CHURCH MUSIC ADMINISTRATION
I.Introduction
A.Ministry defined: The practice of church music IS ministry
1.85% of a ministry job is relational; 15% is music)
2.It is an expression of God’s love through His servants (not slaves)
3.It is an expression of God’s love through:
a.Caring–listening, sensitivity
b.Concern–expression of honest concern to church members & staff
c.Hope
d.Regard
4.Leadership Matters to Consider–Adapted from Jim Spivey (Ex. 17:8-16)
a.No one is self-sufficient: You will have to rely on other people
b.Depend on others (v.11)–not just to help, but to support; wait on the right person
c.Do not become a hero (vv.14-16)
d.Focus on the great acts of God
5.The “I” Factor
a.Industry: to put in a full days work for a full days pay. Be there when you are supposed to.
b.Inspiration: Every day we must seek Christ daily in a quiet time with him so that I can be inspired so that they can see it in what I do.
c.Ingenuity: Every Churches context will be a little different. We must be able to understand how the church works and adapt to it.
d.Integrity: As church staff member, I will do whatever it is I say that I am going to do.
e.“We are ministers of music not merely musicians on ministry”
6.Who is a Minister of Music?
a.Must have a heart of a shepherd: We must lead.
b.Glorify in worship: Are we bringing all glory to God?
c.Proclaim Redemption:
d.Teaches the inspired Word of God.
e.Empowered by the Holy Spirit.
7.Who Does God Call?
a.Those who know that He is at work today.
b.Pursues a loving relationship with Him.
c.Seeks to improve as His servant.
d.Seeks to know Him better.
e.Know that God seeks to accomplish His work through His servants.
B.Priorities in Ministry
1.Different types:
a.Christian
b.Spouse
c.Parent
d.Church Member
e.Employed person
f.Community person
2.Principles of Control
a.Inner Circle (Principle 1): the inner circle takes precedence over the outer circle. You must grow spiritually.
b.Limited Potential (Principle 2): Whenever and inside circle is weak the potential in the outside circle is reduced. Most problems extend from spirituality.
c.Misplaced Priority (Principle 3): If my Job takes place over one of the inner circles, we are out of sync.
d.Maintained Priorities (Principle 4): When the order of priority is maintained, greater satisfaction is experiences.
3.Definition of a Minister of Music–A minister of music is one who has the nobility of being created by God yet is nothing more or less than a simple craftsman, given a ob to do, who does the job carefully, usefully, humbly fir the Glory of God. (adapted from Harold Best)
4. Ministry–“If I knew a way to make more impact with my life, if I knew a way that was more fulfilling, more satisfying, and more important than eternity, I’d be doing it. But I don’t, and so, I’m in the ministry.”–Rick Warren
a.Three Characteristics of Minister of Music–ACTS 6
(1)Available: place at God’s disposal. We may not no God’s will for our lives but we must follow His will.
(2)Teachable: “blind spots” in the minister life.
(3)Example: live above reproach.
b.Praise: Praises God for what He has done.
c.Worship: Glorifies God for who He is.
d.Leadership is a process, not an event.
(1)Romans 12:9–18
(2)LOVE without hypocrisy
(3)Diligence in service–be consistent in how you treat the people in your congregation
(4)Meet the “real needs”–most staff members tend to look at congregations and come up with “perceived” needs
(5)Rejoice and weep in all circumstances–we tend to weep with people in the immediacy of the moment
(6)Humility in service
(7)Scriptures
(a)Romans 12:3-13
(b)I Corinthians 12
(c)Ephesians 4:7-12
(d)Habakkuk & Titus–good for encouragement
(e)Go to a church with the anticipation that you’ll be there forever
5.“Process” Leadership
a.Avoid evil for evil
b.Peace with others
c.Summary
(1)Sincere–no “play acting” at the business of being a Minister of Music
(2)Cleansed of self–by maintaining a daily connection with God
(3)Pure, outgoing heart–do all possible to make sure your heart is right with God
(4)Shocked by sin
C.Leadership Profile Itself
1.Interdenominational levels of agreement:
a.Some agreement
(1)Responsibility
(2)Family perspective
(3)Personal faith
b.High agreement
(1)Self-serving behavior
