Tag Archives: Ministry

Choral Song Selection: 3 Questions to Ask

By | |
1 Comment

Presentation is 90% of any battle you will face. In other words, when you present your idea, concept, or product in clear, concise and clarifying manner, your likelihood of achieving a better result will take place. We must realize and understand we are in a battle every day: A spiritual and a natural battle, with the spiritual effecting the natural. Ephesians, chapter 6 verse 12 puts it like this:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Church and ministry choirs, each and every time they sing are engaging in spiritual warfare!! Each and every time!! This includes choir rehearsals, recording sessions, Sunday morning services (In some cases multiple times on a Sunday), and any midweek services. When King Jehoshaphat consulted with the people in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 before going into battle to ambush the children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir, he appointed singers unto the Lord and the singers went out BEFORE the army:

“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.”-2 Chronicles 20:21

We, who are musicians and singers in any church or ministry choir must realize we are in a battle!! When in the battle, if you do have the appropriate tools, or in our case, the appropriate songs to engage in battle each and every time we sing, we are not adequately preparing the hearts of those who come through our doors to not only hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, but receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the ultimate catalyst for change and transformation in the lives of mankind. A critical part of the tools in our tool case is our song selection. Choral song selection is critical in our presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Below, I’ve provided 3 questions to ask, as it relates in the selection of songs we render unto the Lord.

1. Do the songs we sing point back to the message, mandate and mission of Jesus Christ?

Each and every song we are singing must show the love of Jesus Christ. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. It is through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ that we are regenerated and commissioned to be the salt and light our world desperately needs. We, as choirs and musicians help to point others to Christ. Our songs must demonstrate the message, mandate and mission of Jesus Christ!

2. Can our musical staffs properly execute the songs we are selecting?

Music, if not played correctly or skillfully can hinder and take away from the gospel message of Jesus Christ. If a particular song is not played correctly, or poorly executed from the musical end of things, this many times makes the Pastor, or the one delivering the sermon work twice as hard. We who serve in choirs in our churches and ministries must realize and understand that we are to make the job easier for those who are preaching and sharing the sermon on Sunday morning, or whatever service we are in. I said all of that to say this: If our musicians at our churches or ministries can only skillfully play at a “Level 5,” we cannot teach and present songs which are at a “Level 10.” We must know the musical capacity of our musicians at our churches or ministries. This is a critical question to ask before selecting the songs we want to present.

3. Do our songs represent the demographic makeup of our respective church or ministry?

Familiarity breeds confidence!! If those in our congregations are not familiar, nor can’t relate to the style of songs we are singing at our churches and ministries, this can hinder our presentations every time we sing. We as music ministers have to know the demographic make up of our congregations. For example, a song by Tye Tribbett may not be relate and be appropriate to a congregation whose average age is 70 years old. Likewise, a song by Shirley Caesar may not be relate to a congregation whose average age is 25. However, if you have many generations in your congregations (as many of our congregations have) it would be wise to have a variety of songs to sing which point back to the message and mandate, mission of Christ and that our musical staffs can properly execute from the traditional all the way to the contemporary. In any case, when making choral selections, we must make sure the songs we sing reflect the makeup of our congregations.

The songs we select and sing are important to our overall presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep these 3 questions in mind when selecting choral songs for your church and ministry…..and remember, we are in a battle!!

 

Cavell Samuels is a man of integrity, honesty and hard work, who has the passion and desire to see things
done in the spirit of excellence, and a defender of absolute truth. Reared in Racine, Wisconsin. Cavell Samuels grew up in a household parented by Freddie and Mary Samuels. During his formative years, Cavell was raised in the Greater Mount Eagle Baptist Church in Racine, Wisconsin. As a result of this upbringing in the church, a lifelong seed of service in the House of the Lord was planted inside of Cavell.

