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Fred Coleman

Photo of Fred Coleman

Department Head, Department of Church Music
Division of Music
School of Fine Arts and Communication

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Education

  • DPasTh, Pastoral Theology, Bob Jones University
  • MA, Sacred Music, Bob Jones University
  • BS, Teacher Education: Music, Ball State University

Courses

  • Church Music Internship II (CM 492)
  • Church Music Leadership (CM 200)
  • Concert Choir (Ens 104)
  • History of Congregational Song (CM 503, Th 403)
  • Music Ministries in the Church (CM 201)
  • Planning & Leading Corporate Worship (Min 320)
  • Principles & Practices of Church Worship (SCM 707)
  • Worship in the Church (Min 220)

About

Fred R. Coleman is a Professor at Bob Jones University and, since 1988, has served as the Head of the Church Music Department. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Ball State University (1975), a Master of Arts degree in Sacred Music from Bob Jones University (1977), and a Doctorate of Pastoral Theology from Bob Jones Seminary (2014). He has done additional postgraduate study in choral conducting with Eph Ehly (VanderCook School of Music), James Jordan (Westminster Choir College), Rene Clausen (Concordia), and Robert Shaw (Robert Shaw Choral Insitute). He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association.

In the Division of Music, Dr. Coleman conducts the Concert Choir and teaches "The History of Congregational Song," "Church Music Leadership," "Music Ministries in the Church," and "Leading Congregational Song." In the School of Religion, he teaches "Worship in the Church" and "Planning and Leading Gathered Christian Worship." Dr. Coleman is also a faculty member at Bob Jones Seminary where he teaches "American Hymnody," "Hymnody: The Protestant Tradition," and "Principles and Practices of New Testament Worship." 

With his wife, Ruth, he has jointly published several individual choral arrangments and collections (Shawnee Press, Lorenz, and Soundforth). They have also compiled and published a hymn supplement, Hymns: Modern & Ancient (Heart Publications). The Colemans have led choral workshops in local churches and at conferences in the United States and abroad. Fred co-produced and directed seven recordings of the SoundForth Singers and for many years authored "SoundForth Select," a newsletter with annotated recommendations of choir anthems for local churches.

Dr. Coleman is an ordained pastor and during the last forty-five years has served as Pastor for Music & Worship in five different churches. For the last sixteen years he has served at Hampton Park Baptist Church (Greenville, SC). He and Ruth have two adult children, Kristin (Coleman) Campbell and Miles E. Coleman. They have four grandchildren.

Dr. Coleman especially enjoys traveling, both in the United States and abroad, to places that nurture his passion for church history and hymnology. He also enjoys bicycling, hiking, and (having grown-up on a farm in southern Indiana) enjoys horticulture and perennial flower gardening.