Bible professor plays for Global Missions

Photo by: Will Gentry

 

Associate Professor of Bible Charles Rix is putting his passion and talent for piano in play to enable others to spread Christianity throughout the world.

On Nov. 15, Rix will host a benefit concert with all proceeds going to help students fund mission trips to various countries.

“The concert is free, so anybody can come and not have to pay,” Rix said. “But if people want to make donations, they can before and after the concert. All the proceeds will go to the Center for Global Missions, specifically to fund or help fund mission trips for OC students this coming summer.”

According to his colleagues, Rix’s love for music is only rivaled by his passion for evangelism.

“He loves missions,” Director of the Center for Global Missions Ben Langford said. “He wants to combine his love of music and his own gifts and talents with … the mission of God in the world and working to form students into the image of God.”

Rix has led several student groups on trips and has also lived in foreign countries for a number of years.

“Before I was in academics, I worked for Exxon Mobile,” Rix said. “I was always involved in vocational missions in Asia. So pretty much my whole life I’ve been involved in academics, missions or business.”

In addition to his service as a Bible professor and missions fundraiser, Rix also sponsors the men’s social club Kappa Sigma Tau, where his example of selfless leadership and faithful living leaves an impression on all members.

“He’s always looking out for the needs of others,” senior Kappa member Kaleb King said. “He’s helping people in two ways with these concerts: He’s helping college students be able to go and do these trips they couldn’t do before, and the college students in turn are helping others on these trips.”

According to Rix, a Christian’s obligation is not only to live faithfully, but also to allow that faith to be exemplified in the world.

“When Jesus talks about being a light to the world, you have to be in the world to be a light,” Rix said. “If you go to the lamp section of Home Depot or Lowe’s, you’ve got all this light in one place, but it doesn’t do any good unless you buy a lamp and you put it in a room that needs light.”

Rix’s efforts to take his light and shine around the world have greatly impacted the students involved in missions.

“He’s really opened my mind to how other people read the Bible in other cultures and how that should affect us as Christians,” senior Mark Kuneman said.

According to Langford, Rix’s talent astonishes anyone who hears him play.

“It’s not just someone casually playing the piano,” Langford said. “Consistently people say ‘Oh my goodness,’ or ‘Oh wow.’”

Rix often plays for guests at his own home, which he opens  up for students and friends.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” Kuneman said. “The first time I went over to his house, he played a little bit for me, and he was just phenomenal.”

King has also had the opportunity to hear Rix play.

“It’s incredible,” King said. “He’s so good.”

Rix’s listeners are not limited to only dinner guests. He has played at venues all over the world in international competitions, but has never earned a profit from his talent.

“All the concerts I’ve ever done have always been benefits,” Rix said. “I’ve always wanted to do it for a good cause.”

Rix has hosted benefits for international schools, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Impact Ministries in Houston and for multiple mission team fundraisers.

Rix has planned an evening to showcase both his talent and expertise of classical music.

“The theme is ‘Music in Narrative,’ so the pieces I’ve selected all have different ways of telling a story,” Rix said. “I have a piece from each of the major musical periods. I just want to give the audience a sense of how all these different periods of music have found ways to communicate universal stories.”

Rix’s hope is that students will find their talent and then strive to continually improve it.

“I would say to students, ‘If you want to get good at something, work hard at it,’” Rix said. “I would just encourage people to find what you’re good at, find out what you love and what you really want to do, and go for it.”

The benefit concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Adams Recital Hall. Rix will kick off the event by introducing each piece to the audience and discussing their significance before beginning his performance at 7:30 p.m.