“Integrity test” for the office of the Levites and Singers (1 Tim 3 1-10).

-->

The music ministers are also known as the Levites and singers in the Old Testament.

The calling of God has demands that must be met. The book of Titus talks about the qualifications required to be accepted in the office of the Bishop and deacon. Interestingly the Levites and Singers were designed by God to function from an Office perspective. (1 Chron 6:32).

I believe it is a Divine Order for Music ministers to know what it means to be prepared for the assignment that God has placed in their hands. Those that know that, go beyond the music to a life well ordered by the word of God.

Someone may ask, can a repentant individual with an unfavorable past perform or answer the call of God? Yes. The grace and mercy of God cleanse us from all unrighteousness and it would be good if we don’t go back to the lives we lived before God called us. (1 Jhn 1:9)

4 Reasons for Integrity test for music ministers

1- It keeps the music minister from being despised- (1 Tim 4:12). The music minister would be able to reach out to a large group of people without the fear of being ignored. People would be willing to receive whatever message is being delivered through their music.

2- It reminds us of God's calling and election- (2 Pet 1:10) A consciousness of the calling of God on an individual’s life is suppose to create an awareness that should always remind the individual of who he/she is.

3- The church would be blessed and Souls brought into the saving knowledge and power of God- God inhabits the praises of his people and how easy that is when the worshipers have a right standing with God.

4- We are ministers of God (2 Cor 6:4) Yes that is true. Sometimes it so easy to forget that the music minister is a MINISTER of the gospel and so much is required from us, even as so much is required from the Preachers, Apostles and Prophets.

Dealing with Undisciplined music ministers

“Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest thou also be tempted” Gal 6:1

 Issues involving church music ministers would always arise. This is because people face battles and they are humans just like everyone: but knowing how to go about the issues, usually gives victory both to the individual concerned and the church or music ministry.

What not to do.

Openly disgrace or confront- Making individuals feel worthless about themselves in front of a congregation or fellow music ministers does not build the individual’s spirit and confidence. #Condemnation.

Ignore the individual’s sin- Issues of sin must be treated as sin, in accordance to God’s word and most importantly in Love.

Showing preferential treatment- Some music ministers should not be treated in preference to others. It creates insincerity and lack of trust in the judgment of the leadership of the team or church.

What would be helpful.

Draw them closer- keeping away from a broken or wounded heart often brings the feeling of being neglected.

Message of Hope- In times of despair messages of hope, repentance and forgiveness would heal and restore faster than judgment and condemnation.

Point out warning signs- It’s so easy to be caught up in the glamour and glory of the music ministry and forget there is an enemy out there. Music ministers need to be reminded of the vulnerability of their calling through effective bible studies and prayer meetings.

Thanksgiving to Thanks-living: A praiseful heart.

-->

Being thankful is an expression of a heartfelt gratitude. A thankful heart is a better praiseful heart.

A victorious life, is one that finds reasons to live in constant gratitude for promises, prayers, dreams, hope and visions that are yet to come true.   

Thanks living continue when thanksgiving is over.

What reasons do you have to be thankful for?

Be praiseful for the miracles unseen.

       

Happy thanksgiving!

Healthy Relationships.

-->

There are basically three health patterns that need to be in constant check in order to enjoy full productivity within a church music team. These patterns are results of healthy relationships among music ministers.

They are:

 Spiritual health- How well and how often the issues regarding sin and forgiveness, prayers and sensitivity to the spirit, are employed.

Physical health- How we feel in our bodies is a direct result of what happens in our minds. A healthy atmosphere affects the mind.

Musical Health- People love to sing and play with those they feel comfortable with and are also open to learn new things when there is Love.

Relationships could be a blessing, and at the same time a curse if not properly instructed upon or handled.

Most music teams in some churches have been able to achieve a good level of success because of healthy lifestyles and choices of the music ministers. On the other end, bad decisions and lifestyles have brought about the downfall and ineffectiveness of others.

Advantages of healthy relationships among music ministers

1.      It increases productivity both individually and as a group.

2.      Music ministers would be happy to come for meetings and rehearsals.

3.     The people of God are always edified and God is glorified.

Disadvantages of unhealthy relationships among music ministers

1.      The Music minister, praise team and/or choir, lose credibility.

2.      A draw-back from participation or attendance by music ministers because someone is really hurt.

3.      God is not happy and the gospel is being ridiculed.

What to do-

-       Mentoring is needed, as a greater percentage of music ministers are young people.

-       Music directors and leaders must be people of proven character because “like Music Director Like choir”.

-       Proper understanding of the Bible should be taught. photo credit: lumaxart via photopin cc

Should church music ministers “be volunteers” or “be hired”? (Mat 20:1)

-->

The understanding of the status of music ministers in relation to their service to God is vital to their commitment. In some thoughts, sacrificial service to God involves one giving himself or herself voluntarily; I believe this should not be misunderstood as being willingly.

The kingdom of God indeed has no problem with persons been hired, as the parable in Mathew 20 shows us. Why then do some churches see it as inappropriate to hire music ministers? Maybe they don’t see the music ministers as persons that need to make a living through their gifting or could it be that they are simply taking off the responsibility from their part?

