Bringing Worship to Life with Andrew Johnson

In this special episode, we discuss what it means to bring worship and music together as one! My friend, Andrew Jonson gives two powerful truths on how to bring our personal to a place of authenticity and truth. Here are some great moments from our talk:

"The first word and last word of affective music ministry is communication. I want to be able to take the variety of thoughts and phrases, musical notes, pitches, dynamics and key signatures that not only make the song sound good, but communicate a message. We attach our message to the melody.

"And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD" (Psalm 40:3).

"I'm not singing about the old life anymore. I'm not singing about selfish things. I'm singing about Jesus new in subject, new in sound. I sing from a redeemed sound."

Transcript

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Speaker 1

Today is a special edition of the podcast. When we have every once in a while, where we bring on a guest and just dive into their life and explore their walk with Jesus. I am excited today to have Andrew Johnson on the podcast. Andrew, thanks for being with us.

Speaker 2

Hey, glad to be with you, brother Tyler. We've been looking forward to this for a long time. Ever since we got to serve with you and your church. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1

Yes, Sir. For our audience, who may not know you real well, help us explore into your journey to Jesus.

Speaker 2

I did grew up in a Christian home. Now Christians are saved. Individuals that have put their faith in Jesus Christ and that Christian home is A is 1. Home that everybody in the house seeks to. Follow the Lord's directive and I'm glad that I grew up in a home like that. That's the grace of God. 

I'm glad that I was introduced to the gospel at a very early age. I was 4 just about five years old. The month before I turned 5, when I put my faith in Jesus Christ, after I had heard the gospel and I knew that I wanted to have a relationship with him, have all my sins forgiven and have a home in heaven. And that day I called upon the name of the Lord. Trusted him. The death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I was saved and. For some that grow up in church and make a commitment early, there's a time later on in their life when. They doubt it or they need reassurance. There's never been a point in my life where I have doubted what I did at that point. My mother led me to the Lord, and I trusted Jesus as my savior and. I got Jesus. Then I got the real thing. And so throughout my life I've had good examples in front of me. I've had a walk with the Lord. I had a godly grandmother. I had godly parents that made sure I was in church and and while I was in church, I had godly examples that taught me about a walk with the Lord. Throughout that time growing up at Christchurch Baptist Fellowship in Houston, TX. My pastor provided a great example of spiritual living. He's one of the godliest. As most spiritual individuals I know. Yes, well read very and very intelligent and very smart and. Hilarious and a great public speaker and preacher. But he's one of the godliest men that I know because he prayed the price, as he would say every morning he would get up before the sun would rise with he and another group of men at a function called alive at 5:00 every single day, and he'd have businessmen and. Lawyers and. And deacons and. Study school teachers gather there and pray, and that set a great example for how I should engage the Lord spiritually and how I would grow. I had to seek the Lord early, and so I I don't know if this is the way that you were exposed to it, but it certainly was for me I saw. A good example of how to walk with the Lord, spending much time in the secret place at where I would be spiritually equipped. And that's when I learned that. It's not just a network of people that you. Get in with it's not just Christianity at large or religion. But I needed to engage in a spiritual battle, and the only way I would win is if I would pray. And seek God's face. And a logical progression in the word of God. So I made commitments early to. Do what the Lord wanted me to do with my life.

 I was 17 years old when I. I'll put this in air quotes when I was called to preach, I felt very strongly to answer the call to go into vocational ministry. To enter into the labor force of the gospel. it was. Easter of my senior year of high school in 2001, when our public school. And their orchestra went from Houston, TX, to New York City, and during that Easter weekend we got to play in Carnegie Hall. I played the Viola. That's where my love for music started. When I was in fifth grade and. Added that Viola and understanding of music. And we got to do all the things in New York visited Times Square got to go up to the observation deck of the Empire State Building. You know, saw a Broadway play, but the most outstanding thing happened on that Easter Sunday. Half of our group went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral to go see Easter Mass there. And the other half stayed in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel and went around and shared something spiritual. And it was the first time when it came around to my turn that I got to share the gospel. With my high school orchestra members, people that I'd spent a lot of time with, people that I'd developed a testimony with, and now I got to share the gospel with. 

