How does the Adventist Church maximize the potential of the power of music in ministry? This question, and others, were addressed during a recent conference on music, with more than 150 Adventist professional musicians and Christian music lovers from all over Poland. They met at the Seventh-day Adventist College of Theology and Humanities (ACTH) in Podkowa Le?na from Sept. 9 to 11 for lectures, concerts and worship through music.

Pastor Miroslaw Karauda, music ministry director for the Polish Adventist Church, says, “Music is a powerful medium for worshiping God, sharing the gospel and [for] personal spiritual growth. Many Adventist congregations in Poland are more than aware of this fact, but were asking questions such as ‘How [do we] get the music beyond Sabbath worship services and into the ears and hearts of hungry, searching souls?’”

Topics such as ‘Bible, culture and music,’ ‘interpretation of music,’ ‘music in worship,’ ‘technology and music,’ ‘production and copyrights,’ and ‘events and marketing’ were addressed by pastor Miroslav Pujic, music ministry director for the church’s Trans-European region; Ken Burton pianist and conductor of the award winning London Adventist Chorale; Paul Lee, president of the Adventist Musicians Association, publicity and marketing director Trevor Johnson; and professional music producer Fred Shone.

“For individuals, music becomes more meaningful when the form emanates from the cultural context,” Pujic says. “Then it can serve as a convincer of the message and it helps to reach out and share a renewed relationship with the Creator. Music can aid in the spreading of faith, the sharing of the gospel and the persuasion of people to follow Christ. Therefore music must be integrated and incorporated into church ministries.”

Roman Chalupka, a pianist and the executive secretary of the Adventist Church in Poland, reminded participants that there was a time when Polish Adventist choirs were actively recording and traveling abroad, such as the former group Dzwiek Adwentu (Advent Sound) did throughout the 1970s. Such achievements can happen again, he said.

Karauda challenged participants to “take a more active roll in church music by starting new groups, striving for quality, and taking the Gospel to the public.” 

Musical groups, such as Via Fides from the Central Warsaw congregation, show that with a little bit of work and a lot of help from God much success can be achieved, he said.

Over the last two decades, Adventists in Poland developed a quality musical presence in the country. Jarek Wajk and “Bogu” [For God] are perhaps the most recognized Adventist musical group by the public.

Other groups from Polish congregations include the choir Ziemi Cieszy?skiej from Upper Silesia and the joint Podkowa Lesna-Warsaw Central choirs, which toured throughout Poland last year performing a contemporary version of Handel’s Messiah.

Participants said the weekend was worth it. Krzysztof Kubiak from Gdansk commented, “I learned about a whole new aspect to church music. One that needs the leading of the Holy Spirit.” Dorota Bar from Leksandrowa added, “We should strive to be professional with the music we make, especially the music we make for God.”