(2)Pursuit of personal agenda–the first six months should be spent getting to know the people at the church before making any changes
(3)Self-protecting behavior–there is a tendency to be defensive in this ministry, but it must be avoided
(4)Bypassing decision-making process–every church has a “legitimizer”–someone completely unrelated to your ministry who must give approval for anything to succeed. Listen in interviews for names that people are passing; probably a legitimizer
c.No agreement
(1)Ministerial approach
(2)Preaching style
(3)Worship style
(4)Musical language
(5)Evangelism
(6)Social ministry
(7)Congregational ministry
(8)Community ministry
2.Profile: Prophecy
a.Upside: verbal skills–people who find it easy to talk in front of people
b.Downside: too “direct and to the point” (absence of tact and sensitivity)
c.Often misunderstood–people interpret directness with lack of concern
3.Profile: Service
a.Concerned with the needs of others
b.Deals with “everyday” needs–look for tasks that you must do, and do them; delegate everything else
c.Keep a low profile–they do what they do without any need for recognition
d.Are “full of good deeds”
4.Profile: Teaching
a.Concerned with the nurture and growth of others
b.Focus on problems
c.Focus on issues (rather than the personality presenting them)
d.Live before people as “an example for others”
5.Profile: Exhorting
a.Are helpful, but often the way they want to help you
b.Provide answers (sometimes without a question being asked–tend to be meddlers)
c.Tend to be confrontational (often more so than the prophets)
d.Help they way they think other individuals SHOULD be helped
6.Profile: Sharing
a.Communicate clearly
b.Look from other people’s perspective
(1)Logos–logic; who we are, the answer to the situation, the exact, correct thing to do
(2)Pathos–empathy, who you are; sensitive to what has meaning to others
c.Sensitive to others
7.Profile: Leading
a.Good at organizational skills
b.Good at delegating
(1)If we don’t know how to delegate, our job will be unnecessarily difficult
(2)You can’t take care of more than about 400 people
(3)A typical minister of music can do at most no more than 4 tasks. Do the tasks no one else can do
(a)Adult choir
(b)Senior adult choir
(i)In the process of working with them, they see you as a caring minister and not a threat (by doing music they liked)
(ii)Teach these people the praise choruses to teach them that they will not destroy their favorite musics
(c)Youth choir
(d)Fill-in-the-blank (orchestra, perhaps? Whatever suits you)
c.Are willing to stand before others
d.Usually have experience in other places, or are good at acquiring it
e.Are extremely relational–they do connect, listen; are typically pleasant
8.Profile: Mercy
a.Bears the burdens
b.A downside because people will tend to be overly dependent on you
(1)Remember: being a counselor is different than being a therapist
(2)Some people in the church will ALWAYS have more trouble than they can handle; learn to temper your gift so that this doesn’t take away your other responsibilities
9.Profile: LOVE
a.Give with no thought of return
b.Are willing to do the right things just because they are the right thing to do
10.Profile: Enthusiasm–Highly motivated–“Sparkles”
11.Profile: Hope
a.Strong in difficult situations
b.Serve as an “anchor,” or stabilizing element
c.You don’t focus on circumstances, you focus on the God who will get your through them. Don’t ask all the “why’s,” concern yourself with comforting.
12.Profile: Prayer
a.Put into words what the heart is saying
b.Do not be flippant with promises to pray when you’re prone to forget later
13.Profile: Hospitality-Have a “welcoming” attitude
D.Three Characteristics of a Minister of Music (exemplified by Stephen in the book of Acts)
1.He was available–they don’t presume to put limits on what God can do with us
2.He was teachable–if you mess up, learn from mistakes; seek God’s revelation and support in the face of “blind spots”
3.He lived above reproach–always be transparent
II.The Biblical Foundations of Ministers of Music
A.Music in the Old Testament
1.II Chronicles 20:14-22–Conquer
2.II Chronicles 29:27-30–Evangelism
3.Isaiah 6–Worship
B.Music in the New Testament
1.Ephesians 5:19–Worship practice
2.Colossians 3:16–Teaching
C.Historical Backgrounds and Precedents for the Music Minister