And at that point, I felt very strongly. I felt the Lord impressing upon me that he wanted me to do what I was doing right there for the rest of my life. I've just taken up personal evangelism class from a guy named Fred Kirkpatrick. A Deacon, a businessman in our church who took ten weeks to go over some essential scriptures, and we committed to set them to memory and we would encounter different. Scenarios of how to share the gospel and I got to share the gospel with my friends there and every year since that point, I've shared the gospel with somebody and seen them come to know the Lord as their savior throughout the rest of high school throughout the rest of college and throughout my life. I wanted to be a soul winner because I saw a good example of that. 

So every day I have a fresh opportunity. To engage the almighty. And the power of God's word. Through reading the Bible and praying. It gets it gets no simpler than that. If you want to grow, read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow, grow, grow. So I engage every single day in the word of God personally. That helps me. To teach my children also so we can talk a little bit more about that. A little bit later, but I saw some good examples early of what it meant to have a committed. Lifelong discipleship relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and it meant. Seeking the Lord's face in prayer. Reading in a systematic way in the Bible and then. Obeying the scripture. Being committed, committed to obeying the scripture. What I've what I've read letting the scripture wash my. Wash me from the inside out and. Follow in a spirit lead way.

Speaker 1

That's so good. That's so good. I think you know, you are a living testimony, really, of more is caught than taught. You know when you have those and I kind of call them here, refer to them here on the podcast as anchors. They're spiritual anchors. They're people that know when to blow the wind into your cells and push you forward. They're also people that anchor you down when the storms of life come. When the uncertainty comes when the decisions come. There are people that really anchor you down and it seems like you've had so many of those and your pastor, so many of those in your family as well, that showed you the way spiritually. And I think you know those that are listening. If you grew up in a certain environment like this where you have a Christian home, a Christian environment. Please do not despise that environment that is such a blessing from God, and I think there's so many people, you know, so many that I can recall that even are my. Like that. Now looking back it they they revolt against or kind of push back against their upbringing. Maybe because of of hurt or whatever the case may be, but they push against that, not realizing that was such the hand of God. Such the hand of grace in their life. And I love that how God saved you. There was no doubt. And and I can certainly attest to that as well. Getting 8 getting saved at age 7 in a Christian School and growing up knowing this is what God wants you to do. Like he wants me to preach for the rest of my life. And that is so that's so awesome. Tell us a little bit about your experience in ministry. So you knew, you know when you were 17, you knew God was working in your heart about, you know, full time vocational ministry. And you started walking in that direction. Well, tell us a little bit about that journey into serving in ministry.

Speaker 2

Before that time, when I was age 17. I had a number of opportunities now in public school. It was very evident by the time I got to my senior year that there was the Broadway and the narrow way. I saw the Broadway going to the State College and picking out an institution solely for the. Ability to drink on the weekends or what was known as a party school. So I saw an example from the public school of what not to do. And so I saw a great portion of my public school friends go off and, you know, get into large amounts of debt, go into the Broadway, get into debt for your truck and your house and have a lot of wasted relationships before you got to that marriage relationship, bringing a lot of baggage into all their relationships. And I saw. What I absolutely did not want, which was the way of the world, this is just how everybody did it. They went to the large Texas State school and then wasted a lot of their life for. What the world describes as a successful life, I knew that the Lord had something special for me. I was in Rio Junior ROTC at the time. I'd gotten some pretty good grades on my ASVAB labs, and I had some scholarship opportunities. So maybe go to Texas A&M and join the Corps of Cadets and pursue. Path that would lead me to. Be an F16 pilot. I I was had the right grades. I had the right proclivity. My parents, my dad being in the Air Force for a short time and. My grandfather being in the Army Air Corps. So I I thought maybe I could be a F16 pilot. I'm the right size and. I had the right grades, but then it was that point when I switched my whole vocational pursuit and then I. I changed my major. I was going to go to PCC and study ministry. And I had a good youth minister at the time, and so I had started this youth ministries. But then after one semester I wanted to broaden it out, to do whatever the Lord wanted me to do. So I. Switched to a broader course of study called Pastoral Ministries through PCC Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, FL. And during that time. The first week. Of college they had traveling singing group auditions. It was known as the ensembles back then, and so I said I might as well try out for. So I sang Amazing Grace at the audition, sang it in too low. Of a key. Because I heard the person right before me. Seeing it in that particular key, I hadn't really sung before then other than just teen choir at our good church in Houston. I got it on the ensemble and prepared with music and then got on the traveling groups and what that did was allowed me to go to church, to church. Seeing what churches actually used and how they functioned in the ministry, what would truly be a blessing from somebody coming out from the outside? To this church, what would truly be a blessing to this church? What preaching? What music would truly be a blessing to as many churches as possible? And that gave me a very broad perspective of. If I was going to serve in the ministry. What would actually be effective here? So I traveled for three years in the men's Quartet, undergrad and sang all the way through college, on TV ministries like Rejoice. 

