HIGHER EDUCATION
CONFESSIONS OF AN OLD JESUS FREAK | Alex MacDougall
April 2021 . What a past 12 months it ’ s been ! Many of us have been forced to live our lives on hold , while others have been able to continue and move on . It ’ s been amazing for me to see the amount of new business startups , creative in their concepts , set against a backdrop of the tragic closures of many restaurants , theaters , and small businesses . And our churches have changed or will change as well . We still don ’ t know what the long-term changes will be , but rest assured , there will be staff right-sizings and restructurings . Right-sizing is the nice descriptive used instead of the negative term downsizing . In mid-March last year , we were told to lock down for two weeks in order to “ flatten the curve .” And so now here we are . April 2021 .
As worship leaders and worship musicians , we must look at our lives not as a career , but as a calling , and when we do so , it places our steps and movements into the hands of our Father . Our job is always to prepare for what ’ s next , keeping our hearts and minds fixed upon Him .
He promises to direct our steps .
When I experienced the Jesus Movement during the early 70 ’ s , the cry was , “ Jesus is Coming ”! And that ’ s true . But for many , including myself , it meant that school ( college ) and preparation was not really necessary . It wasn ’ t until years later that I decided to return to higher education , having finally achieved the discipline that my young and naïve years did not acknowledge .
For those of you considering further preparation academically , there are some fabulous considerations . Colleges , universities , institutes , and seminaries make up your diverse options . Most of them now offer online courses and creative methods of achieving your dreams . Zoom and Collaborate video conferencing have made this possible . You ’ ve probably noticed higher education advertising in our monthly issues . Cedarville University has some fantastic choices for you , as does The Robert E . Webber School for Worship Studies , Dallas Baptist
University , Lee University , and Visible College , now with a satellite campus in Nashville ! Some schools offer music business programs , some are exceptionally gifted in training choir students and musicianship , while others focus on theological training , church administration , and scores of additional academic fields .
So , the sky is the limit ! There ’ s a long road ahead of you , and if you are called to serve the church , you have some really great options for further preparation . Take it from this old Jesus freak … you have tremendous opportunity here . Develop yourself and prepare for whatever is to come . The needs of the people will never go away .
Alex MacDougall Former member of Daniel Amos ( DA ), Larry Norman Band , Randy Stonehill Band , and the Richie Furay Band . He ’ s also worked with Andrae Crouch , Bob Bennett , Phil Keaggy , and hundreds of additional artists and projects . He serves as an Adjunct Professor , teaching in Music Business at Dallas Baptist University and Trevecca Nazarene University ’ s National Praise and Worship Institute , in Nashville , TN . Alex is available for lecture , teaching , and conference workshops . professormacbna @ gmail . com