GCoMM: Harmonic Convergence of Global Worship
by Frank Fortunato and Paul Neeley
A Nigerian blows praises to God on a saxophone. A song accompanied by a Canadian on the
stringed instrument baglama invites women of Turkey to come to Christ for peace. A pastor
exhorts people to consider how God can be glorified by our worship, our suffering, and our
pleasure. A brand-new Christian song in Navajo is chanted. An ethnomusicology professor from
Ghana draws analogies between an African cleansing ceremony and baptism. A ChineseAmerican band, which uses the distinctive sliding pitches of Peking Opera gongs to reference
Chinese music culture, leads corporate worship. The staccato clave rhythm punctuates a new
Christian song from Cuba. We hear a pop song from Indonesia with Bible-based lyrics…
composed by a Muslim. Rattles made from nutshells whirling overhead, the sound of a sitar
sweetly buzzing like bees around lyrics of honey, the drone of a didgeridoo sounding like it came
from the depths of Loch Ness.
People everywhere talking, dancing, praying, singing,
thinking, celebrating! People connecting with God and
with one another. Intercessory worship for the nations
filling the room like incense. Music is not a universal
language but it sure spoke volumes to bodies, souls and
spirits at a recent global gathering of musician
missionaries.
“It was so good to gain a vision
and a passion for seeing all
peoples praise God and delight
in him.”
From September 15-18, 2003, more than 300 delegates, who serve in nearly 30 nations around
the planet, converged for the Global Consultation on Music and Missions (GCoMM). This
historic event was held on the grounds of the world’s largest evangelical seminary, Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) in Texas. Members of the Body of Christ joined
together for one purpose: to be holy worshippers calling the whole world to whole-hearted
worship.
One of the great attractions of this gathering was the
huge diversity of seminars for the delegates. Nearly
forty topics were discussed, including the role of media
and recordings, the arts and cultural restoration, the use
of music with Chronological Bible Storying, blending
contemporary and cultural music, the need for
missionaries to receive education in music culture,
teaching about worship across cultures, using music in Islamic contexts, music and issues of
syncretism—more topics than we can list here. Presenters shared penetrating insights through
numerous case studies from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Islamic world.
“GCoMM was the confirmation of
ideas and vision in the midst of
like-minded brothers and sisters
who value the worship expressions
of Christians everywhere.”
One person commented, “The opportunity to learn from missionaries who have had a lot of
experience doing ethnomusicology was very valuable and I'm sure it will impact and change our
ministry.”
Congregational times of worship were a key component of the Consultation. A unique worship
team included the usual western praise band, augmented with a percussion section employing
more than 40 percussion instruments from around the world, a woodwind section featuring a vast
array of flutes, a cellist and even a sitar (played by a musical missionary to India). Most
members of the worship team were music missionaries with past or present involvement in India,
Syria, Hungary, Germany, and various African nations including Senegal, Sudan, Ghana, Nigeria
and Uganda. Led by Chuck Steddom, Worship Pastor from Bethlehem Baptist Church,
Minneapolis, the song repertoire featured western praise songs, African and Spanish tunes, and a
rich array of hymn arrangements. Imagine how ears were stretched hearing Twila Paris’ classic
“He Is Exalted” accompanied by a 5-foot tall master drum from coastal Ghana.
“Everything was so eye-opening
and confirming of my deeper
convictions in so many ways.”
“Every single worship session,” said one participant,
“sooner or later found me simply standing silently ...
weeping for joy, eyes closed, lifting up in my spirit my
gratefulness to the Lord and my delight in His goodness.”
A special treat during the week was the "open mic" global music evening, with delegates sharing
their national music vocally and instrumentally. The performers, representing music from the far
corners of the planet, demonstrated a very high degree of musicianship. This musicianship
included not only national delegates playing native instruments, but missionaries who spent
many years studying instruments of the nations where they serve. For many at GCoMM, this
single event, celebrating the music and worship of the Body of Christ in all its brilliant diversity
was the singular highlight of the historic gathering.
A powerful team of speakers ministered at the plenary sessions. Minneapolis pastor and prolific
author John Piper covered his classic themes related to the supremacy of Christ. “Our joy and
satisfaction must be found in Him,” Piper taught,
“John Piper's messages fell on thirsty
“and it must include our joyful embracing of
ground and have helped to develop a
suffering for Jesus—which can bring forth a
theology of worship in my life.”
special type of song.” Piper showed how the New
Testament reveals a stunning indifference to the
style, form and practice of doing worship. Instead, it expounds a radical intensification and
internalization of worship. Piper and the worship team also ministered at two seminary chapel
services, with packed audiences both days.
