Redefining the church
Frank Carter, West Palm Beach
Title: Director of creative arts at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, West Palm Beach.
Other job experience: Composer and musician with Immanuel Records, Deltona; leader of Frank Carter Band.
Other community posts: Music composer, Emmaus and Chrysalis.
Education: Bachelor's degree in classical piano, Hobe Sound Bible College; master's degree in church music, with piano performance certificate, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,Louisville, Ky.
Personal: Age 34. Born in Rock Island, Ill., raised in Indiana.
Family: Married to Brooke, a student at Palm Beach State College.
How did you get into your vocation?
When I was with the independent record label, I had an opportunity to play a gig with the band here. The worship leader left, and the lead pastor at the time asked me to come here.
Have you written any books?
"The Girl in the Tower," a fairy tale from the knight's perspective about how he wins girl: Fight dragons, go through fire swamps. I have to write a sequel about after the rescue.
Do you have any favorite TV shows?
It sounds crazy, but I really love reruns of "Monk." The guy has obsessive-compulsive disorder, but has an amazing gift in his field. He's a complete genius, but with everyday things, he struggles.
How about favorite film(s)?
It's a tie between "Gladiator" and "Braveheart." They make a man feel like, "Yeah, I can do anything!" But my favorite now is "Tangled," the Rapunzel story. I liked the way it was put together.
Favorite music? Favorite performer(s)?
Classically, Chopin. And Russian composers like Rachmaninoff. For Christian contemporary music, Chris Tomlin, Steve Fee and Matt Redman. I also like Skillet and Third Day. I still think Michael W. Smith is amazing. and strange as it may seem, I like Avril Lavigne's early stuff.
If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
One is, "Was it seven literal days that you created the universe? And are you still creating universes out there? And are there people on other planets?"
Something most people don't know about you?
When I was a teenager, Dad and I restored 1957 Chevy Apache from the ground up. I was never interested in mechanics, but I look back and I'm proud of that.
What do you wish people understood about you?
Probably every musician would say this: Sometimes the way you think about something is not the way other people would. Like the way people expect the stage to look. You think of a different way to make it look, and someone complains. I wish everyone was excited about change.
Is there one thing you can't stand?
Being in a building and it starts pouring rain and I don't have an umbrella.
Motto, or favorite scripture verse?
Psalms 45:1: "My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer."
Do you know someone we should profile? Tell James D. Davis, Religion Editor, at JDDavis@Tribune.com.