Most churches that are in need of music ministers are those that often times, need them as volunteers.  They put up advertisements looking for music ministers that would give their time and effort. This is one of the reasons they don’t find them. 

Hiring music ministers is a kingdom principle that would not only benefit the church but help the music minister realize he is needed and appreciated.

The music minister works with a sense of responsibility when they know much is required from them.

Though there are instances where the music minister would like to work from a willing perspective. It is good to understand those individuals while considering those that could and should be recruited as hired workers in the church.

Dealing with commitment issues among music ministers in the church.

-->

The issue of commitment among music ministers has been one that has effected the effectiveness and productivity of worship services and personal ministries. Irresponsibility is usually a product of poor commitment to a cause.  Many music ministries have to deal with music ministers that have lukewarm attitudes, some just seem not to be willing to serve.

Reasons for poor commitment may include.

1 Too much engagements- Most music ministers sometimes find it difficult to turn down invitations that interfere with their present place of assignment.

2 A feeling of being despised- When a person's potential is not fully utilized, they feel they are not needed.

3 Inadequate understanding of one’s calling- God’s calling often comes with clarity. A poor understanding of what God desires from us often makes people feel they are being disturbed.

How to handle poor commitments among music ministers.

1 Engaging in personal discussions often help to  know individuals..

2 Musical exercises should be organized to know the strength of individual music ministers in a team or choir.

3 A good working environment should be created by making sure the musicians have all the necessary tools they need.

4 Workshops and seminars can be organized to teach stewardship. Some ministers might just not know what to do.

photo credit: eschipul via photopin cc

What musical growth is and is not for the Music minister, Praise team and Choir-

 

What musical growth is and is not for the Music minister, Praise team and Choir-

Musical growth is an observed process of development that shows an improvement to a desired way of being (singing, ministering or playing).

The musical growth of a praise team or choir is a reflection to the musical growth of the individuals participating in these groups primarily to the skill of the music director (1 Ch 15:22). Which implies “like Music director like Choir”.

Signs of good musical growth for a praise team or choir include,

1 The ability to be creative- Creativity here involves the ability to write your own songs and perform them. This I realize is a major challenge for teams because some feel their songs are not good enough and so rely on the next Christian hit song.

2 Testimonies- Music in the church is a spiritual act. Testimonies or results are proves that musical ministrations are effective. Our songs are supposed to bless hearts.

3 Spiritual singing (1 Cor 14:15)- Spiritual songs are a result of a relationship with the Spirit of God. Where a music minister receives and sings songs spontaneously as he/she is lead during a worship service.

4 A noticeable improvement from what you use to be- It is possible to know if we are better than what we use to be if we take up challenges by doing what we would not normally do.

What musical growth is not?

1 Sophisticated gadgets- Some music ministers gets caught up in the excitement of having good instruments forgetting nice looking instruments is not the same with having a good ministration.

2 Playing and Singing in Mega churches- Small churches are good places to identify and develop your person as a music minister. Mega churches are good places and small churches should not be despised.

3 Singing high notes or playing fast- The ability to improvise on your vocals and play fast on your instrument is good but if not done with the needed discipline might be a disadvantage because the music minister may become too noisy.

4 Winning a gospel music award- Fans voting could sometimes be sentimental and not necessarily prove that the artist is great musically.

5 reasons why music ministers should not compete among each other.

                                                                                                           

     We are all different.- Rom 12:6 , Knowing the uniqueness we each posses may take a while but when finally realize it, we will see how different we are from each other. We don’t all have the same measure of grace and anointing.

     It is not Wise. 2 Cor 10:12 The Scripture is clear about us comparing ourselves to our selves.  It is basically a misunderstanding of the place of vision and purpose. 

    The congregation does not get blessed. The Duty of the music minister is to usher in the people of God to the throne room, It’s sad to know how it has become more about the personality of the music minister than the souls of men. No one wants you to prove a point of how good you are just bless the hearts of men.

      It  creates room for envy and strife. Competition is always a contest for superiority, which often time reveals the ego and pride most people never thought they had. In an atmosphere of envy and strife, there is little or no work done, because no one is truly happy, people are judging, hate becomes a usually experience. 

  

     Wrong Kingdom principle.  We are to spur each other up unto good works. If this is not done in love, it will create an enmity that would destroy the good work already taking place. In the Kingdom, our Joy does not come from knowing we did better than our fellow ministers but by knowing that we did just what God has instructed us to do.

Bad Music Vs The Anointing 1 Ch 28:21

-->

Is there a relationship between good music and the anointing? Yes!

The flow of the anointing is better experienced when the music is done right and when it sounds good. The music is the medium through which the anointing gets to the people.

Bad singing and bad playing of musical instruments have ways of affecting how a song is delivered to the listener. When music is played, people connect physically and spiritually. When the physical aspect is not done right, it affects the spiritual.

Excellence in music is a product of works not faith. Prayers will not cover up for inadequate or no rehearsals.

