Meet Bradley Anderson: CMC’s New Minister of Music Ministries

Bradley Anderson is Christ Methodist Church’s new Minister of Music Ministries and will lead worship in the traditional services.

How will you prepare the choir at a high level every week?

When I visited Christ Church in early October, I had the privilege of sitting in and observing a Wednesday night choir rehearsal. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed my time and what I heard. It was evident that each choir member present valued that rehearsal time and worked hard. I also credit Perry for maintaining a high standard of musicianship.

For me, most of that preparation will come from my rehearsal preparation and diligently following the leading of the Holy Spirit in my worship selections. That is my guiding factor—what is most appropriate for the worship service each week. Sometimes that will be a “barn burner,” if you will. At other times, it may be a piece that the church has been singing for centuries! And other times it may be a simple musical response to reinforce the overall theme of worship. I find beauty in all those instances.

Regardless of the level of difficulty, the standards of excellence that have been set will remain and be used as a launching pad for further improvement. I will also draw upon my experience leading various musical ensembles over the years, as well as my time as a Choral Diction professor, to consistently maintain excellence in worship.

Say something about your leadership style and how the choir will be developed?

For me, there are three guiding factors in developing choirs (and planning worship). 

The first one is excellence. I believe first and foremost in excellence in worship. We are coming together as a church family to worship our Creator, God Almighty! That alone demands our excellence! Period. That is accomplished during rehearsal and planning times, so that when we gather for worship, we can present our musical offerings to God with confidence and without distraction. 

The second factor is authenticity. This also relates to my leadership style and how it has been described to me over the years. With me, what you see is what you get— there are no pretenses. In my rehearsals, we work hard, but there is also laughter. I believe groups can accomplish a lot, maintain a high level of excellence, and have fun in the process. 

The last factor is community. While we come together to rehearse, I also believe in taking time to foster community and relationships within the group. In this place, we can celebrate life’s victories and offer comfort during life’s sorrows. I will also look for intentional ways, both in and outside of rehearsal, to continually foster community.

Tell us a little about your journey of valuing traditional worship, and your belief regarding why it has a bright future (We have a lot of young adults who prefer traditional worship).

One of the biggest reasons I love traditional worship is that it connects us with centuries of Christianity and the history of our faith. We are proclaiming the very words in our creedal statements that countless Christians have professed over time. We are singing the same words Christians have sung for centuries as we seek to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in our hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16). We are following an order of worship, a liturgy, that has shaped the lives of Christians for generations. As I reflect on our culture, I value our traditional forms of worship even more. It allows us to come together as the body of Christ and put away the distractions of culture, and connects us with those who have come before and are now worshiping around the throne of God.

For me, I believe traditional worship has a bright future and is here to stay. In fact, I believe we’re seeing a shift in younger generations returning to or discovering traditional forms of worship for the first time as they seek to live out their lives as disciples of Christ.

Share any thoughts in general that you think would be good for the church family to know about you.

I am truly looking forward to my forthcoming time in Tennessee. It was a pleasure getting to know the individuals I met during my initial visit, and I look forward to meeting more of you! I look forward to hearing your stories and what you’re excited about as Christ Methodist continues to make disciples and be a leader in the community. 

I truly love worship and making music, and I am so excited to get started in 2026. If you’ve ever considered being involved in the music ministries at Christ Methodist, whether for the first time or returning, please know that you are welcome. I look forward to the opportunity to meet you and find ways to share your gifts and talents with the congregation. 

I also can’t emphasize enough how comforting it is to come alongside a healthy staff that truly loves Christ, the congregation, and is committed to seeing its mission grow. I am truly looking forward to seeing what we can all accomplish together, especially with a wonderful team with the likes of Don, Perry, and Kyle, and the countless other staff members with whom I will be working closely with. 

God is clearly doing something in Memphis, and I can’t wait to be a part of that.