Chandi Plummer offers thoughts on excellence in children’s ministry, music education in the church, and the importance of doing all things in light of the gospel over at sojournmusic.com. The article begins like this…

I am thankful that my earliest musical exposure was an outstanding music program in a church. Unfortunately, while the gospel was in the church’s liturgy, it was not in its life and preaching. The choirmaster and organist oversaw such a fantastic program including both theory and sight-singing that we were invited to sing at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC when I was only about ten years old.

After coming to Christ, I went to a church that had the gospel in its life and preaching, but certainly was not training the next generation of musicians. As a result I was turned off from the church’s involvement in musical training because I was at the other extreme of thinking we only need focus on the Bible, make some music to worship Him and reach the lost definitely the right focus, but read on to see what was missing. As the Lord has worked in my life and heart to view all of life as sacred when redeemed by Jesus, I now see how important it is not to have our sacred and secular music in two separate spheres…. but to have EXCELLENCE in all things for Jesus, to do all for His glory.

Read the rest of the article here.