1. Heart Music in WEC ‘Let all the Peoples Praise You’

2. Our Vision To see Christ known, loved and worshipped by the remaining unevangelised peoples of the world.

3. Our Goals WEC aims to send out 150 church planting teams among people groups all over the world that have never had the opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus..

4. Heart Music In Early WEC In the 1920s and 30s CT Studd and the African believers in the Congo enjoyed worship with singing and dancing that he called ‘Glory Times’. National evangelists wrote indigenous praise songs. CT Studd also translated English hymns. Part of CT’s banjo still exists! CT Studd The founder of WEC played the banjo.

5. Current Trends The rise of ‘worship’ in the world church A new valuing of the arts Globalization & migration Exposure to world music The emergence of ‘ethnomusicology’ skills A growing number of national songwriters and cross-cultural music missionaries.

6. Heart Music is a Language We learn local languages in cross-cultural work, – but the local musical language is easily overlooked. Music is the language of the emotions. If we learn it we will get a feel for something profound within the culture. Like any language, musical systems have ‘vocabulary’, ‘grammar’ (structures) and ‘idioms’. Like a language, this has to be learned to be understood, – but … it is often fun as well as highly instructive!.

7. We Hear Music Differently ‘Africans do not hear music in the same manner as Westerners and certainly do not sing music in the same way. Our music cultures are vastly different.’ (D&P Chinchen) Some Features of African Music Complex rhythms, not complex harmonies Vocal projection for outdoors not vibrato for indoors 5-note not 7-note scale system Communal involvement not a spectator audience.

8. Today’s Music Scene The Traditional/Local exists alongside The Modern/Global In other words: Each culture has a ‘heart music’ and a form of music suited to the worship of Jesus T M In Each Culture: The immediate sound of the music is distinctive Some instruments are symbolic of the culture Scale & rhythm patterns are regional Vocal production is idiomatic Songs of heart expression vary considerably.

9. Heart Music & Today’s WEC ‘Reaching People, Planting Churches’ is the heartbeat of WEC With this vision, a growing number of WEC missionaries are engaging with local forms of music. They are doing this in the five following ways…..

10. 1. Learning Instruments Elfi learned the Mandinka Kora (harp-lute) in Gambia. She says: ‘I had a great desire for the Gambian church to create culturally relevant Christian music’. She recorded a CD of her own compositions in the Mandinka Jali style. She has been called on to play on the radio and at occasions such as naming ceremonies. Some believers are now now using the Kora in the Gambian church. Elfi Bohl Plays the Mandinka Kora.

11. 2. Composing Songs Paul Harvey is a gifted song- writer and has composed an album of songs for WEC’s ministry to children in crisis. He has written with a beautiful Latin lilt. The accompanying booklet for the children contains the song words, colouring pages and games. CD by Paul Harvey in Spain.

12. 3. Producing Songbooks Book Cover for the Music Edition John Oswald has worked with a national songwriter to collect & compose songs for a songbook in a Himalayan language. This project produced words editions, a music edition (using local notation) and a set of 10 CDs and tapes. The words books have been translated into other dialects. The Music tracks are used on radio, audio and video materials..

13. 4. Recording Music Radio Worldwide, WEC’s radio ministry based in the UK, trains in radio and works with producers and stations worldwide. Georgina Scott, a WEC missionary in Thailand, is the director of FEBC Thailand. She encourages and records songs composed by Thai believers. Other workers use technical skills to record the music of the churches..

14. 5. Song Workshops Training & inspiring national believers Local believers select appropriate musical styles They write the song texts Their songs are then recorded Richard Shawyer and Neil Barker have been at the forefront of encouraging indigenous song writing and worship forms in West Africa. WEC and the ECG church in Gambia partnered with churches and agencies to host a workshop, led by an ethnomusicologist. Kora Players.

15. What Are The Benefits? I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. (I Cor. 9:22) The Use of Heart Music : Enables worship from the heart Leads people to the Saviour Is a natural way to tell gospel stories Reinforces Bible teaching Aids scripture memorization Results in new churches being planted Gives cross-cultural workers cultural awareness and opportunities..

16. Is it Difficult? Important Question! Bear in mind…. Many systems are not too difficult You don’t have to be an expert! Even just ‘having a go’ can go a long way! ? ? Which way up is it meant to be? 1.We can be exposed to world music almost anywhere 2.We can start to learn other music styles at home 3.On the field we can learn local music naturally 4.It communicates that we’re interested in people 5.It helps to build friendships 6.It keeps us humble!.

17. What is WEC looking for? Cross-cultural music missionaries Worship leaders & artists A Music and Arts Team Missionaries open to the heart music of the people they serve Worshipping churches on all fields.

18. What is GOD Looking For? ‘True worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.’ (John 4:23) Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD! Come let us bow down in worship..

19. Email: ethnomusicology@wec-international.org Interested? Website: http://www.wec-int.org.uk/uk/involved/ethmus.htm WEC Ethnodoxology ethne – people group doxa – glory ethnodoxology – worship using heart music.

20. All photographs © 2004 WEC International except where otherwise attributed