This is basically one of the reasons why most song ministrations don’t have the impact that is required. The Music minister must realize that he/she needs to have confidence both musically and prayerfully to be a blessing to the listener.

7 Stage ministration ethics for worship leaders.

Add captio

 Avoid warming up on stage- Avoid practicing or warming up in front of the congregation, warm ups should be done at home.

Facial expression- Know when you should smile and when not to. Some songs require certain facial expressions

Dress comfortably- Be comfortable with what you are wearing so as to move or dance freely in them.

Be aware of the what’s going on around you- It’s good to be aware of what is required from you. When you are needed to sing or be quiet.

Come prepared- Know your songs and the key they are in. It is also good to know what the musicians are playing and when they will stop playing.

Avoid playing or singing to impromptu invitations- Respect the anointing and calling on your life to avoid been lost on stage.

Prayerfully Prepare- It’s easier ministering under the anointing.

photo credit: Carol VanHook via photopin cc

5 ways to attract musicians to your church

-->

Having a good sound-Good sound helps the musician enjoy what he/she is doing. If musical instruments are used in a church, they should be good.

Good relationship- Musicians love to work with people they can easily talk to and have access to.

Allocation of quality time for praise and worship- The time assigned for praise and worship shows how important it is to a church.

Take your musician’s well being seriously-Music ministers are first human beings that need to survive and also ministers. A great number of musicians depend on their music for a living.

Advertise the position needed- Why suffer in silence when there are free platforms to advertise for needed positions? ( facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc .Taking advantage of the platforms would help in attracting musicians to opportunities.

Best Music style for worship.

Musical styles and song styles are basically mediums through which worship is expressed to God not necessarily the objects to be worshiped. The effectiveness of the worship is not primarily on the style but on the connection of the worshiper to who he/she is worshipping.

If God accepts it then it is appropriate.

Roms 12:2 says: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Most of the time, arguments as to whether a style is good for the church or not just keeps the people of God in a fruitless debate.

Just play it.

Play what you love
Love what you play

5 Reasons why your congregation does not respond to worship

The worship moment or experience is supposed to be a spontaneous interaction between the praise team and the congregation. There are factors that make it extremely difficult for the congregation to keep up with the worship moments.

1.     Unfamiliar new songs- Most worship leaders are sometimes tempted to sing every new song that they feel is good to them without considering the popularity of the song. This I have noticed makes a lot of congregations stand still, sit down or even sleep off during worship.

2.     Questionable character of the worship leader- The worship leader must maintain a good reputation before God and man. Since he/she stands before the people of God and lead them into worship.

3.     Bad sound or acoustics- Sound churches have very gigantic buildings with very poor sound system or acoustics and the congregation find it hard to hear what the worship leader is singing. This definitely would not encourage anyone to participate.

4.     Nonspiritual songs- These are songs that do not have strong scriptural backing. They were composed or written by writers that just wanted to have some lyrics into a beat.

5.     Absence of the presence of Spirit of God- The presence of God breaks every yolk, creates an atmosphere for worship and reveals the mind of God during worship.

How many songs should be sang during a praise and worship session?

-->

Should the number of songs performed determine the quality of a praise and worship experience? or the efficacy of the songs performed? This basically brings up the issue if it’s the quality or the quantity of song that really matters.

The whole essence of leading people to God during a worship service is to get them to that place in which the presence of God saturates the atmosphere and people begin to get refreshed, filled and healed in God’s presence. The important factor for the worship leader to consider is what song could lead him/her to that point or place in worship? and not necessarily trying to cover all the songs on the list that have been practiced and must be performed.

I have participated in worship meetings where our song plan was changed because we could not continue with the rest of the songs we had earlier planned. We just yielded ourselves to the Spirit of God and allowed him to take over.

I know this might not be a familiar experience because most of our worship services are programmed to finish at certain time limit. This sometimes puts some pressure on the worship leader to sing as much songs as he can and not really pay so much attention to the leading of the spirit.

 Spontaneous spirit lead song (usually in the form of a chant or a repetitive phrase) could sometime erupt out of a worship service and could take the worship to another new dimension in the Spirit.

The Office of the levites and Singers

“And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order” 1 Chronicles 6:32

The Levites and Singers were designed by God to perform a very significant role in worship with such a deep reverence and responsibility towards God and man.

God ordained the Levites and Singers to a place of Authority and Responsibility in his agenda through the instrumentality of an Office by which they function from.

Through the scriptures, the major reformation carried out for the worship of God was done with the restoration of the Levites and Singers back to their place of authority which is their Office.

The Office of the Levites and Singers has the power to bless. The Office comes with its blessings and anointing.

The operation of the Levites and Singers from their Offices is as important as the services that are received through them. So sad to see how that office has been gradually scrapped out or in some places not considered to be important in worship services, mostly due to selfish reasons or due to ignorance of what God says about it.

Whatever will become of music and worship in the Church must begin with the recognition of the place of the Office of the Levites and Singers (musicians) in the program of God because the Bible clearly shows us that God himself ordained it. (1Cor. 9:14)