“It was so appropriate to have John Piper as a plenary speaker,” shared one participant. “More
than anyone, he has influenced this first generation of ethnodoxologists to think about our task in
new ways.”
Dick Eastman, president of Every Home for Christ, was also a plenary speaker. He
complemented Piper by showing a continuity between the Old and New Testaments in various
musical aspects of worship. He referenced the "harp and bowl" movement (Revelation 4-5) that
links worship, intercession and mission. He then led a final session of “intercessory worship”
which could also be called “worshipful intercession.”
Other plenary speakers included:
 Richard Twiss, a "First Nation" American Indian, who showed how tribal people are
redeeming their artistic expressions as devotion to the Lord
 Colin Harbinson of YWAM and Belhaven College, who spoke about cultural redemption of
the nations through the arts
 Harold Best, retired from Wheaton
“The balance that John Piper's and Harold
College, who challenged us to not
Best's words brought to the very focused
make an idol of our own music
purpose of the conference helped me to keep
missionary work
my love of music and instruments and other
 Roberta King from Fuller Theological
cultures in perspective.”
Seminary, who spoke on crossing
barriers of music communication
 Daniel Avorgbedor, ethnomusicology professor from Ghana, who taught on integrating
“indigenous” expressions of culture in Christian worship
Among the many new materials released in conjunction with GCoMM, two stand out. One was a
compilation recording of Heart Sounds International, one of the sponsoring groups of GCoMM.
Called “Heart Sounds—Sounds of Global Worship,”1 the recording included excerpts of projects
that took place in Tunisia, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Bosnia, the
Maldive Islands, Guatemala and Brazil. All songs on the compilation are indigenous to their
areas and include local instruments and dialects. This global worship celebration reveals the
wide diversity of musical styles within the Body of Christ and was a reflection of the global
GCoMM gathering.
The other significant release at GCoMM was another compilation, in written form, called “All
the World Will Worship—Helps for Developing Indigenous Hymns.”2 The resource is an update
and enlargement of a previous book. The expanded “tool chest” of materials brings together a
compilation of documents and research tools, each describing an idea, activity or concept to
enable the missionary or Christian worker to encourage some aspect of indigenous hymnody.
One of the important outcomes of GCoMM was the founding of the International Council of
Ethnodoxologists, an Association for Global Christian Worship. ICE provides a platform for
Christian ethnomusicologists and others involved in ethnic worship and the arts to partner in
mission, research, and dialogue over common concerns.3
But perhaps the greatest outcome of GCoMM was the
forming or renewing of relationships among the delegates.
Some discovered other workers from their regions for the
first time at GCoMM. For others, GCoMM was a
homecoming, seeing lifelong friends after years, even
decades. For still others, GCoMM connected like-minded
people with similar ministries and interests. The event was
like a rushing waterfall of new contacts. As one person put it, “I felt like I had found a huge
"family" that I never knew I had—I share so much in common with these brothers and sisters in
the Lord! It was a tremendously empowering experience to fellowship and worship with so
many people who are passionate about using music and other arts in missions.”
“I met one person whose
heart clicked with mine and
whom I expect to become a
lifelong friend! Our prayer
times together in the midst of
the bustle were special.”
The event was likened to an “all-you-can-eat buffet.” A
common reaction was, “It surpassed my expectations 100fold. What a blessing!” Many are trusting that other GCoMM
meetings will follow, both globally and regionally.
“This was a phenomenal
conference—probably the
best conference I have ever
attended.”
“I had one of the best times of my life,” said one ethnomusicologist. “There was a great sense of
camaraderie and common vision – to encourage everyone to worship God with our whole lives,
including the music that expresses our hearts most fully.”
A type of “Harmonic Convergence” was demonstrated at
GCoMM. Non-Christians sometimes use the term
“Harmonic Convergence” to describe a powerful force
that strongly influences the destiny of all of our lives and
the world we live in. At GCoMM we experienced
something far greater than a powerful force. We experienced a Powerful God who is at work
throughout the world calling forth the whole created order to worship in spirit and in truth,
through musics and lifestyle devoted to Him.
“The ‘marriage’ of biblical
worship, the arts, and missions
and their interlinked importance
was very meaningful.”
As we “do everything for the glory of God”—including our cross-cultural music communication
—the knowledge of God’s glory will progressively fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. As
people involved in music missions work around the world assembled, shared, studied, sang, and
rejoiced, GCoMM truly became a “Harmonic Convergence of Global Worship to the Triune
God.”
1
www.heart-sounds.org
Contact ethnodox1@netscape.net
3
See www.worldofworship.org for more information.
2