A New Path In A New Direction

Sunday was one of those days where you realize that God's plans are much bigger than our own as we said goodbye to our worship minister Buster Pray. Buster is leaving the FBC Springdale to follow God's calling upon his life as he begins a new "worship consultant" ministry called "PureChurch". He and his wife Martha are relocating to Atlanta to begin serving churches and worship ministries across the nation, helping them revitalize the way they "do church" and give them an outside, fresh perspective on how it could happen. From a leadership training role to advice on technological issues to styles of music and overall presentation, Buster has said this is where he feels God is leading him after faithfully serving us at FBC Springdale for 18 years.

While we are excited whenever we see God move in someone's life, it's sad that there are times when those we love move away. As much as we remind ourselves that it's God's will and plan they are following and that as believers, we will not truly be separated in spirit, the fact remains that they are no longer there physically with us. Such is the case of Buster & Martha.

I shared a note with Buster a few weeks ago when I learned he would be moving to Atlanta. I recalled how after moving back to NWA over 3 years ago, my family & I were looking for that one special place / church we could call "home". We had only visited 1-2 churches in our area before we came to FBC Springdale and I remember that first day when we walked into the sanctuary. I told Buster how the first thing I saw was him and the choir behind him, preparing to sing one of my favorite songs of all time "The End of the Beginning".

As Buster and the choir began to sing and lead in that song, I felt a sense of excitement welling up within me. Not just because it was a song I really liked, but more so because I felt like this was where God was leading us to worship. I also felt like God was telling me it was time to get involved with a choir again. It had been years, I mean literally YEARS since I had sung in a choir, let alone even been to church on a regular basis. Yet here we were and sensing God's leading our lives, we joined FBC and I joined the choir.

I was still extremely young spiritually when I started singing with Buster & the FBC choir so each song was just another new experience for me. Some of those songs/experiences were literally life changing. I can only imagine the hundreds of songs I was exposed to under Buster's leadership...so many powerful truths revealed, so many songs of praise to the Lord, so many seasons of encouragement, development and focusing on Him.

Just a few of the songs that have really impacted me...and I know I'm going to forget a few:

God Is Here, Cover The Earth, My Help, Arise My Love, He Lives, Something Happens (one I was introduced to but we haven't sung in public...yet), Made Me Glad, Alive Forever Amen, Orphans of God, Everything To Me, No More Night, End of the Beginning, Jesus (What A Mighty Name), Joy, God of All Gods, Let It Rise, Jesus Dropped the Charges, Friend of God, Worthy Is The Lamb, More Than Enough, Lord I Believe In You...

and of course, there were all the old-time classic hymns that Buster and Chris Emert, our assistant worship minister and incredibly talented band/orchestra leader, revised and rearranged.

Such incredible music...such awesome words of praise to our Lord & Savior and to me, it was all made so evident to me, in large part, to Buster's faithful and servant's heart. He was always willing to share a moment with you after choir, come visit in the hospital (which he did when I was admitted for chest pain last year...a visit I've told him did more for my spirits than any medication the docs could've given me) and he was always, ALWAYS faithful to his wife, family, ministry, pastor and above all else, his God.

Our God.

Buster always pointed us UP in our worship each & every Sunday morning, reminding us of one very vital fact:

we are NOT a performance choir.

We are a WORSHIP choir.

Buster, thank you so much for everything you did for me and for our choir. I pray that God will bless you and your ministry as you follow His plan for you & your family's lives. God is faithful and will provide for your every need. May the blessings of Heaven fall upon you today, my friend.