1.Until A.D. 250, the church was largely free in structure; beginning in 250, however, things become very structured, and became influenced by the philosophies of Plato
a.The Orthodox tradition
b.Roman Catholicism tradition
c.Coptic tradition
2.Medieval Period (Middle Ages)–A.D. 600-1045
a.Precipitated by the “excommunication” of the Orthodox church by the Catholics
b.Primarily influenced by Aristotle
c.The church and the state were absolutely equal (eventually, the church will dominate)
3.Reformation–Calvin, Zwingli, Luther (who never really left Catholicism)–1500-1750
a.Emphasis on the individual
b.Emphasis on minimalism
4.Modern Period–1750–1950 (or 1990, depending on who you ask)
a.Emphasis on reason
b.Emphasis on enlightenment
D.The Basic Point of the History of Church Music–the history of Christian worship is a story of diversity:
1.Christians have always demonstrated a wide breadth in worship, a diversity of ways to worship
2.However, the criteria for defining and marking this diversity may vary from era to era–i.e., the fact that change happens is consistent; the characteristics of the change is what is important
E.Why is there diversity?–Changes/variations in worship between peoples usually can be explained in the following elements:
1.Changes in theology, particularly in understandings of God, the church, and salvation
2.The church’s relationship to culture
a.Relationships to culture, for example: among several possible positions, some Christians view their surrounding contemporary culture as something very
b.Resistance to cultural changes
(1)Amish/Mennonite worship
(2)Greek Orthodox worship
c.Actively engaging the culture my take on the qualities of “entertainment”
d.Another aspect to worship and culture: typical spots where culture expresses itself in worship
(1)Manner of preaching
(2)Manner of praying
(3)Manner of making music (not necessarily the words)
(4)Awareness and use of the body
(5)Sensibility to time
(6)Assessment and use of space
(7)Language
e.Major metaphors and images–what become symbols do our culture? These change over generations
3.Shifts in piety/spirituality
F.The Precedents of Music Ministry
1.Old & New Testament Origins–other classes
a.Seven Classical Liturgical Families
b.Alexandria; West Syrian; East Syrian; St. Basil; St. John of Chrysostom; Gallic-Ambrosian, Mozarabic, Celtic, Callican; Roman
c.Ex opere operato–The Operations of God Himself
2.Medieval Period
a.Fourth Lateran Council–1215 (Transubstantiation)
b.Roman Catholic Culture dominates the West
(1)The Mass
(2)Pontifical High Mass (sung)
(3)High Mass–done by a deacon (sung)
c.Ex opere operatis
3.Protestant Reformation
a.Precedents
(1)Martin Luther–transubstantiation becomes consubstantiation
(2)Zwingli–does away with all the trappings of the Catholic church
(3)John Calvin–takes the best of both Luther & Zingli
(4)The Anabaptists–merely rebaptized people
(5)The Anglicans–Henry VIII wanted a divorce, so he broke away from the Roman church
(6)John Wesley & Charles Wesley–were not Methodists, but Anglicans
(7)16th- & 17th-century English Baptists
(a)Thomas Helwys
(b)Carey
(c)Sutcliff
(8)Luheran Worship–Christ is IN us, WITH us, and UNDER us
(a)Lord’s Supper was very important
(b)Mass given in the vernacular
(c)Emphasis on the use of hymns
(d)“If not prohibited by Scripture, you can do it”
(e)Consubstantiation
(9)John Calvin
(a)T –total depravity
(b)U–unconditional election
(c)L –limited atonement
(d)I –irresistible grace
(e)P –perseverance of the saints
(f)Frequency of the Lord’s Supper
(g)Congregational Singing–Psalms were part of worship; unison & unaccompanied
(h)Religious education of children
(i)Emphasis on marriage
(j)True order: ULTIP
(k)Reformed theology
b.Post–Reformation
(1)Non-conformist churches (revision of liturgy)
(2)Anabaptists–Switzerland
(a)Preaching the Word is central
(b)Congregational participation
(c)Emphasis on hymn singing by the congregation
(d)Hymns on martyrdom
(e)Two ordinances–Lord’s Supper, Baptism
c.Precedents of Baptists
(1)Reforms of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin
(2)Reforms of Puritans, Anabaptists, Free-churchmen
(3)General Baptists–1609 (Holland)
(a)General atonement–available to all who want it
(b)John Smyth, founder
(4)Particular Baptists–1638 (London)
(a)Limited atonement–like Calvinists
(b)???