I graduated, I got married to. Rachel Johnson at that point. I I met her back in the youth group as well. I walked up to her and said hello and that was all she needed and that's all she needed to fall in love with me as a 12 year old. And we we liked each other all the way through. Did all the youth group activities together dated all the way through college? Got married after college, then traveled with the singing groups for another three years and that gave us a great perspective. So when it came time to finish our course of traveling, I got a resume together. And then I put on that resume. I'm interested in being an associate pastor and assistant pastor. A youth minister or a music minister and I sent it out to 50 churches that I thought could use the help use the help I. Got out my all my travelling itineraries and the sword of the Lord and sent it every place. And that next week I got about 10 calls from notable ministries. None of them were looking for associates. None of them were looking for assistance. None of them were looking for youth ministers, and all of them were looking for music ministers. And I said, well, there's something here. From what I understood of the church at large, all these local churches that we would travel to. I could see effective ministry being done if I had a good understanding of traditional music. Knowing my hymn book rather well, I could. Lead people to sing those how? I could be creative with developing truly special music I could get in with a choir and week to week develop each individual part of a choir, and I could develop the choir singing. So those essentials really opened up a wide door and I'll stay, I'll say. This right now. If there's anybody listening. That says I'm so thankful for my church. I like the music that they do. And I've seen a good example of it. Maybe take your highest ideal of the music examples that you see, like you have a tremendous choir singing bold, exciting musical anthems. You've got an orchestra that plays regularly. We you've got great improvisers that accompany with piano. You've got some special singing that is truly impactful. You've got a song leader that truly stirs a church. How to sing highest praise to a holy God. Well, that good example that you're seeing needs to be duplicated in your life and it needs to be duplicated in lots and lots of churches. What I see nowadays is people taking me by the hand or the shoulder and say. Doctor Johnson, I need somebody that can help us with the music. Do you have anybody that could help us? And I usually say, would you consider developing your own lookout from among you, somebody that has a proclivity for good, godly? Music and then train them, pay for their lessons. Have somebody give them a scholarship to a college and then have a promised position for them afterwards. We see this everywhere, so that's what opened the opportunity. And then it was worth Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX. Doctor Willie Weaver that reached out. He had a volunteer serving in the music ministry there, doing a good job, but he knew he wanted to take the next step, so he had me. Come in. My wife and I was expecting our. 

First, maybe girl there in 2008. Elena was on the Elena was on the way. And we answered that call and we moved everything that was packed up to Fort Worth, TX and I'm glad he took a chance on me. And let me grow. And for 12 years, I was his music minister, et cetera. That means everything else that needed to be done on the church calendar too. If there's music that need to be done, any other ministry as simple as unlocking and locking the doors and having somebody run the sound for ladies meetings or whatever it was like, we ran the young adult. Ministry and that a number of other things. Including the graphic design and and any projects that needed to be done on the church calendar, we got a full breadth of ministering the word and what I would say. I would say that my calling was being answered. By being able to effectively communicate the gospel through music, I didn't think I was taking a step down. I didn't think of myself as a music minister who was second or secondary. To anybody else who prepared for ministry and went into an exclusive preaching ministry, I viewed my calling as being exercised in the music ministry.

Speaker 1

I love that. I love that because those of you that listen, you know, if you're if you've been in ministry for any length of time, you'll know ministry. It's it's sometimes you wear mini mini hats but it's awesome how God somehow takes all of those hats. And like a thread or like a needle that guides a thread through something he is weaving something into the tapestry of our lives that truly is beautiful. And, you know, like the old quilt illustration on our side underneath, looking at this thing that God is creating in our lives, what in the world is he? Making what pattern is he making? I am running here and doing this. I'm running here and doing that and I feel like a chicken with my head cut off and then God turns around and says hey. Here's another step that I want you to take. Hey, by the way, the last 12 years, this is what I've been making and this is what I've been doing in your life just for this moment. And so God's always preparing us for the next season, for the next step. And I love that. I love that very much. Now you're passionate. This is the thing that.

