Music/Ministry Lessons Learned in 2019

Here are some of the lessons I learned in 2019. 


1. Focusing on the spiritual and musical attitude and aptitude of the congregations that I serve is/was essential for their growth as a worshipping congregation.
2. Being a leader over the music ministries continues to be more than just music. I have prayed for more people in the ministry this year than ever before. I must also add that I've needed more prayer for myself as well.
3. Traditional congregations who did not make crucial leadership decisions at least 10 years ago are still feeling the pain for their lack of movement.
4. Getting older means reinvention to stay relevant as a musician. As a leader it also means that I must hire younger, talented individuals to train up and carry the ministry forward.
5. Pastors who care(d) about their musicians and their welfare are more likely to have them for longer periods of time. I am now seeing long lasting friendships formed because of it.
6. Nobody should be in church leadership without the Holy Ghost AND love for people.


Phillip Carter

Church Sound Systems- Common Sense Solutions for Regular Problems

Every church can't afford to hire a sound engineer HOWEVER every church can afford some training. If you're limited to your Deacon, Trustee or volunteer operating the sound board then the least you can do is pay for some training. Additionally it pays to have a competent professional choose and install your sound setup. This will insure that things are done properly and will prevent your ministry from spending more on fixing problems you could have avoided by trying to do it yourself.

As a sound engineer and a church musician, it can be frustrating to play in churches where the sound is comprised. It's frustrating because I have to stay in my lane. I'm not there to be the sound engineer but rather the musician even though I can clearly articulate most of the problems that are going on in worship. Sound plays an important role in how the music turns out in many houses of worship. When the sound isn't right, the effectiveness of the music is comprised in many instances. 

I challenge every musician, choir director etc to try and work with your sound ministry to solve critical problems. I try to communicate with my respective sound ministries on a regular basis to work out the sound settings for every worship service. When you build that relationship things do get better. I also challenge every musician, worship leader, choir director etc to get some training on sound, sound boards, microphones, acoustics etc. The more you know, the more you are able to adjust in critical situations. 


Phillip Carter

One of The Biggest Sins Committed In Church- Food For Thought

Food For Thought

Perhaps one of the biggest sins committed, in church, on a weekly basis happens in the kitchen. We serve our own people harmful meals packed with starches, carbohydrates, sugars and processed meats. It may taste good but it's bad for the human body and harmful for the people we claim to love and serve. I have never been to a church where a healthy meal was served.

Phillip Carter

The Choir Is Coming Back Strong

The choir is coming back to the forefront of Gospel Music. Haven't you noticed? What comes around goes around. This latest push is due largely to the Kanye "Sunday Service" movement. If you haven't seen his services, please go an watch it. It's nothing but a mass choir concert with a few inspirational messages here and there. Just to be clear, the choir never left us. It just wasn't the focus of  attention in many of our churches due to the Praise and Worship/CCM movement in the Black Church. That movement was necessary for us to see the huge value in choirs. Choirs involve more people. Choirs are a unifying entity within the church and community. Choirs teach people how to relate to one another. Choirs bring more energy to the music being sung.

Have you noticed that whenever a secular artist wants to do something involving Gospel that they go and hire or form a choir and not a praise team. We are in a good time. Things are starting to turn around again and the choir will begin to make a huge difference as it did in the past. Let's encourage our spiritual leaders, who put their choirs down, to pick them back up again. They will be glad they did.

Farewell United Methodist Church

Denominations and churches have been splitting forever. Man consistently fails the test of Christianity. We have access to Jesus but we ignore His message and the convicting, revelatory power of the Holy Ghost regardless of the issue(s) at hand. Personal choice seems to win out over God's command to love one another with division as an obvious cop out in the case of theological disagreement.

There was something to the old-school Pentecostal/Apostolic practice of "Tarrying for the Holy Ghost". When you tarry, you petition God for His Spirit until He comes. Until then you keep tarrying. When He comes He "The Holy Ghost" will bring you/us into all truth. (John 16:13).

Farewell United Methodist Church as we knew it.

                                                                                                                       Sincerely, 

                                                                                                                       Phillip Carter

Attention Black Gospel Music Industry

Attention Black Gospel Music Industry:

What we fail to realize, in our discourse about awards, charts etc, is that mainstream Gospel doesn't belong to it's creators. We constantly fall into the trap of arguing over what we do not control. The things we do control seem to diminish due to in-fighting, bad business and elitism. We (Mainstream and Indie Artists) need to

1.Rebuild the foundation that Gospel Music was laid on and stand on that solid ground. Rebuilding requires education which goes to point #2. .
2.We need to support those conventions and music organizations(GMWA, NCGCC, Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts seminar, IGAA, Heritage and others) that are owned and operated by US and work within for better results instead of staying home and complaining.
3. We need to support the next generation and appreciate their musical expression for what it is while encouraging them to pass on the rich heritage of our music.
4. Choose ownership over popularity. This choice allows us the maximum benefit for he work created, recorded, sold, streamed etc..It also assures a financial and educational legacy to those who come behind us.
5. Support black owned media, financially and with your time, especially the ones who support all styles of Gospel music. The ones who don't need to be challenged to do so.
6. Live the music and the message through holy living. We are hypocrites and that needs to change. We sing about a Savior who died, rose and lives in us yet our behavior is contrary to that message. We need to change.

Many struggled and died advancing this music and it's message. When we take back our music, message and mission then we will see what we much desire within our industry, churches and communities.

Sincerely,
Phillip Carter
IGAA Conference

Stellar Award Winning Gospel Artist Phillip Carter Releases Ground Breaking New Gospel Project "Live From Suwalki, Poland feat The Suwalki Workshop Choir and The Sounds of Victory

Available everywhere TODAY. From Classical to Praise and Worship, you will experience a wide range of styles on this new project. You will also experience the heartfelt love and passion the Polish people have for God and Gospel music.For physical purchases got to www.buygospel.com.