Wednesday, November 9, 2016 – The day after the United States’ Presidential election.  For many, including myself, this was an unbelievable campaign.  The candidates, their behavior, their belief systems, and character were all questionable in one respect or another.  However, the unlikely candidate would rise and become the President and send the entire country into a state of shock.  This unlikely candidate was one that went against the grain of American politics.   Throughout the campaign, he did not speak as a politician; he did not act like a politician; and, he did not have the prowess of the politicians we’ve seen throughout the years.  Most of all, he did not care what the opponents said about him.  He forged ahead with his message. 
 
Now I’m not posting a political message about the events during the campaign trails or the results after, though I have my opinions.  I can only say that all of what has happened is a message to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to stand, go against the status quo and forge ahead with the message of the King of kings.  In this season, we must become the people who are truly unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are charged with Blowing the Trumpet! 
 
Blow the Trumpet to Warn & 
Blow the Trumpet in Praise!!!
 
Joel 2:1 – Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand:
 
Ezekiel 33:3 –  when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people,….
 
Psalm 150:3 - Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
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Life requires, better yet demands, one to make hard decisions, but it is not always easy to make the hard decisions.  I guess that is why it is hard – the opposite of easy. Saying “No” is not always easy either.  Sometimes it is the unseen pressure that bombards the mind, the unspoken peer pressure (yes, adults have peer pressure), a look or subtle words that make decisions hard. 

No matter what others think or say, you have to make the right decision you feel crying out to you 100% of the time. I believe looking back you will always see with 20/20 vision.  Once your vision is clear, you wish you could start all over again to see that favorable outcome that is clear and evident now.  Since things cannot be repeated, you can only pray to make the best decision for the future.   Most of all, the key to all decisions in life is this, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

If you have read my latest Encouragement Newsletters, you know I have been writing about Praise & Worship and The Music Ministry.  The title of this blog post just came to me one day how so many ministries use music as the tool for building a work.  I had to think on the validity of this rationale and could not find any scriptural basis in the word of God.  Now, after reading the two aforementioned newsletters, you will see that I believe the ministry should have the best in the music ministry.  I definitely do not believe in having instruments or equipment that are inoperable.  Why?  Because we are offering our instruments and songs in praise and worship to the ONE that deserves the best; this should be the motivation for the best singers, musicians, equipment, etc.  If the motivation for investing in all of this is to bring in members, then that is a recipe for disaster.  Yes, the people may come in, but there is a serious risk of losing His presence because what is being offered becomes strange to Him.  In other words, the music becomes more focused on what will keep the people coming and the money flowing.  Let the truth be told about the money.  The risk is also a music ministry heavily absorbed with entertaining and emotionalism, which mirrors the entertainment industry of our day.  This is strange fire.

Let me encouragement you that have anything to do with the music ministry, maintain the right focus.  Stay within the confines of the scriptures, which tells us that if we life up Jesus, He will draw the people.  Any other motive is totally against scripture.  His music is for His presence not for church growth – the marketing strategy coined by the unspiritual.

Stay tuned to my next post where I will give some scriptural reference on this very topic.

Grace & Peace,

Veronica

 

 Music ministry has the capacity to influence, control and manipulate the gathering in ways that positively and/or negatively affect God’s people.  In most     gatherings, music is at the beginning and end of the meeting.  This means, musicians and singers have    face-time with the congregation in equal measure or more than the senior leader, the speaker or any other ministry for that matter.  This ministry is before the congregation each Sunday. Depending upon the church structure, several songs will be ministered by a praise team, choir or combination of the two.  This will last  approximately 15-20 minutes; then there is the offering with music, which equals 5-10.  Then if there is a “song selection” from the choir, a chorus, etc. before the spoken word, that is an additional 5-10 minutes.  If there’s dancing and celebration after the selection (or at any time), there will be another 5-10 minutes.  If the people just cannot sit down, this    celebration can last another 20-30 minutes.  Finally, there is the alter call, which can last about 5-15 minutes.  Time frames vary, but using this break down, you can see that music ministry equates to about 30-50 minutes on a typical Sunday morning.   This does not include background music, for example, during a baby dedication.  Untraditional ministries that        emphasize praise and worship with a musical team that flows freely, the total ministry in music could be an additional 30 minutes each  Sunday.  Oh! Do not   forget the Bible Study for some ministries.  You can see how music ministry plays a prominent role just like the spoken word.  This is why I say senior leaders should be involved.  Selection to this ministry should not be based upon talent alone.  Careful attention must be paid to the individuals assigned this very powerful place in ministry.  This is an excerpt from The Encouragement Newsletter titled, "The Music Ministry - Part 1".  I am inviting those subscribers to the newsletter and you as a reader to share your comments on this topic.