(5)General Baptist worship patterns
(6)Shorter sermons and prayers
(7)Occasional use of collects and set prayers
(8)Greater use of music by instruments and choirs
(9)Children’s sermon
(10)Wider use of congregational singing
d.Roger Williams
(1)1635–banished from Puritan colony at Salem
(2)1636–Rhode Island–religious dissidents and religious tolerance
(3)1647–Code for Separation of Church and State
(4)1707–Philadelphia Baptist Association
(5)1781–The First Amendment
e.The Four Great Awakenings
(1)1730-1740–George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards
(2)1790-1820–Methodist circuit riding ministers; most influential revival in American history: FREE-WILL SALVATION
(3)1890–Billy Sunday
(4)1950–Billy Graham
f.Precedents: American Frontier
(1)New Hampshire Confession of 1833–differences between North & South
(a)General Atonement vs. Limited Atonement
(b)Missions: evangelism in the South, theology in the North
(c)Slavery
(2)No set forms
(3)Ordinances were not observed much
(4)Suspicious of educated ministers
(5)Preaching was primary
(6)Informal enthusiasm
(7)Exuberant singing
(8)Spirit of the immediacy of salvation
g.William E. Penn (1832-1895)
(1)Info from Dr. William Reynolds
(2)Penn was a Major in the Confederate Army
(3)Lawyer form Jefferson, Texas
(4)At a Sunday School Convention, Tyler, TX: Texas Revival began
(5)First to use a “song leader” (remember for Orals)
(6)First to use an “organ”
(7)Published gospel song books
h.Benjamin Keach
4.The 20th Century–Ministry of Music
a.Leadership Training
b.Southwestern Seminary (1915)
c.Baptist Bible Institute–New Orleans, 1919
d.Southern Baptist Seminary 1943
e.Golden Gate 1950
f.Midwestern & Southeastern Seminaries
g.The Gospel Song Tradition
5.I.E. Reynolds
a.One of 43 evangelistic singers
b.Revivals on the frontier
c.Home Mission Board sponsored the project
d.1910
e.Created the Department of Gospel Music at Southwestern
f.9 students and 2 teachers
g.B.B. McKinney joins the faculty
6.Church Music Department–Nashville
a.B.B. McKinney founds it in 1941
b.Trained lay people
c.First Church Music Week–held at Ridgecrest, NC
d.First books–Let Us Sing, Music and the Scriptures
G.Minister of Music
1.The meaning of the title
a.From antiquity called the “Kappelmeister”
b.Mid-1930’s–Westminster Choir College coined the term
c.Spiritual dimension of the office; the title Minister of Music assigned to the graduates
d.1943–Southern Seminary took the concept and called its graduate Ministers of Music
e.1930–1940, early 50’s–most church music leaders were women
(1)Many women in this time period were music teachers
(2)Many men were off to war
2.Definition: W. Hines Sims
a.Sims: 1952, Secretary of Sunday School Board’s Church Music Department
b.Statement: “A minister of music is one who, having answered God’s call for a church-related vocation, and having made adequate preparation, through specialized training devotes all his time to the development of a comprehensive graded choir music education program in the church.”
(1)Church-related–not solely to music ministry
(2)Preparation–not just musical, but spiritual also
(3)Graded choir programs–preparation for a worship choir
3.Five Areas of Work (Sims)
a.Congregational music activities
b.Graded choir program
c.Instrumental activities
d.Training opportunities (of lay leadership)
e.Promotional techniques–work with Association, State and Convention organization (to “interpret and undergird the work of the church and the denomination”)
4.Significant Events (church Music Department, Nashville)
a.Baptist Hymnal, W. Hines Sims
b.1963–Children’s musical, “Lo, A Star” by Robert Graham
c.1963–The Junior Musician
d.1966–The Children’s Music Leader, Music for Primaries
e.1967–First Youth musical–“Good News” (the pivotal point from traditional to contemporary music)
f.1970–William J. Reynolds became head of the Southern Baptist Church Music Department
g.1972–“Celebrate Life”
h.1975–Baptist Hymnal by William J. Reynolds
i.1981–Wes Forbis
j.1991–Baptist Hymnal, Terry York
k.Present–Mark Blankenship
l.Multiple choir programs
m.Senior Adult Music Ministry
5.State Music Departments
6.Historical Precedents: “We mest always remember that who we are is who we were.” (John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States, speaking before the Supreme Court, 1839)
H.Who is the Modern Minister of Music
1.First thing first: Minister, which is both:
a.Worship leader
b.Pastoral
2.In charge of Conflict Resolution (management)
a.Worship style–find the worship model that fits your church best
b.Musical choice
c.Volunteers
d.Soloists
e.Workers
3.Counselor
a.A counselor can resolve a problem in three sessions or less
b.Not a therapist (who takes over beyond this)
4.Administer
a.Good at budget
b.Maintaining a calendar
c.Special productions
5.A Programmer
a.Rehearsal planning
b.Children’s choir plan–music education
c.Special Events
d.Weddings, funerals
e.Weekly schedule of the church–When is the choir scheduled?
6.Music Leader
a.Intergenerational
b.Must relate to all musicians–readers and non-readers
c.Possess a variety of skill levels
7.Teacher
a.Teach through a rehearsal
b.Requirements
(1)Know what needs to be rehearsed (within a piece)
(2)Know what plan you can use to rehearse
(3)Know what can be overlooked
c.Tries to make the right musical choice (appropriate for the choir’s performance level)
8.Trainer
a.Of choir leaders
b.Of soloists
c.Of handbells and ensembles
d.Of instrumental groups
e.Of audio/video technicians
f.Of technology people
III.The Functions of the Music Ministry
A.Definition–the Biblical assignments of the Music Ministry
1.The base of the pyramid:
a.A revelation of God (not of man)
b.God must be revealed before we can serve