Alabama churches produce CDs of own music

What CD do you pop in when you want some worship music in the car? A) Michael W. Smith; B) Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir; C) Hillsongs; D) Your church’s latest worship collection.
   
If you answered D, you’re not alone. Alabama Baptist churches are producing their own worship CDs, with many churches motivated to do so by a desire to help members worship after the last hymn is sung at church.
   
These CDs are a “good source for the individual church member for personal worship,” said Keith Hibbs, associate in the worship leadership/church music office of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. The CDs are a “familiar voice to help them engage in worship.”
   
That was the reasoning behind the recent CD released by Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, Montgomery Association.
   
Jonathan Green, equipping minister for worship/arts at Vaughn Forest, said, “We wanted to give worshipers a tool they can use to help them continually offer their worship to the Lord during the week.”
   
The church’s second recording in less than a year, “Sing to the Lord a New Song,” was released in April.
   
Michael Adler, minister of music and worship of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills, Birmingham Association, said, “ ‘An Audience of One,’ was birthed out of a desire to give our church some readymade tools for worship. These are the songs [the church has] requested most and that they love to sing as an offering to the Lord.”
   
Worship ministers also agree that these recording projects unify their choirs and take them to new levels of professionalism.
   
NorthPark Baptist Church in Trussville, Birmingham Association, recently completed the recording phase for its new CD, “Worship @ NorthPark.”
   
Charlie Martin, associate pastor of worship, said the choir has gained “improved musicianship” through intense rehearsals and working on often-overlooked fine points like pronunciation and intonation.”
   
Airwave Recording Studios recording engineer Joel Bouchillon agrees that a few hours in the studio will season amateurs quickly. He said working with church choirs can be a challenge because they’re new to the studio atmosphere. “You have to get past the ‘awe-factor,’ but they catch on quickly,” he explained.
   
So how does a church start a recording project?
   
Some churches address this possibility when designing their music ministry area. First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, for example, recently renovated its music rehearsal area to include a recording studio.
David Warren, minister of music and worship at First, Tuscaloosa, worked with Christian Copyright Alliance, a division of Word Music, to record First, Tuscaloosa’s, most recent CD at the church. Released in November 2003, the first printing of “High Praise” is almost sold out, and a second printing is planned.
   
Other churches look to professional studios such as Airwave in Birmingham. Airwave has worked with many Alabama churches including Vaughn Forest, NorthPark and The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham. 
   
“Marc Phillips and Joel Bouchillon (of Airwave) are musicians and worship leaders in their own churches,” Martin said. “This provides them with an understanding of working with church volunteers.”
   
Another common goal in church recordings is outreach. Shades Mountain’s “An Audience of One” is in the hands of worshipers around the world.
   
Moody Radio Broadcasting selected First, Tuscaloosa’s, recording to be featured on an hour-long regional broadcast, including interviews. “I never realized this could be a possibility,” Warren said. “‘High Praise’ has opened many doors.”
   
Another way recording projects promote outreach is by funding missions endeavors. Martin described “Worship @ NorthPark” as “a tool to reach a lost world.” Both NorthPark and First, Tuscaloosa, planned to use all CD proceeds to fund church missions projects.
   
“The main purpose of the CD was to provide our church family, community, friends and family with songs that would provide encouragement to those who are hurting and discouraged,” Martin said. “We wanted to give this CD project to a lost and dying world.”