Welcome to "This Is My Story," a new blog series dedicated to highlighting the journeys of individuals within the Polyphony Music Resources family.
In these posts, we turn the spotlight on some of our dedicated church musicians. Through personal anecdotes and professional milestones, we’ll learn a little more about them and hopefully, get to know one another better.
This series aims to inspire and celebrate the invaluable contributions of our musical leaders. Join us as we delve into their stories and continue to strengthen our connections.
Meet David Warren
Minister of Music & Worship - First Baptist Church, Roswell, GA
Hometown - Richmond, VA (originally: Memphis, TN)
Education:
Bachelor of Music in Church Music (Voice & Tuba), Carson-Newman University, 2015
Master of Divinity, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, 2020
Tell us about your family.
Katie (my wife) and I live in Marietta, GA with our 5-year-old Redbone Coonhound, "Hank." Katie is an elementary school music teacher in Cobb County, GA, and also serves on our church staff at First Baptist Roswell as our Children's Music Coordinator.
We met at Carson-Newman where Katie was a music education major (and later a double alumni with her Master's degree as well). Katie and I married in 2020 after I graduated from seminary. I moved back to Maryville, TN where Katie was born and raised, and was teaching music in the city school district. I served at a local Baptist congregation as the interim worship pastor for almost two years before we followed the call to Roswell in 2022. In our first year there, we rescued Hank from an area shelter in Atlanta.
Both my parents were Baptist ministers in the local church and at the denominational level (of a different era in Baptist life...). My mom, brother, and sister-in-law live in Seneca, SC (go Clemson Tigers!), and my dad lives in Montgomery, AL.
Favorite hobbies?
We love to travel and explore new places with friends and family. Outside of the music world, I am an amateur (in every sense) mechanic, trying to fix up my old Chevy Avalanche. Since moving to Georgia, I've reignited my love of model railroading. We also are trying to perfect our cooking and baking skills.
How have you participated in Polyphony?
I first jumped in formally with Polyphony over Zoom and attended my first gathering when Polyphony rebooted in 2022 in Atlanta. I also was a part of the Thriving in Ministry cohort in 2023, which was so supportive and centering for myself and my ministry at a critical time in my life.
What do you think God is up to in your life right now?
What I seem to be learning (and reminded of) most right now in my life and in my vocation is the need and benefit of a steady pace: at home, at church, in life, in ministry, in sabbath, and in my faith journey. So often, like many, I find the overwhelming excitement and energy that comes from a new idea or a desire and drive, but so often I am reminded that the long run is the key goal, and the long game is sustainable. To help thrive in ministry, to help balance work and rest, life and everything in between, a steady pace (though not constantly possible), is so important for "not an easy life, but a good life" (- to quote George Mason via Doug Haney).
Tell us about your faith journey.
My faith story, perhaps like many, was not a flashy or dramatic conversion story but rather that of a typical pastor's kid. I grew up in church all of my life and for as long as I can remember, every time the church was open, I was there. With my mom being our Children's Minister, I was heavily involved in all of our church's programming (Children's Choir, Handbells, RA's, camps, VBS, Bible Drill,...everything) and much beyond and behind the scenes. Outside of church, I can remember spending a lot of time at the home office of the IMB with my dad, listening to missionaries, or helping load trucks in preparation for Ridgecrest and Glorieta Mission Weeks. I remember walking the aisle after giving my life to Christ around 8 years old and being baptized, however, as I reflect later on in life, I'm not sure I fully grasped the depth of my faith at that point that has grown and flourished since then. I felt the echoing of God's call in my high school and began a vocational pursuit in music ministry. In Roswell, First Baptist ordained me to the Gospel Ministry.
As life continued, in college, in seminary, working with PASSPORT Camps, or serving churches in Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee, I attribute so many impactful moments in my faith to the faithful echoes and nudgings of the holy spirit through the voices of so many teachers, mentors, and friends on whose shoulders I have stood on and who have poured into me; people like my music minister, David Schwoebel, who helped me recognize my call and gifts, Kim Bowen, my music minister in college and my mentor who helped give me countless opportunities, and Terry York, who helped nurture, unpack, and refine my faith in seminary, and the litany of countless others (Clark Measels, Dale Tadlock, David Burroughs, Eric Mathis, John Woods, the list goes on!...) who have walked alongside me throughout my journey.
Something interesting most people would not know about you.
I'm sure there is some clause in Chick-fil-A's Disney-like NDA that divulging this violates, BUT: for a season of my life, I was the Chick-Fil-A Cow mascot.
What adjectives best describe you?
Dedicated, Intentional, Personable, Striving, Goofy
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