The Master’Singers have a portrait taken during their annual retreat. Photos by Alex Blankenship/ABSC
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Baptist Master’Singers are gearing up for their 2024-2025 season.
Comprised of ministers of music/worship leaders, directors, accompanists, choir leaders, pastors, staff members and staff spouses from Arkansas Baptist churches across the state, the group ended its previous season with a stop at the White County Fair on Sept. 9. With the brightly lit rides along the midway serving as a backdrop, the group attracted fairgoers of all ages with its concert. Prior to the performance, the Master’Singers gave gift bags to fair employees and officials and were even able to have a few Gospel conversations.
To kick off the new season, Master’Singers held its annual retreat on Sept. 12-13 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock. Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Worship Consultant Jim Daniel said they had more than 190 people register for the new season, representing more than 100 churches from across the state. He said they had a little over 180 in attendance. The retreat is geared toward encouraging and equipping the participants.
“It was a great time,” Daniel said.
This year, Daniel said they have added an extra focus on evangelism and missions. The group is looking at a Costa Rica missions trip in May 2025 through partnering with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the mission organization, Worship Convergence. There will be open park concerts and pre-concert evangelism. Additionally, the group will be entering local elementary schools for worship with children and teachers. Furthermore, he said they will host an equip style conference for area worship leaders and may even have a formal concert with the nation’s leadership.
“It’s much more than singing some concerts and then coming back,” he said.
The Master’Singers first concert of the season will be at the 2024 Annual Meeting, scheduled Oct. 22-23. Daniel said they hope to bring on stage with them about 50 students who participated in PraiseWorks to sing two songs.
The name, Master’Singers, is a play on words, describing the group as the Master’s singers. They have been bought and paid for by Jesus Christ and are striving to serve Him in the best way they know how – through music.
“We consider ourselves Christ followers that have this great resource and tool of music to be able to proclaim the Gospel. We are always looking for opportunities to do that. We sing a lot with churches and things like that, which we think is an important role because in that we are encouraging the churches and just celebrating the Gospel with those that have a relationship with Christ, but it is the other side of our ministry that gets us even more excited. That is sharing the Gospel with those who have not heard it, and we use the beautiful tool of music to be able to do that,” Daniel said. “It really is a missions organization that carries the Gospel with an evangelistic pinpoint. That’s why we do what we do.”
For more information about the Arkansas Master’Singers, click here.
2024-2025 Concert dates are:
October 22 – Leading at the ABSC Annual Meeting
November 14 – Concert of Worship, West Baptist Church, Batesville
January 27 – Evangelism Conference
February 13 – Woodland Heights Baptist, Conway
March 13 – Immanuel Baptist, Warren
April 22 – Ouachita Baptist University
May 22 to June 2 – Costa Rica Mission