Music is Pastoral Work

Few subjects get as many Christians as quickly upset as worship music. Yet for all the anger and frustration we are often not very deliberate about what we do in worship. We argue and debate, but do the same things the same way and expect a different result. There are many reasons for this cycle. There are also some signs that we are coming out of that malaise.  Paul S. Jones (no relation) mentions an important way we can grow our worship music up in his little book What is Worship Music?  He packs a lot in this short quote:

“Music is not in competition with pastoral work, rather, it is pastoral work. It can provide many of the same kinds of spiritual care that pastoral ministry provides. Music can comfort, encourage, instruct, teach, proclaim the gospel, interpret Scripture, make application, and reach the soul. All of these are the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when and where there are parallels, the parameters that one applies to ministerial staff should be applied to church musical staff and those applied to sermons and prayers should be applied to church music.

Pastoral musicians, irrespective of title, should be qualified, trained, spiritual, mature, humble, accountable, and aware of their responsibilities. They should be afforded honor, respect, authority, and sufficient (even generous) remuneration. Likewise, assisting musicians should be skilled, devoted, prepared, service oriented, and conscious of the roles they fulfill in worship. The music presented should be excellent, the best the congregation can offer, spiritual, joyful, thoughtful, intelligible, fitting, God-honoring, theocentric, properly rehearsed, live, instructive, functional, and artistic.”

Jones’ point that music is a teaching ministry of the church on par with preaching has been lost for several generations and needs to be recovered. Wouldn’t it be great if over the next 25 years the church saw a rise in music pastors? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a growing list of pastors/elders who are qualified in both character and skill to write, select, teach,perform, and lead the congregation in songs.  If we had less youth pastors and more music pastors the church might be more mature. I am grateful for all the strides I have seen in this area. There are more and more mature, godly men writing songs that are rooted in Scripture and dig deep into theology. May the Spirit see fit to continue that trend.<>рекламное агенство полного циклареклама на радио краснодар

musical worship, pastoral, Worship