by JR Boatwright
At a young age, I was “bitten” by the music bug. I grew up attending a Baptist church with three gospel choirs, a youth choir, and a praise and worship team—and I participated in all of them! I seized every opportunity to sing and play an instrument.
I found I could participate in music every day by being in the music programs in middle school, including the orchestra and band, and added them to what I did at church. By high school, music was part of my DNA.
Introduced to The Salvation Army at 16, I was immediately attracted to it because of all of the music: senior band, songsters, divisional youth and senior bands…even assisting with the youth band at my corps in Lakeland, Fla. It was at the corps that I asked Jesus to be my Savior and Lord.
After undergraduate and graduate school, I spent 17 years teaching music in Florida public schools. I showed my faith by how I ran my classroom. Kindness and respect were modeled. Students knew I cared about them and supported them by how I treated them.
In 2022 I became the music and gospel arts director for the Midland Division, a position tailor-made for me. I’m not only able to teach and share my passion for music, but I am able to verbally share Jesus with everyone. We each are part of God’s redemptive plan to bring others into a saving knowledge of Christ. God uses the gift and love of music He’s given me for this purpose. I am blessed to serve in The Salvation Army and grateful for what God has accomplished through me in our division.
In my first year, we started two regional music schools, and one young person from our division participated in territorial youth music groups. In 2023, seven music schools became operational! Ten young people participated in Resonate and Central Music Institute (CMI), and four were part of the territorial music groups.
This year and moving forward, our division will start a regional music school concept that will encourage even more people to participate. We look forward to equipping and sending more young people to Resonate and CMI and increasing participation in territorial groups.
It’s amazing what has been accomplished in just two years. But none of it would have been possible without the Holy Spirit leading and empowering us. Christ is at the center of all of our music programs in the Midland Division, and I believe He’s blessed our efforts because of it.
