Music featured at the Feb. 27–28 Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference provided a little bit of everything — and praising God was the focus of it all.
Words of worship flowed from participants’ lips as they sang, “Every praise is to our God. Every word of worship with one accord. Every praise, every praise is to our God.”
And then there was, “In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song” and “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God my Savior has ransomed me.” Participants also sang some classics like “I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
Rick Stone, worship pastor at Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, served as the praise and worship leader for the conference. As he prepared music for the event he said he was thinking of the many characteristics of those who would be at the conference.
Connecting age groups
“It will be made up of young and old and those that are still searching and those that are mature in their faith,” Stone said. “I wanted the music to connect to all the age groups. … We wanted to lift up the Lord Jesus and let Him be the common denominator.”
And through a variety of styles and songs, “our worship must be grounded on the Word of God,” Stone said.
Frank Jones, of Frank Jones Ministries, played pre-session music each day and accompanied Stone. Wes Hampton, a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, sang throughout the Tuesday morning and afternoon sessions and led a mini-concert during the Tuesday evening session.
The choir from the host church, First Baptist Church, Pelham, brought the congregation to their feet numerous times during the Monday night session and the choir from Enon Baptist Church, Morris, supplied a powerful closing session Tuesday night.
‘Song of redemption’
Before and after each speaker Monday and Tuesday, participants were able to sing in worship or listen to a guest musician. And that, Stone said, was a good thing because as believers “we all have a song to sing. It’s a song of redemption. It’s a song of joy.” (Neisha Roberts)
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