and the secular. When we know Christ, we are
all full-time followers and worshippers. That
doesn’t mean we should check out sometimes.
True worship is serving Christ with every breath
you have whether you are changing your kid’s
diaper or praying with a friend. We all forget
that.
[WM] I know that early on you attended
college, but due to the call of God on your life,
you did not finish your degree plans at that
time. What was your motivation in returning to
school, and how did going back to university
after so many years, help you?
[Eddie] I dropped out of college as a senior
in 1976 to chase music. I promised my mother
that one day I would finish what I started. That
was my initial motivation. As I enrolled in school,
I soon found out I was there for many reasons
beyond what I thought initially. It was great to
be around young people again on that level and
hear the ways they think. That was good for me
if not revealing.
I have to admit though it was hard to beat
“walking” at my graduation in front of my whole
family including my five grandkids (Trevecca
Nazarene University, class of 2017). That was
the best!
[WM] Would you recommend to worship
leaders, Christian musicians and songwriters,
that they return to school?
[Eddie] School is more important if you know
what you want to learn and do. However, I’ve
Eddie DeGarmo, Jeremy Camp, Connie Bradley
changes, it can be a natural reaction for artists
known many successful people in life that knew
to sell it.
what they wanted without the need for Higher
to chase the marketing and promotion of music
more valiantly than the creation of great music. [WM] In what ways can a worshiping musician
That is what happens when much of the new expand his or her definition of “true worship”
music tends to sound the same. beyond the confines of Sunday morning?
The clever artists learn how to approach both [Eddie] We have all heard folks divide the
channels with some integrity artistically. You church service between the “worship” and the
want the audience to be touched by your music “rest of the service.” That’s not right any more
and you also want them to buy it if you want than it is to divide our lives between the sacred
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April 2019
Education. It can work that way too, especially
if you are entrepreneurial in your approach to
life. If you are seeking a career in a pre-existing
business or organization, the credentials of a
higher degree can certainly help you as you
navigate those organizations.
Also, I always encourage musicians and artists
to seek out relationships with folks that are
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