What Do You Do When The Congregation Isn't Responding?

We have all found ourselves in a season when it seems we step on the platform and attempt to usher our congregation into the presence of the Lord -- and nothing happens.  How frustrating this can be!   Yet we all find ourselves in this familiar place sooner or later.

The below is a short illustration from an acquaintance of mine who is also involved in music ministry.  I believe you will find it most informative and a blessing too.

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I’m a behind the scenes guy at my church. A lot of what I do shows up in the finished product that is presented on Sunday morning, but I seldom come to the front myself.  But there was this worship medley by William McDowell that I wanted the praise team to sing, and I kinda knew even before I presented it to them that I’d be asked to sing it. His voice is similar to my own so it only made sense.
So I teach the song and everything goes well. Sunday comes and we present it. I begin leading the song and right away I notice only a small handful of the audience seems to be into it at all. Only 3 or 4 or standing, maybe another few that I can see actually closing their eyes and making an attempt to worship. That’s the downside to singing with your eyes open, unfortunately. Sometimes you can “see too much” and discourage yourself.

So we continued to move through the medley and everything went well, but I was discouraged. I had people come up to me and say they enjoyed it, but I personally didn’t feel good about it. I blamed much of it on the audience, and the rest on myself. You see we used to be one of those churches who had “testimony service”. We did it for many years-most of my life, really. So even though we’ve had a praise team for several years now, many of our older saints just don’t “get it”. “We don’t know how to worship”, I told one of the young ministers who was encouraging me.

Then there was me. See I've always had this inward battle about my own singing and whether it’s “hype enough” or “exciting enough”. I struggle with thoughts that my singing is “too calm” or “too boring”.  It didn’t help that our regular worship leader is a powerful anointed singer and woman of God that just electrifies the service every time she sings.

So, overall just not especially having enjoyed the experience, imagine how I felt when our worship leader sends me a text saying she wants me to do it again the following Sunday. I hemmed and hawwed and stated my case, but in the end I promised I’d be obedient. So I’m sitting there on the keyboard that Sunday playing and she’s going forth with the praise team. And just when I’m convinced the spirit is leading her another way she stops down and asks me to come up.
Any time I get up to do something I try to prepare myself mentally and spiritually so I’m in the right frame of mind and I have the right attitude. I just won’t get up in front of people with a negative spirit, I don’t care how I feel personally about what I’m about to do. I call it my 5 Second Rule Of Music Ministry.  So in the few seconds it takes me to get up to the stage I decided that this time I’d do two things. I’d make more of an effort to go deeper into the songs emotionally myself. To make sure I’m actually worshiping, lifting my hands, closing my eyes and talking to God.

But then the second thing I decided to do was to do a better job leading, encouraging and guiding the audience in worship. So right away when I took the microphone this time I began to just talk to them about worship, encouraging them to surrender all they had been through that day, even the previous week. I began to explain to them that worship isn’t something that “happens to you”, it’s something that you do.  I began to sing, this time moving my hands more, lifting them more, talking to the audience more. This time the atmosphere was different. There were many more people worshiping. Many more standing, lifting their hands. Many more who were seated were doing the same thing. The atmosphere was filled with a spirit of worship. Even when the pastor came up, which was much later, the praise and worship portion of the service was still on his mind. He began to talk about the songs we sang and the kind of worship we offered, referring to it as a “slow rain”. In fact I ended up going back into a portion of it again by his request.

So now, thinking back on it I realize that it wasn’t necessarily the audience that had the problem the first time, it was me. It wasn’t them that needed to surrender, it was me. It wasn’t them that wasn’t worshiping, it was me that wasn’t. I learned that day something I really already knew. Something I’ve said to others before. Simply, that when you stand before God’s people you have to give God your best. It has to come from a pure place that isn’t influenced or affected by what the audience is doing- or not doing.

Because the truth is even in the second performance of the medley there were still people who weren’t really into it at all. And there always will be, in every performance; for all of us. But the solution is not to simply keep our eyes tightly closed for the entire thing and ignore the audience entirely. The solution is to sing from the purest place you can, giving God the best praise or worship you can. Connect with and focus on those who are with you and being blessed. Avoid focusing your attention on those who don’t seem to be interested, and don’t take it personally. Doing so could cause you to miss being a blessing to someone else. Or worse yet, miss being blessed yourself.

Should Church Music Ministers be Paid? Part 2

Should Church Music Ministers be Paid?  Part 2


Pros and cons:  paid vs. not paid.

You may find yourself thinking, "Wow, if I could only be paid to pursue this musical calling upon my life!"  Well I would encourage you to reshape your thinking first of all and speak faith.  As in, "I cannot wait until I am being paid to pursue this musical calling God has placed over my life."

But realize the Levites - the music ministers of the old testament - were under much responsibility to the priests and God as well.  Lest we become carried away with thoughts of riches and grandeur, we must be reminded that by being added to a church payroll we may be treated differently than a non-paid minister of music.  Why is this so?  It is so because people tend to expect more from someone who is paid versus a volunteer.  What special requirements were the Levites under that non-Levites - everyday 'saints' or church attendees were not?