Speaker 2

You're right, you're right.

Speaker 1

Really, really. I loved about your ministry when you came here. To our church was you are very passionate about communicating and you mentioned a little bit communicating music, not just singing it. And your website is go preach, sing and it sounds like 3 different things, but you were telling me, you know, before you left that it's we preach seeing what we seeing. We are literally preaching what we seeing. Tell me a little bit just very briefly. Just tell me a little bit about that and the the reasoning behind. Why your your emphasis is I want to communicate this song.

Speaker 2

The first word and last word of affective music ministry is communication. I want to be able to take the variety of thoughts and phrases, musical notes, pitches, dynamics and key signatures that not only make the song sound good, but communicate a message. We attach our message to the melody. 

I am very passionate about music because. The scripture is passionate about music. If you need a music ministry palette cleanser, if you need a church music palette cleanser. And without any pretense or pretext. Stand and read Psalm 150 out loud. And you'll see that the Lord is worthy of your glory. He's also worthy of global glory, and you'll see that you get help from the entire created universe. We are commanded to sing a new song, and we are commanded as God's people and as every every created. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord so. I need no greater example than the word of God. I must communicate powerfully because the changed life is, and literally, and in enthused life in chaos. It means in God, God is doing something from the inside out. And So what is inside what Christ? Has died to do from the inside out is changing your life and it's got to. Amount and effective church music. Effective Music Ministry is an opportunity for the message that has changed your heart through the gospel to come out. Scripture says it this way. I will show forth his salvation from day-to-day. I'm not just going to sing, I'm going to show forth his salvation. From day-to-day, Psalm 40 says it this way. 

“He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall. Hear it? No. That's typically how we hear songs. We hear it. “Many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord”. 

Ohh, so there's a visual aspect, in fact, that changed life that comes from the gospel entering in and Jesus changing your life. Forgiveness of all your sin. You have an assurity of a home and heaven. And now a walk with the Lord. And he's given you every spiritual blessing. He's died for you to have. Well, you've got to show that. People are going to see. That when you sing, you're not just singing a song. There ought to be. You have to be saved and baptized. A good member of the church. But there also has to be a a good testimony that follows. People see your testimony and so. Whenever I have the honor the privilege to make much of the Savior in Song, I don't want people to see. To me. I wonder by the Tyler, if you've seen this. It's their opportunity to sing. But all you see is somebody that's nervous, somebody that's timid. What I would say is that person is concentrating too much about what people think about them. Somebody that is consumed with the message can't wait for that message to get out, and by the time you're done listening to that song or seeing that song, you're not thinking about them anymore. You're thinking about Jesus Christ. And so we say it this way. By the end of. Us singing, you shouldn't say ohh what a sound system. You shouldn't say oh, what a song. You shouldn't say oh, what a speaker or oh, what a singer you should say, oh. What a savior? I say it this way, give the people what they came for. Sirs, we would see Jesus. Let it be Jesus words. Let it be Jesus speaking. Hide behind the cross. But let let the message come through my favorite influences. Musically are not artists. That's might surprise you, and I'm not an artist either, even though our family has recorded some music. I'm an evangelist. And evangelists and every preacher uses every ounce of good communication. To communicate the message. You see this with Jesus, who I believe is the best communicator, the best preacher that's ever lived. The Pharisees saw somebody who preached boldly well that describes the way he presented the message. Even though there were times when the apostle Paul felt that like he was like he had fear and trembling, fear is inward, trembling is outward. That's not what those people heard when he got a chance to address them. They heard somebody that was speaking boldly and with power, some of the best, most dynamic speakers that you and I both know use every bit of communication to get the message across. Well, why do we separate good communication with preaching? With good communication with singing, well, there needs to be a choral OO shape round tall vowel sounds, and then you kind of lose the message of the song altogether. And I would say. In in an enthusiastic way, give everything to the singing of the song. Let us see what you're talking about. So if you don't see it, your audience isn't going to see it. And so when I have an opportunity to sing, I literally want to visualize what I'm thinking about. How I instruct a student might be if you're looking at a song, not every word of that song has the same value. We would both agree with that. There are words that need to be emphasized. Well, how do we emphasize a thing we add more volume? We might make a make it a little bit more percussive, or add what you would see in music and accent. So there are ways that you can lead congregational music where you don't have to just be the loudest. Choice in the room, but where you emphasize. The value of words in your song the same way with special music the same way with choral music. It'll traditional music usually puts the most important words on the traditional beats in a in a four count song, you're going to see that on one and three years I spent in vanity and pride. Caring not, my Lord, was crucified, and on A34 song you might see it right. The one revive us again. Fill each heart with thy love. So wherever that traditional emphasized beat is, well, there's your value word for the student. You need to be able to identify that words have meaning and some words are. To be emphasized. And once you see the picture that that song is already creating, then you can emphasize it. Is art, art is culture. You are literally shaping the culture of your church by the songs you select, and music is the language of emotion. Music is not without emotion, understand that emotion is very powerful. If you're seeing Jesus on the cross, that shouldn't be just happy. So lucky in that what I would call the evangelistic style the whole time you need to somber up and see Jesus on the cross. If you're singing about your salvation, that the cross is provided, then that's when you can brighten up the. If there's a soft part of the song, maybe there's a tender part of the song talking about your relationship. With the Lord. Well, you can smooth that out. Maybe add a little bit more breath. There's a way that you can effectively communicate the song and the text or lyrics of the song they're going to be instructive.

