NathanPierpont.com

Home Studio

Nathan — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:14:11 +0000

I think I recorded my first tape in 1994 while pastoring in Indiana. I ran RCA cables from my Mark V digital keyboard right into the aux input on an old Radioshack boombox. I actually sold some of those and people still tell me they listen to them. Then I recorded my second tape on a Tascam Portastudio while we lived in a mobile home in Ohio. I’ve recorded in a professional studio and at live events. One time I even rented an empty house to find a place that was quiet, but this is my favorite spot. This is my office at home where I do most of my recordings now. At least until somebody offers to produce a professional recording. (hint, hint)

I was just thinking, my headphones cost more than the boom box I used for my first recording. These are the headphones our dog, Raisin, initiated. It took me quite a while to find the right replacement from Beyerdynamic for the cord he chewed through. A few weeks, 20 bucks and a little solder and we’re good as new.

Welcome to the home studio. If I hold my face right, the church will finish the office wing addition with our new offices this year, and I’m really looking forward to that. Of course, you know what they say. “There’s no place like home.”

“Love Them Long”

Nathan — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:45:11 +0000

I wrote this song after Grace was born and sang it at her dedication service at Northeastern. I hope it encourages you to do the hard work of raising and training the next generation to love and serve the Lord.

I know my folks would go to the ends of the earth to make sure I lived for Christ. I am committed to loving my kids as long and as far as I have to. I will never, ever give up on them. They have been given back to God and regardless of the struggles they may face, I will love them as long as it takes.

“God Leads Us Along”

Nathan — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:35:12 +0000

A few years ago my family rented a lot for a mobile home in a small town in Ohio. Thanks to the generous salary of my church, we have a nice suburban home in the Midwest. For a long time I’ve dreamed of building a house on some land in the country. A country cottage seems like just the ticket for a songwriter and arranger like myself. I could “get away from things,” I tell myself, “and get the creative juices flowing.” Then I read a hymn story in a book I’ve really come to love.

In his book, Then Sings My Soul, book two, Robert Morgan tells the story of another Midwest songwriter, George Young, who had a dream of building a country cottage. After years of traveling from church to church in revival efforts and pinching pennies they were finally able to build their modest dream house and find a sweet place of rest between revival meetings and travel. One day they returned from a ministry trip to find their home in ashes. Someone had been offended by George’s preaching and decided to seek revenge. Looking over the ruins, a few words of a hymn began to form in George’s mind.

“In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along.
Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, Some thru the fire, but all thru the blood;
Some throu great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season, and all the day long.”

Brother Morgan goes on to tell how years later Dr. Lillenas discovered that George’s widow lived in a Country Poor House. Deeply troubled by the news he found her and spoke with her. This is the story Robert Morgan tells of her words to Dr. Lillenas.

“Dr. Lillenas, God led me here! I’m so glad He did, for you know, about every month someone comes into this place to spend the rest of their days, and so many of them don’t know my Jesus. I’m having the time of my life introducing them to Jesus! Isn’t it wonderful how God leads?”

Instead of retiring to a country cottage, Mrs. Young was still joyfully accepting the Lord’s leading wherever He might lead.

Heavenly Father,
Forgive my idolatrous heart for setting any part of it on an earthly cottage. My heart is set on the joy of knowing You and the companionship of the ministry of Your gospel. I will not look to a retirement home unless it is the place You choose to let me burn out for You. Then, in Your grace, when I have served my purpose, let me come swiftly into the presence of Your glory. There I will realize the fulfillment of a longing You have placed within all Your own, the longing to dwell with You in that home with many rooms You have been preparing.

Listen to “God Leads Us Along” — Another arrangement for the collection I call, “Lord’s Day Meditations.”

Listen to Lord’s Day Meditations (Piano CD in progress)

Nathan — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 23:11:09 +0000

Lord’s Day Meditation is the name I have been using as the title of a new piano CD. It is almost complete and I expect to release the CD by April 12, 2009 which is Easter. I think the title will be “Overshadowed.” Until Easter, enjoy these mp3 samples.

“God Leads Us Along”
Words and Music by George Young
“God Leads Us Along” (2 MB)

“Overshadowed”
Words and Music by H. A. Ironsides and George S Schuler
MP3 (3.2 MB)

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Hymn Text by Thomas O. Chisholm
Traditional melody by William M. Runyan
MP3 (750 kb)

“All Your Anxieties”
Hymn text and music by Edward Henry Joy.
MP3 (531 kb)

“Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus”
Hymn text by Louisa M. R. Stead
Music by William J. Kirkpatrick
MP3 (939 kb)

“Day By Day”Hymn text by Carolina Sandell Berg; translated by Andrew L. Skoog
Music by Oscar Ahnfelt
MP3 (868 kb)

“Abide with Me”
Hymn text by Henry F. Lyte
Music by William H. Monk
MP3 (1.22 MB)

“Others Medley”
Copyright 2005 Nathan S. Pierpont
MP3 (4.86 MB)
This is a collection of songs I sing to myself on the way to church about 7:00 a.m. preparing my heart for leading worship at 8:15 a.m.
“Others”
“Make Me a Channel of Blessing”
“Make Me a Blessing”
“Channels Only”
“May the Mind of Christ.”

This last one ends with these words.

