Dr. Tom Bolton, left, professor at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ken., and past president of the Baptist Church Music Conference, presents a Lifetime Ministry Award to Paul Bobbitt, who retired Florida Baptists' church music director in 1993, while his wife, Mayrene Bobbitt looks on.

Florida ’s retired church music director receives lifetime ministry award

July 18, 2008

NEW ORLEANS, LA (FBC)—Paul Bobbitt, retired director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s church music department, received a Lifetime Ministry Award from the Baptist Church Music Conference during its annual meeting June 15-17 in New Orleans.

Under Bobbitt’s 23 years of leadership, from 1970 until 1993, music enrollment in Florida Baptist churches increased from 64,000 members to 127,000 members and the state was a consistent leader in Southern Baptist church music study course awards.

In making the presentation, Lester McCullough, minister of music at Southside Baptist Church in Jacksonville and former associate director in Florida’s church music department, said Bobbitt “epitomized” the Scripture found in Ephesians 4:2-3, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

“If you know Paul, you know him to be Christian gentleman of high character and integrity. As a demonstration of his heart for ministry, Paul developed an effective and far-reaching ministry to church leaders in the areas of worship and church music. During his 30 years of denominational service he demonstrated a unique and loving concern for pastors, ministers of music and lay music leaders.”

A native of North Carolina, Bobbitt served as minister of music in North Carolina, Kentucky and Florida. From 1961-1968 he served as a youth consultant in the Church Music Department, Baptist Sunday School Board, now Lifeway Christian Resources. He served on the national committees to produce two Baptist hymnals—1975 and 1991. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a Distinguished Alumnus award in 1985.

He and his wife, Mayrene have been married for 55 years and have three daughters, all who serve in the music ministry of their churches. He resides in Ridgecrest, N.C.