bob has been one of the most prolific composers around for many years. He comes to be the author of this book with ample experience to give him credibility, not only as composer but as church music minister and college professor.

The book is not overwhelming in scope or size but centers on practical applications — where church music rubber meets the road. There are four major sections included in the book. They are Personal Musicianship, Personal Relationships, Personal Care, and Personal Commitment. Each of those sections is broken down into subsections where issues are addressed in differing manners. At times, Bob uses his own experience to make his point. At times, he uses scripture for application. At other times, humor is the vehicle. At the end of each subsection, there is a Food For Thought section in which the reader can formulate their own thoughts about the reading. This adds to the practical level of the book.

There is one chapter that I wish I'd written. It is just six pages that make the whole book worthwhile — pages 7-12. The subsection is about things to consider regarding rehearsals. I think that one of the most overlooked areas of church music training — whether it be in internship programs or colleges — is the preparation, the doing, the psychology — of rehearsals. This is the place you meet and work with your fellow servants of the Lord the greatest amount of time. It should take a high priority in the life of any music minister — but I'm convinced it doesn't. Bob gives some VERY helpful thoughts about the rehearsal process. He maintains that every rehearsal must be "musical, fun, and spiritual." If every music minister would follow his advice, I'm convinced that we'd have a lot more God-honoring choirs and orchestras, as well as happier participants!

The one drawback to the book is that Bob's background is extremely Southern Baptist. For someone who has no previous connection to the Southern Baptist world, there is some terminology that can be neither understandable nor applicable. I sometimes think that those who are Southern Baptist are so inside of their system that they fail to realize how foreign it is to the rest of the music ministry world.

So, read this book. It's a paperback that won't cost you much or take lots of time to consume, but it will give you lots of practical bang for your buck.

EMW

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