Speaker 1

That's great because I think they're so, you know, I didn't know what you were saying. I think there's sometimes we think there's two ends of the spectrum. There's either we are over here on the music side and communicating the message, not necessarily we're not necessarily talking about genre or necessarily talking about. You know different categories, but just in the simplicity of communicating the message, we think that on this end there is we, we we've got, we're scared. We don't want to create too much emotion because we don't want people to be swayed by emotion and we, like you said, we get so trapped by the thoughts of what? Other people think. And we can do this with a good song. We can do this with a song that is so full of truth, and we're minimizing. I truly believe when we are, when we are so focused on self and so focused on what other people are thinking, we are minimizing the message in which God is giving us to literally preach through song. To give through song and there's so many, what do we always say? Music opens up the gate to the word of God. It opens up the heart. It wedges it, softens that heart. And the heart said the word of God can do its work. And and I just love it because it's because we are when we're standing in front of someone communicating the message. It's just so, so vitally important. And we don't wanna be over here where it says, you know, well, we have to be cut and dry. We have to be and we're boring right to that extent. But we don't want to go on the other side. And be entertaining. If we just. Focus on Jesus. It's amazing how simplistic that is, right? Just focused on Jesus and just focus on his message. And communicating that message in the most effective way possible through the song. That's something. Honestly, since you have been to our church in the last couple of weeks, I'm actually preparing now to sing for our church. And God has been so working in my heart. And I'm, you know, I want to communicate that message. It's a song that my my brother-in-law. Actually just recently. Wrote called I choose I choose joy. I choose and I say God help me to sing this. Oh, it's so.

Speaker 2

That is a fantastic song. I love that song. It's out of my range or I would certainly sing it, but I love that song. It's it's my new favorite earworm. I I can't let go of it or better yet, it won't let go of me. But it's a wonderful song. I I can't wait to.

Speaker 1

Ohh I know.

Speaker 2

Have you sing that? That's that's wonderful. I will. I will let you know this. There's there's two New Testament principles I would say, 2 new New Testament commands that will really help you to get some boundaries, some structure and really add some life to your music. You mentioned it earlier. We don't start with style.

Speaker 1

It's so good.

Speaker 2

We don't start with genre. A lot of people do in picking churches they might pick. A church, rather than picking a church because of the doctrine that they believe they might pick a church because of the music style that they have, and they do themselves a disservice when instead of evaluating the doctrine and evaluating the experience of this church, evaluating the leadership of the church. You just evaluated on the music. Well, that does a disservice to your generation, but also future generation. 

It's best to just stick with the with the commands of Scripture you see a lot of musical references in the Old Testament and a lot of great musical examples from the song of Moses and King David and the dedication of the temple. Lot of great musical references, and even commands to sing a new song. And I would say it this way that I will always say. Thing a new song because I've been given that command that's new and subject. I'm not singing about the old life anymore. I'm not singing about selfish things. I'm singing about Jesus new in subject, new in sound. I sing from a redeemed sound. 