In October of 2006, Cavell united with the Greater Grace Temple Church Of God In Christ, under the leadership of current Pastor, Elder Jettie Lee Cornett. In the year of 2008, Cavell was ordained a Deacon under the leadership Elder Jettie Lee Cornett and currently serves as such. While serving as a Deacon, Cavell currently serves or has assisted and served the church in a number of capacities, including service in the church music department as a drummer.

In 2015, Cavell and his wife, Shiraune founded Kingdom First Consulting, business whose aim and goal is to help churches and ministries build “King-Sized Skills” for “King-Sized Visions” in an administrative capacity for churches and ministries. In 2016, Cavell published a book entitled, “Tiny Thoughtful Tidbits: Small Sayings that Shape” which is a book of informational and inspirational quotes.

Personally, Cavell is married to Shiraune Adora Samuels, and is a proud father of six old
daughter Kerrington Isabella Samuels. Cavell’s main desire is that the will of the Lord be done in all areas of
his life, and in the lives of others, according to St. Matthew chapter six, verse ten: “Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Music Ministry 101: The Structure of Music Ministry Leadership

By | |
9 Comments

If you are new the music ministry leadership, you may not know what your role is or what it entails.

The structure of a church’s music ministry will be based on a few factors:
1. Tradition- What’s already been established in the church.
2. Team Capacity- The qualifications of the current music ministry leadership.
3. Resources- How much money is allocated to the music ministry.

Here are the different roles of music ministry that I’m familiar with. Feel free to add other roles in the comment section:

1. The Minister of Music (MOM)– aka Worship Pastor is the head of the entire music ministry department (which includes all performing arts ministries- all choirs, dance/mime ministry, and musicians). This person should be qualified to teach choir parts, write chords/charts for musicians, and provide counsel to all ministries under his/her supervision. The MOM should also be qualified to handle administrative tasks, which include accepting/declining/scheduling ministry opportunities, establishing rules and procedures, and resolving conflicts. The MOM reports directly to the pastor.

2. The Music Director(MD) is over the musicians and reports to the MOM. The MD normally works with or is over the sound dept. Additional duties of the MD will be at the discretion of the MOM.

3. The Choir Director is in charge of leading the choir during Sunday service. This person will be 2nd to the MOM in teaching parts (if qualified to do so). Any additional tasks are at the discretion of the MOM.

4. The Worship Leader- The Worship leader is responsible for leading the congregation in singing, normally at the beginning of service. It’s common for the worship leader to have a dual responsibility in another music ministry leadership role.

5. The Section Leader– The section leader is normally the strongest singer in a section. If the MOM needs someone to sing a part for others in a section, this would be that person. The section leader would be the next person to teach parts if the MOM or choir director is unavailable. In most music ministries, the section leaders assist the worship leader in leading congregational singing (aka the worship team).

6. Music Ministry Officers– The music ministry officers assist the MOM in administrative tasks and maintaining order within the ministry. If conflicts arise in the ministry, the officers would settle issues before escalating them to the pastor. These offices include choir president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and parliamentarian. These positions are still active in some churches but are phasing out in most churches.

If positions 2-6 aren’t available, all responsibilities fall on the MOM. If a MOM isn’t assigned, then these taks will be delegated amongst the other leadership positions. I’ve never seen all roles active in one church; however, it is possible. Most churches will only have a MOM and that person is in charge of everything; at best, you may have a MOM and choir director.

In part 2 of Music Ministry 101, I will discuss the administrative tasks of the music ministry. These tasks are small but daunting and one person shouldn’t have to do all of the work. Delegation is key to an effective music ministry.

If you would like to hear this topic on the Worship Builders Podcast, click here:
Episode 37: Music Ministry 101-The Structure of Music Ministry Leadership

Sonja R. Jones is a wife, mother, educator, author, and a Virtual Worship Pastor. Her assignment is to spiritually cover music ministry leaders, help churches develop and retain music ministry leaders, and equip and send music ministry leaders to churches. Connect with her online at www.sonjarjones.com

12 Steps To Discovering Your Call To Music Ministry

By | |
2 Comments

If you’re a regular around here you know I try to share information that offers information to help take your music ministry to the next level. That’s really my only requirement for content here. It needs to teach something. Offer some advice, or some tips. Some kind of how to.