May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him. ~ Kate B. Wilkinson

As Promised, here’s the “Friend Medley”
“I Am His and He is Mine”
words by George W. Robinson/music by James Mountain
“Now I Belong to Jesus”
words and music by Norman J. Clayton
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
words by Joseph M. Scriven/music by Charles C. Converse

“I am His and He is Mine,” “Now I belong to Jesus,” “What a Friend we Have”
MP3 (5.44 MB)

“No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus”
wma sample

Their Love

Nathan — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 03:50:22 +0000

When I was a kid my older brother made fun of my parents for showing affection for one another in front of us. We would join in saying something like, “Kissie face, huggie bear.” I don’t know where that came from, but it was fun to say and those of you who know Ken also know that he likes to tease.

Naturally, we preferred affection to strong words. I’m grateful for my parents’ love for one another and their determination to stay together now more than 50 years. Wow, Mom! But, even more than that I’m grateful for another love they each showed me through the years. I speak of their love for music and their love for the Lord.

Many years ago my father read the verse, “Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” That verse became very dear to my dad. After my parents were married, my mother wrote a song that went with this special verse. It has a very interesting name. “Quest.”

Just think, in the 1940’s my family on either side knew very little about the gospel. My mom was one of the first ones to come to Christ in her family, then just a few years later in another part of the world my Dad was sort of the first in his family. When God saved my mom and dad he put something strange and special inside of them. It is a deep and profound dedication to living for Christ and raising their family to serve the Lord.

My mom plays the piano quite well and mostly by ear. She would not consider herself a great pianist, but her playing and singing is now more than ever the dearest to my ear. After mom made sure I learned to read music, I began to play by ear myself. One day I played a song that I knew the melody to, but I didn’t know where I learned it and I couldn’t think of the words. My mom walked by and said, “I didn’t know you knew that song. I don’t think I’ve played it since I was expecting you.” It was a song she wrote and we wondered if the only time I could have heard the song was from the womb. –Hmm.

Church planting combined my parent’s great loves, the gospel ministry and music. They didn’t have a piano, so while mom was expecting me, she played an accordion every Sunday for church. You ever hear how loud an accordion is? –Hmm.

These seemingly unrelated lines have been running through my head today. It causes me to think of the influence the music we listen to can have on our children. It reminds me that our children will catch on to what inspires us the most. As I recall the last lines of my mom’s song, “Quest,” are “When ye shall seek me with all your heart.” My dear parents, with all their talents and shortcomings, truly have sought the Lord with all their heart. The cool thing is, I am so desperately determined to do the same.

I can still hear mom’s piano playing ringing through the house. I may have added a few notes as I am known to do, but if you could hear mom play, you would hear very distinctly how her style influences mine. I probably first heard it when I wasâ€”what’s the wordâ€”a fetus.

Dad and Mom, Thanks for loving each other. Thanks for seeking the Lord. Thanks for your lovely, Christ-honoring music.

“Quest” By Jane A. Pierpont
Windows Media File

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Man of the Cloth

Nathan — Wed, 11 May 2005 22:48:18 +0000

It has been my pattern to write a title song for each CD with each of my children in mind. Just before Grace was born I wrote the song that will be the title for “Levi’s CD”. I plan to name the song and the CD, “A Man of the Cloth”. Here is decent studio sketch of the track and vocal to give you a taste for what it will be like when I’m finished.

Of course, the man of the cloth in my life was my dad. I’ll always be grateful to my dad for paying the price of being in the ministry and getting us involved from a very early age. I’m sure that it had a lot to do with God calling me into the ministry when I was just a boy.

This song is also a tribute to many other godly pastors who have blessed my life. Namely, my brother Ken, Dr. Duff when he pastored Troy Baptist Temple, Levi Whisner, and so many great men who partnered with this ministry over the years. This is my encouragement to my sons to yield their life to the call of God no matter where He may call.

Underneath the Stars Tonight

Nathan — Tue, 10 May 2005 23:10:21 +0000

I have no idea what to do with this song. I wrote it years ago and have no other songs like to make a set. This is a love song.

The first verse speaks of two people who will someday be together but they haven’t met. The singer takes solace in the fact that at least they are looking at the same stars and sky even if they can’t be together.

Some stranger I would know to see
Waiting for me patiently
Are you looking how I wonder
At the same stars my eyes ponder?

In the second verse the singer asks that his future wife save herself for him.

Though you haven’t yet to know me
Save the promise you have for me
Don’t give up I’m coming to you
Underneath the stars tonight

The third verse is after they meet and eventually marry. The singer expresses his joy that she did indeed keep herself for him.

Though you might had given another
Things intended for each other
I’m so glad you waited for me
Underneath the stars tonight

This is only a sketch. I never recorded this in a studio. Here’s a Real Audio clip if you’re interested. Hopefully this isn’t like Randy Travis trying to do an impression of Michael Crawford.

Download or listen to: Underneath The Stars Tonight — Real Audio

A Tender Heart

Nathan — Fri, 01 Apr 2005 22:54:16 +0000

The kids sang this song in church. Here’s a home recording of just Levi singing.

UPDATE: Levi is now seven years old and still singing. He will be singing as “Tiny Tim” in our church’s Christmas Program this year. Listening to this clip still tugs at my heart.

Levi explores “Half Acres”

Nathan — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 23:10:14 +0000

I would absolutely love to have 100 acres like my grandpa did. If I had a farm like that I would call it “Hundred Acres”. In the spirit of optimism I named our corner suburbs lot, “Half Acres” which, as you can see, it is.