JOYFUL
NOISE
college and finally pay off their mortgages,
they’re finding more disposable income in
their pockets. The opportunity to finally buy
that Custom Shop Strat
or a Marshall full-stack
from their youth is there,
but in a new, gentle
irony, they have no place
to play it. Housing development bylaws and city
ordinances mean the volume level in the garage
needs to be kept down,
and the idea of sitting in a crowded, smoke-filled bar no longer has the allure it once did.
That leaves the church as a venue for expression, and droves of middle-aged guitarists
are bringing their passion into God’s house.
But it would be a mistake to simply assume
the arrival of experienced, tone-seeking
guitarists on the church scene is solely for
a place to show off their new purchases.
Musicians are discovering the church as a
place to serve the community and to share
the good news. When I asked Brad Hines,
who grew up on Bob Dylan and Neil Young,
why he chooses to play at the church instead
of secular gigs, he primarily referenced the
sense of joy he receives from it. “It’s a ser-
vice; you’re getting involved. Church has
become a daily part of my life.”
Richard agrees. “I’m interested in other
musicians knowing that they are not just
musicians – they are worship leaders. They
have influence in their service, and they have
a role of welcoming people to worship and
introducing people to the spirit of God.”
The Guitar and North Point
North Point Community Church, based 20
minutes north of downtown Atlanta, is a
textbook example of how the integration of
contemporary musical sounds has worked
to change the way congregations worship.
Beginning 12 years ago with only a key-
board and a semi-circle
of singers in a converted
warehouse, the church
has blossomed into a
weekly concert experi-
ence for attendees. The
Alpharetta, Georgia
church accommodates
approximately 6,000
worshipers each week
across two auditoriums, both featuring
live bands and sharing a backstage area
– and that’s only at North Point’s “main”
campus, with more live music at two other
satellite locations.
According to Reid Greven, a music associate
at North Point charged with hiring all of the
church’s bands and writing arrangements,
one of the most essential components of
modern worship is the guitar. “We couldn’t
do a Sunday without them, and they are, by
far, the most important part of what we’re
doing musically.”
A recent worship concert at North Point Community Church. From left to right, Steve
Tomason plays a PRS 513, Reid Greven handles the keys, Steve Fee plays a Fender Jaguar, Matt Adkins strums an American Deluxe Telecaster, Todd Fields plays a Gibson J- 45,
Askley Appling is on drums and Pat Malone plays the Fender Jazz Bass.
