We’re thrilled to announce that the music and worship times for all four 2017 Pastor’s Conference sessions will be led by Keith and Kristyn Getty.
We consider the Gettys the perfect fit for our conference vision: leading music that highlights corporate singing as our voices are lifted together and Scriptural truth through their fantastic hymn-writing abilities. As we’ve worked with Keith, Kristyn, and their team, we’ve been blessed by their humble spirits and desire to serve SBC pastors through the SBC Pastor’s Conference.
From the start we’ve made the focus of our conference the preaching of God’s Word. We chose the book of Philippians and have found 12 incredible preachers for the conference. Now to see the music come together with Keith and Kristyn Getty is an answer to prayer. We’re excited about Phoenix in June. We hope you’ll join us there and be a part of the 2017 SBCPC.
Latest release from Keith & Kristyn Getty: Facing a Task Unfinished also at iTunes Amazon
This is wonderful news! They are without a doubt the best modern day hymn writers. They are Bible people committed to the Word of God and creating music that glorifies God and not man.
??We had them in one of our worship services at the PCA General Assembly last June in Mobile. They are incredibly talented and godly and humble. Great choice.
That’s been our experience as well as that of the SBC media team who’s worked with them many times in the past – they say they love working with the Gettys.
Awesome. I hope that they sing “For the Cause” while there.
I would be surprised if that’s not included in at least one set list.
I enjoy the music of Keith and Kristyn Getty, so I am hesitant to make this observation, but…
Back in June when Todd Benkert wrote about the idea of a “small church” Pastor’s Conference, he wrote that “The idea is a check against celebrity-ism and an affirmation to the regular, small-church pastors in our convention that we recognize what really matters.” Accordingly preachers were chosen who were all Southern Baptist and come from “average-size” Southern Baptist Churches.
I have no doubt that they can and will oversee a great music program, but it just seems odd to me that they, being somewhat celebrities and not Southern Baptist, would be the choice for the conference. Why not music directors from “average-size” Southern Baptist Churches?
Thanks.
A number of reasons couple be mentioned – among those that after our extensive preacher search process none of us felt like holding another round for music auditions.
I’m not sure what church they’re members of, but they have been very active in SBC ministries, even writing the recent SEBTS seminary hymn. And they might be flattered you would call them celebrities. 🙂
I think those who attend the conference will see the Gettys are an ideal choice for this year’s conference.
Brent has a point as well. I don’t think any of us wanted to do a musician search. The preacher search was exhausting enough.
Thanks, Brent. Two things. 1. My use of the term “celebrities” in regard to the Gettys is no reflection on whether I think they are nice people. I don’t know them personally, but I am very impressed with what I see and hear of them. But they are pretty well-known names in gospel music. 2. They (Keith at least, but I assume both) were members of the church where Alistair Begg preached (Parkside in Cleveland, I think).
There are a bunch of reasons, but I have a son who is a musician, and he will tell you that music has to be tailored for the venue.
We toured the room back around Halloween. It’s huge. It’s one thing to simply amplify a voice more – though I’m sure some of our preachers will have knocking knees. But if you don’t have a musical group designed for the venue, they will get swallowed up in a room like this.
I’d love to have a guy, his guitar, and a stool – worship unplugged. Or a piano. But not in this venue.
And besides, I love the Gettys. When they offered, it took me something in the neighborhood of .002 seconds to say YES!
All add to what Dave said… another part of the reason is the practical demands of a conference like this. Music is a different situation than preaching, where a sermon can be prepared at home and a guy can show up and preach at a venue he’s just arrived. (Not saying our speakers will be doing that – we have a planned preparation schedule and in-person colloquium for them in Feb.) Musicians need setup and practice time, media preparation months ahead of time, there’s a lot more to it than just showing up and doing what church music directors do every Sunday. So having a music group who’s familiar with the demands of a large conference is something that is a huge benefit to us.
More than anything, we know the Gettys will lead quality music that conference attendees will appreciate.
Honestly, for reasons we cannot disclose, we had only two choices. Dave Miller playing a nose flute and the Getty’s. We chose the Getty’s.
A difficult choice, no doubt — but a masterful one!
I will post some of my videos
I’m going to share something here – perhaps I shouldn’t.
We have been blessed in our fundraising efforts and have signed a normal event contract with the Gettys. But they were willing to come as a ministry. For nothing. They have a heart for music and ministry and were willing to help us even if we couldn’t pay them.
I’m glad we are going to be able to bless their ministry as they are blessing our conference. But their heart showed through when they offered.
I may get yelled at by someone and told to take this down. But these are “music ministers” not just performers. I can’t wait!
That shows their heart!
Their heart’s desire in every conversation I’ve had with them is to be a blessing to our pastors and churches. Their love and passion for average churches is what made this such a great partnership.
Excellent choice! We use their product often in our various ministries.
My request to lead music with an accordion and with my polka band was denied.
I think it was because of how I looked in the lederhosen, but Dave insists it wasn’t that.
It was the fact that he even mentioned lederhosen
I love the rationale for the choice at least as much as I love the choice.
Hard for me to imagine that the Pastor’s Conference has ever driven attendance for the Convention before, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it does this year.
We would be glad to see that happen. I hope you’re right.
Great choice.
I’m actually excited about this pastors conference.
I’ll admit I wasn’t in June 2016.
I was wrong to doubt.
As for the music search in light of the preacher
search being exhausting, you wanted to do it. So,
that’s not a great reason, “we are exhausted.”
How about we all just go with this: you guys
were tasked to do this job and you did it. We should
just follow. It’s working out fine. Good job. Great job.
See you in June!
Alan, my comment about begin exhausted after the speaker search was a joke. I’m sorry the humor didn’t come across. It was a lot of work but the bottom line is we never had any intention of doing a similar search for who would be leading music. If we had meant to do that, we would have gone ahead with the process, but like I said, that was never our intention nor do we think it would have yielded a better result.
Come on, Brent. Y’all could have had fun with this!
“SBC Music directors got talent” reality TV show.
Dean Stewart – Simon Cowell
Adam Blosser – Howie Mandel
Dave Miller – Howard Stern
and you could have been Nick Cannon.
Y’all could have those cool buzzer buttons to X off the really bad ones. All this streamed live on voices.
Top four Contestants/bands/choirs who endure and are passed through this grueling process would be narrowed by “the people” by having people post on voices up or down votes for winners.
Majority wins! And they get to lead worship in Phoenix.
See – easy as pie!
Fun too!
Lol.
Seriously – The Gettys? How cool is that! Excellent work fellas!
Tarheel, you nailed it. That was the joke in my original post. It makes me laugh imagining such a scenario.