There is a wrath. Filled sound. There is a harsh and down and dirty sound that this world offers. I I have a joy filled sound so with the expression of the Holy Spirit I'm going to sing songs that are joyful. Kind, peaceful and patient. I'm going to. They're going to be in control. I'm going to sing songs that are new to me. OK, so I don't know every song that has ever been written and because I can use everything that I've been given, the breadth of humanity that I have thus far, I get to add to it, I get to take what's now available to me. I get to use the best of it and pass it on to the next generation so I can use. Songs that are new to me and I'll also sing songs that are new in copyright date. I'm going to sing literally new songs. Every generation has a referendum on music. They have to decide what they're gonna do with the Bible and they're they got to decide what they're going to do with everything, including music. And so there is a way of communicating. You can even hear this. Oh, that song that you heard. It sounds like it's from the 70s. And what do you know, the style of the song you look at the copyright date? It's from the 70s. Ohh. This has a space theme. How big is God? OK.

Speaker

OK.

Speaker 2

It's talking about space. It's talking about these big concepts. Ohh, it's from the 50s because they were in a major space race. OK, it's it. Tastes of it's time. Well, I can sing songs now that are going to communicate to my generation. And that is not. That's not where we start. We usually start by the by. Table and then we start with history and then we start with genre. 

We don't start with culture and I say all that to say this here's the biblical command and we see them in Ephesians 518 and 19 and Colossians 316. Those are the two primary biblical commands. You can even see that Jesus LED into him in the New Testament. Paul and Silas saying while they were in prison, lots of other great examples, 2 New Testament commands. I like to reference this. Galatians 316 let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace and your heart to the Lord. We have. The obligation to pick music that is first, primarily biblical. We don't start with genre. I'm not looking for a genre song. I'm not looking for a sacred song or a sovereign song or a southern. I'm not looking for a genre driven song, so genre is used by the music industry to sell units and to move product. 

I don't start with the same place that the music industry does a lot of music rules of the past. Were there because they were a reaction to? Pop stars singing gospel music and they kind of pendulum swung the other way to find good music. But you want to find good music. Read your Bible, be consumed with it. You'll be able to find it because you know the real thing. It's like that old example. How are you able to find or determine what a counterfeit dollar is by exclusively working with the real? Thing exclusively work with the Bible, be filled, consumed by the scripture. In all wisdom, you need to be actively in church. You need to be actively fed the word of God. You need to actively every day presently read the scripture. So those gospel Nuggets and those scriptural Nuggets can be deep and lodged inside your heart. You can meditate on them. 

So first. Music must be biblical. 

Secondly, it's historical. 

Remember, we get to take the whole of hymnody and use the best of it so I can sing and Isaac Watts hymn of the 9000 songs that he wrote. I can sing something from ***** Crosby. I can sing a German hymn an English hymn. A Swedish hymn. I can sing something spiritual song from the American soul. I can sing an American spiritual song or a gospel song. I can sing a camp meeting song. I can sing a bluegrass song. I can sing a sacred song. I can sing a sovereign song because I am consuming myself with the word of God and I get to use the whole breadth. And pick the best of it. So #1 it must be biblical #2 it's historical. So I get to use all of that, but #3 it is cultural and anybody who says that, well, music is not cultural is is really just lying to themselves. We don't start with culture, but culture is a factor, but it's not the first thing we do want to pick songs that. Work well at the setting that we're at. You need to pick the music that fits best in your church. Well, how do I find that out? You'll find out very quickly. Your church will tell you the bounds of that, and I can't be prescriptive when it comes to that. People have asked me, well, where do I draw the line? What music publishers do I come up? What do I go with that are? Unimpeachable, that are good for everybody. I can't tell you that. You need to. Read the word, pick good music that works well for your church and and that's really it. So if you'll follow that command, you will avoid the pitfall of exclusively picking one genre over the next, because you'll do yourself a disservice by instead. Exclusively going with one genre and staying safe there, you're missing out on the blessing of taking the best of all these others. That will certainly work well for your church and will appeal to a wide swath of your church demographics. I used to say it this way. When I was a music minister at Worth Baptist Church, if you heard a song that wasn't your favorite, just wait till the next service. You'll hear something that you like because a lot of people view church music with the same. Same methods as picking their favorite American Idol star. Well, I like that person singing that song, and they'll give their vote for that, and they're they'll pick and choose. Well, there. There's a selfish element for hearing good music or singing good music. You're you need to instead of looking at the singer, you need to look for the savior. So every time I hear some good music that exalts the Savior, I can get a bigger picture of who the Lord is. And so that's what I'm looking for in good music. Song selection is what I believe. The crux of the church music controversy, if you pick good songs that are biblical, historical and then also fit your culture, that takes care of 95% of the work. They're in church music.

