Why is being in the music ministry so hard?

[jessiemusical]

Well that is what I think...

Many people think that the music ministry is just to play or sing up there and that's it. But it's much more than that. It's about being christian 24/7....everywhere you go. Reading the bible everyday and praying...trying to keep a strong connection with God. I am a university student and there are a lot of temptations here. And battles too. For example, people say bad words all around me....and it got stuck in my mind....and I ask myself...(i play bass at the youth service every sunday) why am I going up to play when I am battling with this? Because from what I know, the altar is a holy place and we as the musicians, singers, and ministers need to be right with God...and to not let sin brake that connection between one and God. I have been told that whatever you are feeling, you are transmitting that to the people. Sometimes, I don't want to go up there, but I feel that it is I don't want to say an obligation...a commitment to be up there and at practice every weekend. If I don't play the bass for that one sunday, the WHOLE band won't play that sunday and another band will back us up. There are no back up bassits and I am responsible for being up there and "filling" the group....because the band cannot play without a bassit. Any comments, suggestions, thoughts?

 

[Divinah]

Hi! I think your questions so easy. You are struggling with something that you will always struggle with. You're not in any kind of bondage. You're struggling with being human. IF YOU LET THAT cause you to quit...you'd NEVER be fit to worship or minister. Do NOT let the enemy have that kind of control over you...and NEVER think that the right response to your sin is not NOT serve God. SERVE all the more. Especially in worship...lift your sin to God along with your offering of praise...continue to lift whatever you struggle with and CONTINUE to serve, worship, minister, PRAISE...whatever the case may be.

PRAISE THE LORD!

 

[SGM4HIM]

Good posts.

Remember King David had some problems too.

Don't let the enemy talk you out of this ministry.

 

[rocket955]

This might help. I used to struggle also but with different things. I talked about this to the bass player on my team. He said "I think of myself as a tool for God to lead the congregation in unity to praise God". I have adopted this attitude and find I don't struggle with things anymore, I just lead worship.

 

[Audiomatic]

We have two worship leaders (3 weeks on, 3 weeks off) and they have separate teams except for those of us who want to be there every week. Nobody should be expected to be up there every week. We have two regular bass players, and several others who can play bass if needed. If a bass player calls in sick Sunday morning, we can do without. The keyboard player can fill in the bottom end. Are you paid to play bass every week? If not, I wouldn't worry so much.

 

[cmptxnllyNewbie]

It's true that worship is 24/7. It's not easy, especially when temptations surround us, like in my case, also as a university student. And the devil will always remind you that you're not worth to be up there. Tell him it's true, but remind him and yourself that Jesus died for your overall cleansing. So you're not there as a "filling", but because of a "calling".

Right now, we're seriously in need of musicians. I play keyboard for 4 services in a week. I wanna give up, especially now that I'm graduating. There's just so much pressure. I also am involved in campus, children feeding and youth ministries. So if I give up, what a burden it would be to my comrades! I know God will raise up more musicians, so meanwhile, I'd just hold on.

I'd like to take this time to pour out. My mother goes with me to church, and she's struggling with my crazy schedule. There are times we want to go out as a family, but I have to join practices. It hurts you know. But AS OF NOW, what can I do? Face my responsibilities -- by God's grace.

So I tell you, to slacken is not the solution. Rise up instead. Overcome temptations. Ask God how. He'll teach you how to rise. That's the only direction to take.

Phillipians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

 

[Nessie]

"We bring a sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord
And we offer up to You the sacrifices of thanksgiving
And we offer up to you the sacrifices of praise."

Sometimes we don't feel like being up there, but that's not something that only you are experiencing. It happens a lot (ever notice how someone will bring up drama to you practically right before a service?! Not a coincidence! We do have an enemy!).

There is no temptation that any of us has that isn't common to people. You also have to realize that temptation is not the same thing as sin. You may be tempted to say a bad word but unless you say it you are not sinning. Furthermore, even if you do slip up and say one, remember that God is a forgiving God and realizes we were born with sinful natures. I remember an evangelist who visited my church once used me as an example and he said, "God isn't remembering all of Vanessa's slip ups and failures. He's thinking of all the times she got up on those drums and tried her best to bring glory to Him." He was right. God takes delight in the wonderful things we do for Him, and as long as we are repentant about our sin, He forgives the minute we confess.

There's a lot of other struggles too. We are expected to try our best in our walks with God. We are expected to remain humble. We are expected to be leaders. But you have to remember that God and our worship leaders put us where we are because they knew we had such capabilities.

 

[JoeyWhiteshoes]

You are right, Nessie, it is a sacrifice of praise. Most members do not realize the sacrifice we put into the worship service.

And back to the original post....bass playere ARE expendable. They are not needed any more than a drummer or a backup singer is needed. OK, there are a lot of songs that cannot be done without a bassist or a drummer but the new set list may be a big blessing for the church anyway. I've seen it happen many times.

When it comes right down to it, most worship team members can be replaced or eliminated. It may change the dynamics a little or a lot but the worship will still go on.

So take a weekend off once in a while if you need to.

Joey (Worship team bass player for the last 15 years)

 

[bithiah2]

i believe that the enemy interferes with anything pertaining to worship because he wants to be like the Most High God, which is the reason why he was kicked out of heaven in the first place. he knows the power of worship, the Word says that he was the anointed cherub that covered the throne of God,(Ez. 28: 11-19) and all of the instruments were in him, some say that when he moved, there was music.
why wouldn't he interfere with worship? it puts him in his place. when God is worshipped, him and his evil spirits have to go. they will not stay in the presence of God. look at the perversion that goes on with singers and musicians, and how some dancers live. he knows what to do, to remove the power of the worship, to make people either ignorant of it, keep it on a low level, or turn it into entertainment.
if God has called you to be in the worship ministry, you have to be determined to not allow the devil to distract, deter, discourage or disarm you, because once he knows that you won't take down to him, he will back off and find somebody else to hinder!
so...keep him in his place, which is under your feet.

