I was speaking with an individual who happened to be a man of the cloth. And when discussing the different aspects of the music ministry in different churches, we came upon the topic of passion versus pay. He expressed his disappointment in many different gifted musicians he had come across. He spoke on the fact that nowadays Pay has become the reason for their work in church and the passion was no longer present. Now by no means was he down playing the idea of musicians getting paid, but he expressed the absence of spirituality and passion. Now when I began to think about this particular topic, I had to agree. Are musicians now looking at church as just another "regular" gig? Have they lost sight of the purpose of the music in church...And have Pastors become so engulfed in trying to have the "beast" band and forgetting about the spiritual aspect of the music?
Back in the day, i can remember how individuals would volunteer to learn different instruments just to help take the services to the next level. Back then, it was all about how could we get our services to the place where the spirit could move. Could money have altered their perception?
All in all, I believe that musicians should be paid because, although gifted, many work hard to perfect their craft. Some even go on to study what they do, but I also believe that if you are going to work in the church setting, spirituality should definitely be considered. With every job there are requirements and expectations. And just like any secular job, a church job should receive the same amount of respect, if not more. The church is not just another gig, People are coming to receive something from the Lord and all individuals involved, from the Pastor to the usher should have that same mission in mind.
Live, Love, God,
Iva Elle Dot