Speaker 1

I love that those are those are important guidelines. I think if there's anyone listening, that's a young pastor or pastor at all, they're they know that music is such a big part of your church, you kind of made a reference to it earlier. But it's amazing how many people come and they actually choose their church based upon. In the music, so much of what we hear, feedback from new visitors first time visitors at our church is about the music. While we really love the music, we love what you do with the music. We take it by song, by song basis and we take new songs, old songs, songs that are embedded in truth and scriptural. That paved the way once again for the word of God and and and you kind of brought out this element too. While you were talking about those those commands. It's faith first when it comes to music. So many people. Obviously, as I mentioned earlier, they get it backwards and they think, well, if we have enough feeling. If we have enough emotion, then that will stir a deeper faith when really God's way is the exact opposite. It is. I want to take your faith a step further. I want to deepen your faith by deepening your understanding of my word. And when he does that. When we hear a song, then feelings begin to flow. That's why you can listen to a song that a lot of people would consider today. Dead, like how great thou art. They would consider that it's irrelevant. It's whatever. But you hear the truth of that song and how much of it is so embedded in the word of God. You can hear a song like that and you can become emotional because of the faith that lives inside of you has become real. And God the Holy Spirit is literally drawing that out of you. And so I think so often. Like you said, we have such a superficial standard of music and such a such a selfish. Honestly, a view of what music is supposed to do for me versus OK, how can this song lead me one step closer? To the savior. And so that's so good. Well, our time has come to an end, and I hate it because I'm learning a lot and I wish we could go another hour with this, but this is awesome. Maybe we can have you on again some other time, but in closing, Brother Johnson, thanks again so much for coming. Tell those that are listening. Tell us where we can go to get. Connected with you.

Speaker 2

You could start at gopreachsing.com and that really is a hub of where we're going. And our music, all of our music is available on all of the streaming platforms. Alexa, play the Andrew Johnson family and any any you two, Amazon, Spotify, Apple, any platform you can find the Andrew Johnson family. We've got two albums out right now, Lord. We've got a third one on its way, we've. Recorded it. We just need to do the post production on it and you can also see a little bit more about our ministry in the background there and see some of the recommendations that from other churches that we've had and if we could be a blessing at your church, our family travels and sayings. One of the reasons why we launched it out into evangelism. Because I wondered where are the evangelists? Who are the evangelists? I had been greatly impacted by impacted by some great evangelists, double barrel, Tom Farrell and Dave Young. I wondered who was stepping into that role of itinerant travelling preacher that can partner together alongside good church and strengthen the things that remain had the same vision as your pastor. And I've seen effective work done by evangelist, I also asked. Who were the travelling singing families that were still doing it, and who can you trust to come to your church? You've developed this flavor profile of your church that people understand and how can you bring somebody from the outside and that you could actually? Trust some have made a misstep and say, oh, I can't ever have them back because they they went a little bit too far. Where are the families that we could trust? We I had that when I was picking special music and special guests to come in. Like, who can I draw from? Who can we trust that's actually going to make a dynamic impact and that we could trust with the music since we value it. So much. And I thought, hey, I'm the answer to that question. I want to, I want to be a blessing to as many churches as I possibly can instead of one church and the Lords really opened up the door. Go preach sing.com.

Speaker 1

All right. That's so awesome. Again, Brother Johnson, thanks so much for being on today. And if you would ever, you need a kind of a just a refreshing of music for your church family, I highly recommend the Johnson family. They're such a blessing to us and and I hope they'll be a blessing to you for the Johnson. Thanks so much.

Speaker 2

All right, God bless.

Speaker 1

All right. Thank you, brother. You're the man. That was good. That was like a. That was like a music workshop, brother.

Speaker 2

Yeah, like I basically taught.