Richard W. Steffen: “Sure, We Can Do That

“Sure, We Can Do That”

by Richard W. Steffen, Minister of Music

Confidence is important in music, especially when you think you are ready to have someone else listen to you as you share what you’ve learned. But can a musician’s confidence become boldness? I checked online for a comparison of the words. “As nouns, the difference between confidence and boldness is that confidence is passive self-assurance while boldness is the state of being bold; courage.” (www.wikidiff. com/boldness/confidence. Confidence vs Boldness - What’s the difference?)

Victor Wooten is an American bassist. The words during his talk about confidence in music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2015 emboldened a young guitarist who wrote about it later. Alper Memioglu, that young guitarist, tells of his journey in music: “Confidence is key if you want to get better at anything. Music is about writing, creating, and having fun. Focus on yourself, your progress, and your own creativity. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot more confident and you’ll get a lot better!” (Memioglu, A. www. festivalpeak.com/the-importance-of-self-confidence-in-music7ae04117ef4)

At a recent FBC Monday evening Bible study on Acts, we read that the Apostles spoke with confidence and that they prayed for boldness. “They raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.’ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (from Acts 4:24-31 NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote of his own ministry to empower the church at Ephesus. “Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. This grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.” (from Ephesians 3:7-12 NRSV)

In just a month, the Worship Choir, the Worship Ensemble, and the Junior Disciples Choir were going to begin their in-person practices for leading music in worship this fall. During that first rehearsal for the Worship Choir, they were going to be learning the first movement of this year’s Christmas cantata: Heaven’s Child. Released in 2012, our Choir shared it in worship in December of that year. Earlier this month, I reached out to some of our musicians and asked them: “What would it be like to learn and share our cantata using distance singing?” The words of their replies were different, but each showed a strong confidence, even boldness, about the idea: “Sure, we can do that!” So this is a project that we have begun. Confidence/Boldness/Courage.

How do we do it? I have recorded all of the piano parts for the nine songs in the cantata. I have recorded myself conducting them. And we are making recordings of each of the parts of the music so that YOU can sing WITH them! Soon there will be compiled videos with a voice singing soprano, alto, tenor, or bass with waving arms (mine) and the accompaniment for you. I have music for you and a performance CD to assist in your learning. And we have skillful, patient folks to show you how to make your recordings. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING US? Please email me for more information.

Confidence and boldness. We sing about them, and the words of the songs give us courage. The spiritual song “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” has inspired us as we worship, both in our services before this pandemic and since. In June this year, our FBC Redlands Worship BAND (Building Affinity Notwithstanding Distance) inspired us by sharing it. May these words support you these days. “You call me out upon the waters - the great unknown where feet may fail. Your grace abounds in deepest waters; Your sovereign hand will be my guide. So I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace: For I am Yours and You are mine.” (From the album Zion; lyrics by Joel Houston, Matt Crocker, and Salomon Lighthelm; 2013)