Gospel Choir 101

When I came to the University of Arkansas as an InterVarsity staff worker, I had a strong desire to develop relationships with people racially different from me. Fayetteville is a very homogenous city, where I could go for two months without having to interact with a person of a different race, so I looked on campus for the most consistent gathering of students of other races that I could be a part of. This happened to be the gospel choir and it also happens to be the most diverse gathering of students on campus. So I joined the choir, first to build relationships, second to put myself where I would be challenged in the area of racial reconciliation on a day-to-day basis, and third to build bridges that InterVarsity students in our chapter could walk over as they seek to develop reconciling relationships.

Inspirational Singers is a class. Students can earn one credit for attending the gospel choir twice a week. The choir is also open to others who want to participate. I have been involved in the choir for two years, along with two other InterVarsity students. Last year I served as an officer and this year I was elected choir chaplain.

The Inspirational Singers Gospel Choir’s heart and soul come from its director, Dr. Eddie Jones. Dr. Jones is a university faculty member who teaches both gospel and concert choir. He has a deep love for the Lord, for music and for students. Being one of the few black professors on campus, he has become a mentor and a source of strength for many black students. He has also been a mentor to me, as I have walked and sometimes stumbled along the path of reconciliation. And he has been my teacher, as I have sought to learn about African-American culture and music.

One benefit of having the gospel choir as a class is the permanence and continuity provided by Dr. Jones’s faculty position. As a professor, Dr. Jones has directed the choir for eight years, and his gifted leadership has added depth and purpose to the choir. He often shares his desire for us to learn and be enriched by African-American music. Each semester we attempt to sing a mix of songs, including spirituals.

One of Dr. Jones’s initial goals was to bring diversity to the choir. At the time of his arrival, there were only one or two non-black students per semester. Now the choir is composed of 30-40% non-black students. Most of the churches where we sing do not expect to see a racially diverse group. It is a testimony to the power of God every time we sing.

The mix of students provides a clear challenge for racial reconciliation. We still have a long way to go in the area of unity in the choir and how to deepen our relationships with each other, but we are moving ahead. I feel this is a key area of growth for the choir, and I am eager to be a part of the process.

One challenge that comes from the gospel choir being a university class and an organization is that we have to be careful with our actions. Arkansas is in a more culturally Christian area of the country, so we have the freedom to discuss the content and meaning of our music, pray before and after meetings, share our praises, pray for others and hold retreats. We are allowed to follow our purpose, which is to minister to those to whom we sing. However, the choir leaders realize that the freedom we have now can be taken away, so we continue to pray about what God has for the choir and its development.

Over the last two years, the partnership between InterVarsity and the choir has grown significantly. It started when InterVarsity offered the resource of Atlanta 98, InterVarsity’s black student conference. Next came the Bible dig-in that I led for the choir. Last year we had a joint retreat. This year some of the choir leaders have been talking about what we can do to help the other choir students grow in love for the Lord. Our choir has a tendency to preach a lot without doing much to lead people into a deeper relationship with God. We think a potential solution to this is to start some small-group Bible studies. This year I have volunteered to organize small groups led by choir members.

The choir has been such a blessing to me. Besides the day-to-day encouragement from other members, it has opened up a whole new realm of music and worship. It’s also encouraging to see some of my goals being realized, such as building relationships and being challenged in racial reconciliation. And I’m beginning to see connections developing that go beyond my own relationships. When I started on this journey three years ago I had no idea what to do, except to put myself in a place of diversity and begin to trust that God would lead. My life is a testimony that he does and will lead. Praise be to God!