I Chronicles 23:28-32 mentions these temple duties:

• be in charge of the courtyards
• be in charge of the side rooms
• purification of all sacred things
• be in charge of the bread set out on the table
• be in charge of the flour for the grain offerings
• be in charge of the unleavened wafers
• be in charge of the baking and the mixing
• be in charge of all measurements of quantity and size
• stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord
• stand every evening to thank and praise the Lord
• stand and thank and praise the Lord whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on Sabbaths, New-Moon festivals, and appointed feasts

While the Bible indicates Levites were broken up into groups in order to focus on various duties (described throughout I Chronicles 23, 24, 25, and 26), undoubtedly each Levite was familiar with each task performed in the support of priests.

What is my point in all this?  We must realize that the Levites led a very conservative and disciplined life - and their lives were focused on ministering both to the priests and to the people in the congregation.  Due to their position in the church much was required of them.  Levites could not do as they pleased on a daily basis.  They were committed to the schedule of the church.  Consider that if you choose to pursue part-time or full-time music ministry as a paid servant, you may need to adjust your lifestyle accordingly.  Want to join friends and family on that holiday vacation?  How about attending that great concert next Sunday morning/night?  Do you have the sudden urge to take your children camping or surprise your significant other with a weekend getaway?  Your first call may need to be to your boss (pastor) to ask for permission to plan that activity.  And if that great idea of yours involves a Sunday or a day your church conducts their midweek service, expect your employer (pastor) to say no!  Your pastor is investing time and money into you and he probably needs you in service to minister to the congregation and be a strength to him as well.

If you have children this reality will be even more difficult.  The fact is that by accepting payment for your services, you are placing yourself under even more authority to your church leadership than if you were a volunteer.  Plan on your life becoming busier and sacrificing time during your week and your weekends to serve in whatever level of commitment you have committed yourself to.  I am not attempting to paint a negative picture of paid music ministry - as we now know, it is ordained by God.  And the blessings you receive from being deeply involved with your local congregation are rich and many!  A life of ministry and dedication to the house of the Lord is something to be desired.  I only wish to make you aware that with greater commitment comes greater sacrifice.  Weigh the pros and cons carefully prior to launching into a deeper level of commitment.  And consider if you/your family will be able to commit to part-time or full-time requirements that come with the compensation.  

What should I do if my pastor/deacon board/finance committee do not see the need to compensate me?

So you feel strongly that the Lord is leading you in the direction of paid ministry, and that your church should compensate you.  What now?  First off, begin spending time in focused prayer about the situation.  Money is a sensitive issue in most churches.  Sooner or later you will need to meet with your pastor to discuss your vision for the church's music department and to share your burden.  But prior to speaking with your pastor, set aside a number of weeks or even months to prepare your mind and heart and spirit to receive what he will have to say.  Remember that although you have biblical understanding and precedent for your request, you are still (and always will be) subjected to your pastor - the shepherd God has placed in your life.

Your pastor may or may not understand God's model as explored in part 1 of this blog.  Remaining humble and patient will go a long way here.  Going into the meeting with your pastor, I recommend writing up a simple outline with supporting scriptures.  You may need to take on the role of humble teacher here, as many pastors have never studied this compensation concept from a biblical standpoint.  Present your case in a non-threatening, non-demanding manner and be prepared to leave the meeting without an answer.  If your pastor does not commit to you or even if he disagrees, that is okay.  He/she needs time to consider your petition in prayer and they also may need to review the church finances, and/or meet with members of a finance committee.  If you are rejected outright, accept it with grace and humility.  Then go home and continue praying for God to have His way in the situation.

I experienced this very situation in my young adult life.  After my wife and I spent a season in prayer and fasting, we approached our pastor and explained our burden to devote more time to our music ministry.  We explained how income from the church would potentially enable my wife to resign her secular job and focus on tasks of musical nature.  Most of all, we reasoned, monthly payment from the church would allow her to leave secular work and free up much-needed time to advance our musical goals and vision.  That first meeting closed with a kind but firm "no".  So did the second meeting, three months later.  But during the third appeal I carefully presented the scriptural precedent behind our request.  And guess what?  Jesus honored our prayer, fasting and perseverance and shortly after the third meeting we became paid staff in the music department.  Praise the Lord!

On a side note, the pastor who implements this practice places him/herself in position to receive additional blessings from the Lord.  This is a study in and of itself though and I will not begin that study today.

And if you put yourself through the paces and experience permanent rejection?  Take a step back and examine yourself.  What are your motives for desiring to be paid?  Do your motives match up to what God wills for your life?  Are you living a sin-free/overcoming lifestyle which allows God's will to be done in you?  If God shows you that you pass the "you" test, you may need to pray for the Lord to open opportunity elsewhere.  Somewhere around the state/country/world you live in is a pastor praying for God to send them a dedicated, passionate music minister to bless their congregation.  God is in the business of introducing godly desire to His intended destiny!