Biblical Interview

Here is an interview that I did with John Hines. He plays guitar and is a graduate of Maranatha Baptist Bible College where he received a bachelor's degree in humanities liberal arts. He and his wife Erica are on the full time staff at Camp Cobeac in Houton Lake Michigan. John is number five out of ten children. He was an accomplished trumpet player before he picked up guitar.

Robert: When did you start playing guitar?
John: When I was fifteen.

Robert: What made you want to pick it up?

John: You know, I wanted to learn a new instrument. It was fairly easy to pick up.

Robert: What sources did you use to learn?

John: It was a mixture of self taught and playing with my friend. He showed me stuff, but wasn't necessarily my teacher. But I did take lessons for a little while.

Robert: As somebody who at a Christian camp, what do you do there?
John: I am a program directors assistant at the camp. We organize all meetings and activities involving campers.
Robert: How have you used your guitar in your ministry there?
John: Well when I was younger, before camp, I did music in church, I played guitar for my society at Maranatha for several years. I played it as a hobby as well.

Robert: How have used it at camp?

John: Just playing special music for different things. I've done some accompany, as well as instrumentals and special music. I'll play with pianists, cellists, etc. We do that for offering and stuff.

Robert: Do You play for worship time for services?

John: Not so much. For the most part, we worship for only a short time with a piano accompany to leave more time for the message. So there isn't quite as much of an opportunity for that.
Robert: Where would you like to see yourself go with it?
John: I play for fun and church. There are a lot of bluegrass type of activities that go on at camp, and I'd like to get involved in that. I don't really have any specific plans as to where I want to go with it. It's not quite as much of a focus for me as it used to be.
Robert: What advice would you give to other Christian guitar players about how they can use the guitar to glorify God and use it in ministry?
John: Well you know, you should try to work on your skills, whatever the instrument. Seek to improve for God's glory. The motive should be to please God with it, keep that the focus. In everything we do, our hobbies, God should have something to do with that I believe. If you want to use it for God's glory, you have to be willing to put yourself out there and serve where you can. Don't get out there and sound terrible, seek to sound good for God's glory. I can get really skilled, but if i don't have a purpose, then its not using it properly. That purpose should be for God. Enjoy it, use it for a hobby. But don't waste your talent and time.
Robert: Well thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. I really appreciate it.
John: No problem, thanks.