“More musicians, please.”

We received this prayer request on an anonymous Connection Card this past Sunday. I am so thankful for this person’s prayer request! We do need more musicians of all kinds:  singers, instrumentalists, sound techs…all with a heart to serve the church with their abilities.

I was humbled by this card, because I have not been praying enough for God to send more musicians to join us on the worship team (Ex3 Ministry) at South Hill Bible Church. Prayer must be at the beginning, middle and end of any “recruiting” effort on my part. If I’m not submitting our needs to the Lord for his help, in his time, then I will be tempted to use human means to try to persuade or cajole or “guilt trip” people into serving. And that would be a disaster! So, thank you, again, anonymous writer, for the prompting to pray for musicians.

This card also reminded me that the good people “in the pews” at church on a Sunday can see things that I can’t, but also may be seeing things differently than I do. It is often the case in music ministry that people who could be serving don’t step up because they think, “oh, they don’t need me on the team, they’ve got plenty of musicians.” Or maybe they think, “I don’t have anything to offer.” Or, perhaps, “they don’t do the music that I want to do, so I’ll just not step up and serve.” Let’s take those one by one.

There is always a need for people to serve in ministry, any ministry. People who are serving often have limited availability, so they’re not always able to serve more than one Sunday a month. We need more musicians to cover the gaps. We also need multiples of types of musicians. Drummers, bass players, and guitar players, especially, I’m looking for you (and praying for you). As for not having anything to offer, please let me make that evaluation. Not everyone has to be a front-line singer to be of useful service on the worship team. If you have a musical ability and are not serving because you perceive that we don’t do the music you would like, perhaps it’s because you are not there that we can’t do it.

Serving in music ministry is a tricky thing. Music can be such a blessing, but such a snare as well. We are accustomed in our contemporary society to have musicians idolized, revered, followed, and critiqued based on our likes and dislikes. This can too easily come into the church. The best church musicians are those who are capable to serve, willing to serve, ready to follow, and ready to step aside, if need be, when another comes along who can fill the need. Music ministry in the church is not the place to have your ego satisfied. Music ministry in the church is the place to leave your ego behind and live out the great commandment, loving the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength (and musical ability), and loving your neighbor enough to give all that you have for their benefit, not yours.

I’m so thankful for this prompt to pray for more musicians and to appreciate the musicians we have. May I also ask for your prayers for me as I try to lead this ministry in a God-honoring way? I, too, am tempted to try to please man rather than God.

In Christ, I am your brother,

Brad Pearson, Worship Pastor

Ex3 Ministry exists to Exalt God, Exult in Him, and Encourage His people through music.

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