Don Moen: Worshipping God through music

Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio Davao City- There are numerous methods to worship God. One of the most effective ways is through singing. The Bible itself declares: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 96:1). Another scripture encourages, “Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders” (Psalm 105:2). In the Philippines, individuals sing to the Lord some gospel songs made famous by American artists. One such artist is Donald James “Don” Moen, who also composes and produces the majority of his songs and serves as a pastor. “I don’t have any problem writing a secular song, a love song,” he tells this author in an exclusive interview. “I will probably write one for my wife. Love songs are great but I don’t think they will change a lot of life completely. But I have no problem with people who write pop songs or love songs. I believe that all music comes from God.” Perhaps not many Filipinos are aware that Moen actually had no interest in music during his childhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was his mother who encouraged him to develop a musical inclination. “When I was a little boy, my mother made me take piano lessons,” he recalls. “There are four children, and she required us all to take piano lessons for six years. And I despised it.

During practice, Moen would strike the keys. His mother would remind him: "Donny, you wear the clothes we provide for you, you sleep in the bed we provide you, and you eat the food we provide for you. Now, you need to play the piano." He complied – but despised it. "I resolved that if I ever matured, married, and had children of my own, I would never be as harsh to them – just as my mother was to me," he states. "And now all of my five children echo the same sentiments I once expressed. And I would share with them what my mother used to say to me. It’s quite an amusing tale." It was during his time at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma that he demonstrated his musical talent. He became a musician for Terry Law Ministries, playing guitar and trombone; subsequently, he took on some arranging tasks. “When I was the musical director of a Christian band,” Moen recalls, “I started playing the piano. And because they needed more songs to sing, I started arranging and then wrote some songs. Because I was writing, I started demoing my song, singing my own songs. One thing led to another.”