Our Hardest Job
January 23rd, 2007 by Matt Heerema | Posted in Ministry Philosophy, Production, Song Selection
I was asked this weekend, what’s the most difficult about leading a music ministry? The discussion started off talking about the usual hot-button issues:
- volume levels
- styles of music (hymns vs. contemporary songs, and blended services)
- instrumentation (electric guitars, acoustic drum sets, pianos, three pianos, how many singers)
- how to choose music that makes everyone happy, etc.
I would argue, however, that none of these issues is the most difficult issue to deal with as a leader of a music ministry.
Our toughest job is to understand what God wants from music at our church, to be convinced of it, and to not let the desire to please people sway you from pursuing the vision God has given you for music.
A tough questions to ask:
What is our mission?
What are we trying to accomplish at our church? Who are we trying to reach? What age group? What style of music is “popular” in this area? This is a missional issue. In our service, music accounts for a quarter to a third of the service. That’s a large chunk! Are we “speaking the language” of the culture that surrounds us? If we were a church in Nairobi, we wouldn’t be singing in English, and we likely wouldn’t try to force our U2 style of praise and worship on them. We would play something that is culturally relevant (though I’m not exactly sure I know what that would be.) That wouldn’t be wise.
So why is it that we oftentimes try to force a completely unintelligible musical style (or lack of style) on our community?
If your community is a predominantly college town, ask yourself, what do the college kids listen to? What does the music sound like in other contexts of live music in your area? (Visit a few local venues or clubs to find out). If you live in a town with lots of retired people, what kind of music do they listen to? A more traditional style of service may be in order.
This is always an issue of outreach. There is no such thing as a sacred style of music.
Too often, our musical style, song selection, and production is driven by hard-hearted complainers in the church, rather than those with a vision for outreach.
People might leave the church when you take a strong stance on music. Let them go.
Some Warnings
It is incredibly easy for music leaders (especially one with strong preferences like me) to let their vision be clouded by their preferences. This is the other side of the spectrum and is just as bad as striving to please people. An abundance of counsel is necessary to make sure your decisions are guided by more than preference.
Jesus is responsible for the direction of your church, the pastors are responsible for leading under Jesus’ direction, so submit to your pastors. They have the deciding vote when it comes to these issues. However, if they have appointed you as music leader, advise them! Be aware of what is going on musically in your community, and be a part of it. But ultimately, obey your leaders. They are the ones that will give an account and not you. Do this cheerfully (Hebrews 13).
Music is an amazing opportunity for a church to influence people for Christ. But too often that opportunity is squandered by selfishness or complacency – selfishness on the part of the music leader or on the part of the loud, influential members of the congregation; complacency on the part of pastors and music leaders who don’t take the time to discern God’s will in this area and who don’t have the guts to stick it out through the complaining.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Ministry Philosophy, Production, Song Selection. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I totally agree. I’m a full time music director in my 5th year, and vision and mission have always been our focus, and without a doubt its tough! Mix in the need to create excitment and “fun” to encourage and recruit folks, the most difficult is creating worship settings that are authentic and open to the spirit to move. Change lives and engaging hearts is our goal, and music is a beautiful gift from God to help us do that. You hit the nail on the head, thanks!
Thanks, Scott.
That’s interesting that you used Nairobi as an example. That’s where I’m from although currently a worship leader in the Midwest. Talk of a culture difference.
Harry, Thanks for stopping! I used Nairobi as the remotest location I could think of off the top of my head. A really “random” example, right?
I’d love to hear some examples of the cultural difference!
i am guitarist from india and i am searching to join worship group which works in nairobi or to join music ministries which working in nairobi