 

[donrobert]

because you need to be spiritually clean when you play... just look at the Levites on how they needed to conduct themselves in the old testament

 

[JoeyWhiteshoes]

because you need to be spiritually clean when you play... just look at the Levites on how they needed to conduct themselves in the old testament

And the absolute coolest part is that I AM SPIRITUALLY CLEAN THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. I am a partaker in His righteousness.

Joey

 

[underthesouthercross]

Yes i feel its hard to reflect your life through the music that you play, however its something that you have to be prepared to do, to allow to control all aspects of your life on and off the stage.

I know i struggle with it, however i have to hang in there, and work it out with God and myself.

 

[jewelofGod]

I like your concern...it is hard being a christian that's all it is...
But we have confidence in Him that he will take us through the storms...
stay blessed

 

[Divinah]

HOW COOL...I was just going to respond to your thread and I see that MINE is the first response on this thread! I would have responded today the SAME...
Hi! I think your questions so easy. You are struggling with something that you will always struggle with. You're not in any kind of bondage. You're struggling with being human. IF YOU LET THAT cause you to quit...you'd NEVER be fit to worship or minister. Do NOT let the enemy have that kind of control over you...and NEVER think that the right response to your sin is not NOT serve God. SERVE all the more. Especially in worship...lift your sin to God along with your offering of praise...continue to lift whatever you struggle with and CONTINUE to serve, worship, minister, PRAISE...whatever the case may be.
Although, having just been a member of 'choir' for a time now...I do sympathize more (especially with your situation) of the time committment. Especially with being so young and surrounded by so many outside influcences.

Will pray for you!


PRAISE THE LORD!

 

[jessiemusical]

Wow! it's been more than a year since I've been on here. I wanted to say that I appreciate every single response to my tread. Thank you all for taking the time and the encouragement I read through these posts. It is refreshing. Thank you thank you!!...from the bottom of my heart! Be blessed and stay blessed ya'll!

 

[razeontherock]

This is 30 years I've walked w/ the Lord - and yes I'm a bass player. Please look again at the post at the top of this page!

When all is said and done, it is the SIMPLICITY of the Gospel that matters! and if you want complex, look up the only thread I started in Deeper Fellowship, covering ALL the Scriptural aspects of "OUR breastplate of righteousness" (In quotes because that's the name of the thread)

In short, being called to serve forces us to GROW. As a student you really don't have the luxury to "opt out for a week." That forces us to be FAITHFUL.

These are good habits to establish

 

[lefamu]

Hello;

I am a keyboardist musical director. As worship leaders we are faced with many challenges from day to day. One of many things that works is to have devotion and set the protocol to worship God in song. Many times you have people the straggle in,etc. But that's just the way it is sometimes. Much prayer is needed all the time.

Some choir members,even some musicians don't understand the difference between "REHEARSAL" versus "PRACTICE". Practice is for you individual,to increase competence, and overcome personal shortcomings. Rehearsal is to bond together with your group or ensemble and fine tune your songs,etc.

Like the Ten Maidens in Matthew 25:13, we need oil for our lamps,we should always be prepared, God deserves and needs our excellence. We should not expect to use rehearsals for a reason not to study,learn our lyrics and be prepared.

 

[winjayoma]

Well that is what I think...

Many people think that the music ministry is just to play or sing up there and that's it. But it's much more than that. It's about being christian 24/7....everywhere you go. Reading the bible everyday and praying...trying to keep a strong connection with God. I am a university student and there are a lot of temptations here. And battles too. For example, people say bad words all around me....and it got stuck in my mind....and I ask myself...(i play bass at the youth service every sunday) why am I going up to play when I am battling with this? Because from what I know, the altar is a holy place and we as the musicians, singers, and ministers need to be right with God...and to not let sin brake that connection between one and God. I have been told that whatever you are feeling, you are transmitting that to the people. Sometimes, I don't want to go up there, but I feel that it is I don't want to say an obligation...a commitment to be up there and at practice every weekend. If I don't play the bass for that one sunday, the WHOLE band won't play that sunday and another band will back us up. There are no back up bassits and I am responsible for being up there and "filling" the group....because the band cannot play without a bassit. Any comments, suggestions, thoughts?

Actually, it's not that really hard in worship ministry if you have the pure heart before the Lord. This ministry is such a wonderful ministry... worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth

 

[lefamu]

I agree with you! We have to take God with us everywhere we go,put on the armor,pray and witness and encourage! I am the only keyboardist at my church! I don't always have a bass player,so playing organ is my main instrument,sometimes playing bass pedals. Our bass player doesn't always know all the songs for work and obligations! But we do our best. I don't think the band should totally not play though if you cannot for whatever reason! But its great to have a bass!Thank you for the encouragement.

 

[usexpat97]

Let me suggest something unorthodox in contemporary worship: put up some baritone male vocalists instead of a bass player. That's the reason we have only SAT vocal parts in contemporary: because the bass singer and the bass player clobber each other. But if your bass player isn't there, there are lots of contemporary songs you can fill out with a male bass part. You just have to think out of the box a little bit, and don't do just what you hear on the CD. Your worship starts to move toward a more southern gospel feel--which is not a bad thing. They're still the same praise songs everybody knows the words to.