Being effective in a job or duty has everything to do with
having the needed qualification to perform. In Churches, a great deal of what
happens during worship in regards to the praise team or choir basically starts
from the recruiting process. In building of the temple in the Book of
Chronicles, much emphasis was given on skill and a history of musical
tradition, which shows the ability of the musicians to perform or carry out the
duty.(2 Chron 34:12, 1 Chron 25:7, 26:8).
I know, some of us have heard of the saying “God does not
call the qualified but qualifies the called”. There are professions that would
not permit half-baked individuals to be at the helm of affairs. Like piloting a
plane or performing a surgery just to mention a few.
What makes the music ministry require much scrutiny in
recruiting membership is the physical and spiritual role it plays in people’s lives.
In as much opportunity should be provided for training the
basic requirements that fulfills qualification should not be ignored.
Amazing worship services are usually those that have the
manifest presence of God’s Spirit.
Having a wonderful praise team or choir to usher in the
congregation to worship should definitely be the desire of any worship meeting.
5 questions never to
ask while recruiting praise team or choir members
1.
Have you ever sinned before? – Some have gone to
ask when the individual did what and with whom? We all have sinned and were
sinners saved by grace. It should not be about the person’s past but where the
person is and steps taken to live the life God have called us.
2.
Do you have an album or performed in a major
concert? - Albums are not good measurement of a person’s ability. There are
many songwriters that don’t have an album.
3.
Do you obey authority or your leader? The answer
would always be a yes because they want to join the group.
4.
Can you play or sing and get people shouting,
jumping, clapping and screaming?- A genuine desire to want to be a blessing
should be looked for instead.
5.
We make monthly donations of $50 hope you can
pay that? For reasons best known
to conscience, that’s not a good welcome note. It makes the new comer feel
his/her money is needed first.
6 questions to ask-
1.
Do you have other commitments elsewhere? Most
issues come from commitments because most musicians get themselves involved
with more than one group.
2.
Are you single or married?- This helps in
knowing how to handle issues involving relationships.
3.
What do you plan to achieve or contribute?- The
individual must come in with a goal In mind either that of wanting to improve
or contribute.
4.
Have you participated in any praise team or
choir prior to desiring to join us?-This would help in determining the
experience level of the individual.
5.
Do
you have an understanding of what it means to minister through music?- The
whole concept of music in the church is ministering the gospel of Christ.
6.
Are
you born again?
These are some questions in addition to many that I believe
would help in acquiring and preparing worshipers for the task ahead of them.
I read your article, i agree with musicians having the ability to perform at the level of music the leader wants to use, everyone should sound good. The part I don't like is when leaders start telling the sound man to turn them up way louder on their instruments and vocals than everyone else. There are also the ones that want certain effects on their voice and no one else gets that, or politics involved in whether or not a certain person gets to play or sing simply because they are younger or better looking, the Deacon's or board member's son as opposed to the kid off the street that just got saved and has way more talent than anyone else in the church or the pastor's daughter. There is always a Catch 22 in the big churches, and yes i know they are not all like that, just the ones I've been too. And you know, its all just heart breaking to see people do this stuff to others, sometimes done to me, sometimes not, like being bumped because the music pastor's best friend just graduated music minister school and the church hires him to do the job you are doing for free for last ten years and you did not get the job offer first. It's stuff like this that kills the love of going to church for a good and qualified musician to be pushed aside for people on the inner track, sounds the World to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment.The fact is that there would would always be a kind of politics going on because of vested interest,which may be as a result of insecurity or ignorance as to how to make things work. I discovered one of the ways i use to deal with that is to get my self at peace and decide to put in my best. This can be disturbing at first but always works out good. Thanks.
Delete'Anonymous' - First of all, as a worship pastor, I would like to apologize on behalf of the leaders in your life that have mistreated you. I am someone who not only pastors a group of musicians at my church, I also travel and network with many leaders, and I must say, you are not alone in your experience. One of the most heart-breaking things I see, is people like yourself, who have incredible worth in the kingdom, being mistreated because of the lack of mature, wise leadership in the local church. I would also like to encourage you that I have seen strong leadership and I have seen healthy thriving worship ministry that leaves no room for ego, politics or preferential treatment. It is rarer than it should be, but it does exist. I pray that you will find a healthy ministry to serve in that will value you greater than you have been in the past. Also, I have been employed at churches of 5000+, and churches of less than 100, and will say, with larger groups of people comes more challenges, more expectations from the senior leadership, and more drama. I don't have solutions for every problem, however I will say, it all falls from the top. If the leadership is strong, the ministries will be strong. God bless you.
DeleteThank you so much. JosephBaker. There is always a way of handling issues involving music in the church. The leadership somehow needs to understand the mind and office of the music ministry. I believe that would go a long way in helping out and making things work out perfectly.
DeleteI am currently a non paid Worship Director at a growing church of about 350. We have a few fairly good singers and musicians, most of them volunteer. While we're not album ready, the one thing we consistently see and experience, is the manifest presence of God during worship. That's a keystone of this church. What I've been asked to do is help mentor younger or less experienced musicians with basic things to help raise the bar, slowly but surely. We foster a culture of honor in the process, and help fulfill God-given destiny in people's lives.
ReplyDeleteAll this has been a HUGE change for me - coming from larger churches that emphasize and are known for top notch skill and music. I was a music major in college, trained and experienced, been an on-staff Band Director and Worship Arts Director. However, TODAY - experience aside, God is using my gifts in a way I didn't think possible. Leading and succeeding through & pouring out to others, with the spotlight away from "Me". Honestly - I think this has been God's ideal destiny for me as a leader all along.
Thank you Frank for your contribution and testimony.I love the results you are seeing,I really believe in mentoring for younger musicians and seeing God move during praise and worship moments.This is basically an essential part of the ministry. Thank you for your comment.
DeleteIt is good to know what to ask and what to not ask in any situation. I do not see the validity in asking someone's marital status though. It almost sounds like you are stereotyping groups of people. Could you explain this more? Relationships come in all sizes and a single person has many relationships without being married so I cannot connect the dots on this point.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mark for your comment.what i am trying to communicate is knowing the person's relationship life so as to know how to handle issues and reports that may come as people want to know who is with who.Thank you.
Delete"Worship" is a whole life of serving God - music itself should be rather called "praise" as a part of that service. So the question for members of the praise team should be "How are you serving/intending to serve God with this?" This should be in line with what people can see in the rest of that person's life - living as a true Christian. Skill and all that only matters after that.
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