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Announcing "The Episkopos Awards" By Steven J. Camp

Announcing "The Episkopos Awards"
...if pastors were treated like CCM artists

Each year in April the GMA (Gospel Music Association) hosts the "Dove Awards Show." The Dove Award is given to artists of all musical genres within CCM that the GMA members through voting deem worthy to receive. The award carries no real industry weight; and is, for lack of better words, an imitation Grammy for CCM artists who are not good enough to compete in the secular pop music world, but want to feel for a moment like they had. The Dove Award gives them an artificial sense of being "a real artist" with all the trappings that winning a Grammy would without actually having to win one, be good enough to win one, or having to actually compete against pop music's finest artistry. (What should be a concern to all of us as Christians, is that CCM musicians are the only part of the body of Christ that honors itself by giving awards to itself each year for serving the Lord.) No artist in CCM, if truth be told, likes The Dove's... but they do love the free "TV-air-time” and press that the broadcast of the Dove Awards affords them (even though the only "network" they can get to broadcast them is TBN). No comment needed… add your own thoughts here____________.

I had an interesting notion: could you imagine if pastors were honored with the same status of "artists" and the GMA created an award show especially for them each year? It would have to be called "The Episkopos Awards." Episkopos is the Greek word in 1 Timothy 3:1 for overseer—meaning to “look intently into the needs of another.” This is the heart of biblical eldership within pastoral ministry.

Here is a tongue and cheek approach to what the award categories on a GMA ballot might look like. As you're reading, laughing, and enjoying this sarcastic-rich list, consider praying for all in Christian music to repent of such self-aggrandizement and thank the Lord that pastors haven’t sunk to this level… YET.

Announcing GMA's latest and greatest award, "The Episkopos Awards" designed for the pastor in mind.

Sermon of the year

Exposition of the year

Best exegesis of the year using only the subjunctive, aorist, pluperfect form of the verb

Best alliteration of the year beginning with the letters S. P or A;

Best wooden pulpit, non-hydrolic, of the year

Best wooden pulpit, hydrolic, of the year

Best Plexiglas pulpit of the year

Best conference of the year not containing the words "camp" or "meeting"

Best counseling session of the year using only the Bible without using a couch, medication, or charging the session to an insurance company

Best Elder Board of the year that actually and proactively shepherded the congregation in non-crisis situations

Best Elder Board of the year that doesn't shepherd the congregation, but meets regularly to discuss the needs of the church

Best Staff planning retreat of the year without golf

Best Staff planning retreat of the year with golf

Best hymn/chorus bulletin order selection that tied into the sermon of the year

Best oration of the year

Best prayer of the year impromptu

Best prayer of the year written

Best prayer of the year taken from but not credited to a Puritan

Best offering presentation of the year without using KFC buckets

Best Church Discipline of the year

Best Restoration of the year

Best Sunday School curriculum of the year using Beth Moore materials

Best Sunday School curriculum of the year without using Beth Moore materials, but remain open to it

Best rapture sermon of the year without referring to the Left Behind Series

Best teaching tape or CD of the year

Best short form sermon, seminar, or devotional of the year

Best announcements of the year presented by a non-staff member

Best altar call of the year without singing "Just As I Am" or repeating a praise chorus more than twice

Best use of secular music as worship music of the year

Best skit of the year

Best pastor's conference of the year

Best bulletin insert of the year not prepared by a multi-level marketing company

Best vocal performance when preaching on mic

Best vocal performance when not using a mic

Best vocal performance when using a headset

Best vocal performance when not wearing a suit, but wearing an IZOD shirt and Kakis at a retreat-center

Best PowerPoint presentation of the year that you can actually read without turning off all the sanctuary lights

Best looking pastor's study of the year using real wood

Best sanctuary tech presentation of the year

Best after service most caring handshake and greeting of the year

And finally, best round of golf of the year not played on a Monday, without using a "foot-wedge," and having at least one non-Christian in the foursome (no gambling allowed)


There you go people... what do you think? We don't need stars in the body of Christ folks, but we do need servants. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see biblically trained "musician-priests" or "musicianaries" to serve the church in song, to lead God's people in praise and worship, to share the gospel, and to encourage others in the body of Christ in their walk with the Lord through Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs?

Thank the Lord for your pastor today beloved; and let them know what awaits the faithful under-shepherd of Christ is a well-done from the King of kings and Lord of lords. That's all the "award" anyone of us should ever seek in this life; and especially those in Contemporary Christian Music.

SJ Camp

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