|
GORDON (Tenor) and JEAN (Soprano) GREER Gordon and Jean Greer have been ministering in song to fundamental churches, colleges, conferences, and fellowships across this country since 1986 following their ten-year residence in Düsseldorf, Germany, where they both began their careers as professional opera and concert singers. The Greers are available for local church worship services and conferences, concerts and/or speaking invitations, vocal music master classes, and music seminars. Mr. Greer entered into the calling of a ministry of music in 1986 in much the same way (and with the same financial needs) as an itinerant evangelist traveling as the Lord leads. Gordon is especially excited about the invitations which include and extend to him the liberty to speak and teach about music and its vital relationship to God’s Word and His holiness. It is his conviction that Christian music and fundamental music ministries and musicians must maintain a definite “separation” in order to have God’s blessing. It appears that for all too long a period of time musicians, like so many other Bible believers, have felt that obedience to the Biblical doctrine of separation was important for their pastors to maintain, but somehow not that important for them. This lack of separation has led to the current “downgrade” in music. Fundamental Christianity must guard against this casual approach to the commands of God! Offerings (including offerings of music unto the Lord) still need to be “without blemish.” It is our sincere desire to have the blessing of the Lord on our ministry. This blessing comes via our obedience to God’s Word. The Greers, therefore, seek to honor the Lord with their obedient lives as well as their separated music. Gordon’s speaking about music centers itself in the Bible doctrines of the holiness of God and separation unto Him, obedience to His Word, and appropriate and acceptable sacrifices in worship including music. The Greers reside in Greenville, South Carolina, where Jean joined the music faculty of Bob Jones University in the fall of 1989 and now serves as the Chairman of the Voice Department. Although not on the university’s staff as many have thought, Gordon did travel together with Jean for two years to the BJU Friendship Banquets around the country presenting a short concert together with their testimony of God’s leading in their lives. The Greers have three children (Rebecca, Andrew, and Rachelle). They currently attend Landmark Baptist Church in Easley, South Carolina, pastored by David Price. Mr. Greer was introduced to Biblical Fundamentalism while singing the title role in the opera FAUST at Bob Jones University in 1984. He dedicated his life to the Lord during the university’s annual Bible Conference following those opera performances. Saved and solely trusting in Jesus Christ for their salvation as teenagers, Gordon and Jean were seeking direction during those years of residence in Germany on how their lives and singing might better glorify the Lord; now having been introduced to Biblical Fundamentalism and also to the opportunity for the Christian education of their children, the Greers decided to return to the United States in 1985. It was at that time that they began to ask the Lord to open up doors of ministry for them. God has been gracious in providing the Greers with good, sound Bible teaching and with the fellowship and guidance of men and women of God who obey the Holy Bible. The Greers are especially grateful to the Lord for leading them to their first fundamental church home, Bethel Baptist Church in Schaumburg, Illinois, then pastored by the late Dr. Frank Bumpus. It was there that the Greers followed the Lord in believer's baptism (having come out of a Methodist background) and were active members from 1986 until their move to Greenville. Jean taught music (voice and piano) at the Schaumburg Christian School and Gordon began his travelling in the music ministry during that three year period. Dr. Bumpus also invited him to work part time on the church staff when not on the road. Both Mr. and Mrs. Greer attended classes at the Schaumburg Bible Institute (Bethel Baptist Church) from which Gordon was one of the two first graduates. The Greers encourage God’s people across this country and also on the foreign mission field to examine closely the music which they are allowing into their lives and homes and churches and schools. As ardent enemies of the modern CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) movement and the inroads of the music of prominent Neo-Evangelicals into Fundamentalism, the Greers feel that they should do what they can with the Lord’s help in helping to provide separated music for Christians to have entering into their bodies (the temple of the Holy Spirit) through their “eargate.” Gordon completed his first solo recording (Tell It Again) in 1988 and he and Jean made their first duet recording (My Savior First of All) in 1990. The Greers newest recording (Soldiers of the Cross) was released in 2001. These sacred music projects are available on cassette as well as compact disc. If you appreciate the excellence of classical vocal literature, Jean has a recording of operatic arias and classical song literature available (Jean Reese Greer - A Collection). Your prayers and financial support for this recording ministry would be most appreciated. Quality recordings with orchestra, which the Greers offer to the Lord’s honor, cost upwards of $30,000 each to produce. If you are interested in supporting this part of their ministry, please contact Mr. and Mrs. Greer, or your local pastor. Jean’s singing career has included operatic engagements with the American companies of Chautauqua (NY), Peoria (IL), Des Moines (IA), as well as Indiana University Opera Theater and the Bob Jones University Opera Association. She began her European career as a solo artist with the Krefeld-Mönchengladbach Opera in Germany but forsook her full-time singing to be home with their two oldest children who were born during the family’s wonderful years in Düsseldorf. Mrs. Greer did continue her oratorio and concert work in Germany appearing with several musical organizations. Her concert appearances in this country have included engagements with the orchestras of Indianapolis, Greenville, Des Moines, and Owensboro. Since joining the voice faculty at Bob Jones University, she regularly appears in concert and Vespers programs and has been the soprano soloist in MESSIAH, ELIJAH, Mozart’s REQUIEM, Brahms’ REQUIEM, and Poulenc’s GLORIA as well as singing the role of the Mother in Menotti's AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. Gordon continued his professional singing until 1994 as the Lord directed. His last operatic engagements induded three great roles - all new for him: the title role in PETER GRIMES and Verdi’s OTELLO, and Radamès in AIDA. Mr. Greer realized that the Apostle Paul had to continue his "tentmaking” throughout his ministry. With that in mind Gordon began his study of the great Heldentenor ("heroic German tenor”) roles of Richard Wagner. But God has clearly led him out of all operatic work (entertainment) into the full-time ministry of music in the local New Testament church. Gordon now confines his “tentmaking” activities to sports officiating between local church meetings. Mr. Greer has performed extensively throughout Europe having been a leading tenor with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf for seven years before beginning his career as a free-lance artist. In 1984 he debuted with the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Matteo in ARABELLA singing with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. His North American professional work included engagements with the operas of San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Miami, Portland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Hartford, Louisville, Knoxville, Chautauqua, and Anchorage among others. In 1984 he had the truly distinct pleasure of singing a major role again with Dame Joan Sutherland before her retirement (in I MASNADIERI at the San Diego Opera). In 1985 he debuted with the Canadian Opera of Toronto as Lt. Pinkerton in MADAME BUTTERFLY. He has sung with many of the world’s finest symphony orchestras. Gordon’s prominent professional vocal music career included among others engagements at the Royal Opera (Covent Garden) in London, Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Italy, Festival D’Orange in France, and the major opera companies of Germany as well as radio, television, symphony, opera, and oratorio appearances across Europe. Both Jean and Gordon are accomplished recital artists having performed both in Europe and North America. They have presented duet recitals at several fundamental Christian colleges since their return to the USA. The Greers have also presented several master classes in voice and are available as adjudicators/judges for vocal music competitions as well. God has gifted the voices and richly blessed the singing careers of Gordon and Jean Greer for which they are grateful. The Lord is now using them to His glory in fundamental, separated ministries.
Gordon and Jean Greer |