Musician! Talk to others...

Church musician, when was the last time you talked to someone in your church family about your church’s music ministry?

Not a leader, not an elder, but just a regular brother or sister. If it’s been a while, let me persuade you to make this a priority.

When Paul speaks of singing in the gathering, he talks about us “… teaching and admonishing one another … through psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” (Col.3v16). That is not a one-way relationship. If you find yourself leading singing at the front of your church, you should expect to see dozens of your brothers and sisters about to teach and admonish you. In other words, the whole church is in the band with you.

But is that how we think in our churches? Don’t underestimate the draw of a pragmatism that excludes the voice of our congregations. At best, this can look like seemingly wise delegation to those with “gifts” in music; at worst, it is snobbery that considers the preferences and opinions of the “ungifted” as irrelevant.

The Bible speaks words of warning to ignorantly inflicted music ministries. Proverbs 25v20 says: “Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.”

We would not tolerate a preaching ministry with this approach. Why would we tolerate this in a music ministry?

So next Sunday, why not ask someone what their favourite Christian song is, or how they find the singing in your church? You might need to be ready for criticism; you might need to have a thick skin; you might discover you need to change course entirely. But you’re just as likely to have your heart warmed by stories of Jesus working through a particular song at a particular time to give hope in a dark season or show someone His love. May God grow our music ministries to serve our brothers and sisters better!