Talents For Christ has been an influential program for teens throughout the years. Whether teens win or lose, Talents For Christ helps them develop skills that are essential for their future ministry. Check out the upcoming March/April 2008 issue of the Baptist Bulletin for a highlight of the “Biggest Losers” from Talents For Christ. See how the program positively affected their lives. Here’s a sneak peak at two individuals that the article highlights:
Albert Armitage
In the summer of ’94, Albert Armitage competed in Male Voice at the national TFC competition. As a junior, he didn’t place nationally. However, the real disappointment came the following summer when he once again entered—but was disqualified for not numbering his song’s measures. “I had switched one of my songs between state and nationals and forgot to number them.” Unfortunately, the oversight cost him the competition. “I was shocked and very disappointed, but my parents were very encouraging.”
Despite the upsetting outcome, Armitage followed through with his ministry goals and attended Baptist Bible College, graduating in 1999 with a degree in music ministries. From school, Armitage headed straight into ministry and has been the minister of music at Olivet Baptist Church in Westwood, Kansas, since August 2000. He also teaches at Olivet’s Christian school and serves as the network administrator for the school and church. And this year, on January 19, Albert Armitage was ordained.
“Talents For Christ really helped to develop in me a love for church music,” says Armitage, who considers TFC to be the push that he needed to consider heading into music ministry.
Beth Workman
Beth Tanner Workman gets the award for perseverance. In 1972 she competed in Female Voice, placing second in New York. In 1973 she competed again in Kansas City, only to find that TFC did not award any scholarships in the category of Voice that year. Not to be deterred, she competed a third time in 1974 and came in second at nationals.
So how does she feel about Talents For Christ? Beth loved TFC because of the people. “It was so wonderful to get to know all these other girls, first from my state and then from all around the nation. We had such camaraderie with each other.” She still maintains several of the friendships she made at those competitions.
Beth has gone on to establish herself as a wonderful musician as well as a pastor’s wife. She and her husband, Don, have served at Faith Baptist Church in Streetsboro, Ohio, for seventeen years. Beth received a degree in music from Baptist Bible College in 1978. She has since been active teaching voice lessons, leading choirs for children and adults, coaching other Talents For Christ winners, and even judging on the state and national levels. One year she judged the New York state competition—along with one of her former judges and a former contestant.
- Read the full article.
