Ask Jim Gill to talk about his musical beginnings, and he’ll tell you he was a paid soloist at age 5.
“I was given a nickel to sing ‘Jesus Loves Me’,” he replies. His delivery is deadpan.
Jim GillHumor is a big part of Jim Gill’s personality, and it’s liable to bubble up anywhere, even in the middle of a choir rehearsal, when the Baton Rouge native veers onto a side road, his rambling narrative sliding off into a muddy, entertaining Cajun vernacular.
Baptists all across South Carolina, especially singers and instrumentalists, have crossed paths with Gill often during the nearly three decades he has served the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Gill recently retired as director of the music and creative worship group. He joined the department in 1977 as an associate and was named director in 1990.
During his tenure, he has worked with musicians of all ages and abilities – from part-time pianists to overseers of full-blown church music departments – in an effort to help grow and strengthen music and worship in South Carolina Baptist churches.
Through music camps and festivals, Baptist All-State Chorus and children’s honor choruses, through training bivocational ministers of music, through integrating drama and other creative worship arts, and by generally providing resources to church music and worship leaders, the music and creative worship group, under Gill’s leadership, has made a lasting impact across South Carolina. Gill says he is humbled when he runs into people he influenced at youth music camps who are now serving churches.
In the past decade, Gill said, a number of churches have struggled with what some have called “worship wars,” an ongoing debate about different music styles. Some churches favor a traditional, hymn-based approach; others prefer contemporary music and praise songs. Still other churches settle on something between the two.
Gill acknowledges that there can, and should, be a wide variety of worship styles, as long as the worshiper’s motivation is pure. “Sometimes, the problem is that we have a misguided direction for worship,” he said. “People say, ‘That style doesn’t speak to me,’ but that’s not what worship is about.
“Worship is what we offer to God, not what we get out of it. If we come to be fed and to be entertained and to feel good, we’ll be disappointed. But if we come to offer praise to God and give him the glory, then whatever style it is – whether it be a praise chorus, a Bach cantata or Southern gospel – should have nothing to do with it.”
Gill predicts that over the next 10 years there will be a melding of the old and the contemporary in a “new tradition,” a blended style of worship. “The hymns will always be with us, although they may sound more ‘contemporized,’ and the stronger of today’s choruses will survive,” he said.
Gill may be retiring from convention work, but he isn’t retiring from music. A tuba player at heart, he will be directing the Midlands Area home-school band. Also, he has been invited – for the 30th consecutive year – to direct the Singing Churchmen, a men’s chorus made up of ministers of music from across the state.
Jim Gill recently retired after nearly 30 years of service in the music and creative worship group of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Here are a few observations from his colleagues:
“I have always been amazed how Jim Gill could have so many things going on at the same time, and yet would stop everything to listen to a child at music camp, or be instrumental in leading two young men to Christ in Puerto Rico on a Singing Churchmen tour.”
Joel Waddell, Laurel Baptist Church, Greenville
“It has been a distinct pleasure working side by side with Jim. He is a man of character, integrity and great musical skill. I have especially enjoyed his great sense of humor. He has kept me laughing. He has been a great mentor and model, but, most especially, I am proud to call him friend.”
Tom Eggleston, Associate, Worship and Music Office, SCBC
“Jim’s heart has always been for campers to begin or strengthen a relationship with God through music. I will always be thankful for the example of remaining focused on the task and showing loving patience … particularly on Thursdays and Fridays of camp week.”
David Corbitt, South Main Street Baptist Church, Greenwood
“During one of the darkest times in my ministry, Jim Gill gave me support, prayer and encouragement. He encouraged me to stay the course and follow God’s leading. Fruitful ministry followed the dark times.”
Allen Hendricks, Charleston Southern University
“Children absolutely adore him. Teenagers also have a lot of respect for him and he works well with them. Adults respect him for his ability to get where they are and help them to grow their skills in all areas of ministry. I think senior adults mostly think he’s funny. They love his Cajun Jim stuff. He has impacted the profession of minister of music by setting a high standard for us to follow.”
Charlton Bozard, First Baptist Church, West Columbia
“Jim has always been a help and support to me and has given me many opportunities for serving God’s kingdom through our South Carolina Baptist music program. I will always treasure those opportunities and the privilege of working alongside him.”
Mark Powers, First Baptist Church, North Augusta