Many people who know they’re called to music ministry still find themselves searching for their specific calling within music ministry. I realized at an early age that mine was teaching and directing.  But if you’ve been struggling to really nail down what your specific calling is in music ministry you’ll love this great article I found on Churchleaders.com .

I really love articles that give specific steps. In his article “Discovering Your Call To Music Ministry” Minister Michael Dottin not only gives us 12 specific steps, he also includes specific scriptures related to each one.  This piece is a quick read, but full of great information I know will bless you if you find yourself in this place. Click the title or image below to read the full article.

Discovering Your Call to Music Ministry

By Michael Dottin
article_images/discovering_call_music_ministry_188517085.jpg

Three Ways to Avoid Musical “Drowning Zones”

By | |
2 Comments

Cavell Samuels is back this week with another blog post for us. This time he’s addressing a somewhat touchy subject among musicians and members alike; the subject of playing too loud.  Take it away Cavell!

********************************************************************************************************************************************

When something is drowning, it is overwhelmed by a large amount of something. In the following paragraphs, I will list three ways to avoid drowning zones. The establishment of “No drowning zones” in our churches is key in the overall musical presentation of the church choir. What do I mean by “No drowning zones?” I am glad you asked! These “drowning zones “ are times in the worship service where musicians play so loudly that they drown out the message of what the choir is communicating though song.

These “drowning zones” are usually prevalent in churches with less seasoned musicians, or seasoned musicians who have placed the message, mandate and mission of Jesus Christ on the back-burner in exchange for them being the center of attention. It is critical that we as musicians not create drowning zones for our churches and ministries, but that we create atmospheres for freedom of worship and proper articulation of the gospel message though song.
As a musician, I know the pressure of wanting to execute the latest chop, latest fill, run, or chord progression you learned while attending the musical workshop earlier in the summer! However, we as musicians must realize that all we do must properly accompany the choir, praise and worship team or soloist, and secondly, we must realize that we as musicians are rendering our talents and skills “Unto the Lord.” Psalm 95:1 declares “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.”

This making a joyful noise does not mean we as musicians are to drown out the choir, speaker, praise team leader, or anyone else in the service. This joyful noise is a calculated noise, this joyful noise is done in concert with everything else going on in the worship service! This joyful noise is not only to be joyful to the musicians, but this noise must by joyful to the Lord most importantly!

When our corporate sound as musicians glorifies the Lord, the people in our services will be edified and the Savior will be glorified. There have been many instances over the years where the message of the music has been drowned out and all together forgotten during worship service or worship services. As musicians, we must be mindful to not overpower, but to aid and assist our choirs and those who are rendering song selections and other services during worship. Here are a few suggestions on how to avoid drowning zones in our worship services:

1. If you have microphones on your instruments, coordinate with the sound technician to ensure you are not overpowering.

I have seen in smaller churches the Hammond B3 being piped through the house and this causes for the organ to be way too loud. The same applies for the drums as well. If these instruments are going to be loud, please work in concert with your sound team.

2. Keep in mind it’s not about you!

Humility is required in this because let’s be honest, if you are a somewhat skilled musician, people will take notice of your skill. However, this is no reason for you to be the center of attention. Remember, Satan was kicked out of heaven for this very thing! Pride is very destructive, and will cause you to create drowning zones more often than not.

3. Communication between directors, song leaders and musicians.

This is critical, especially if directors and song leaders have expressed concerns that the music has been loud previously. It is extremely critical for musicians to work with everyone to ensure there is the right blend of vocals and music. If this is achieved, the individuals who attend your worship services along with your choir directors and song leaders will be appreciative!

In closing, this was not an all-out assault on musicians in churches and ministries, just a friendly reminder not to create drowning zones in your respective worship services! Musicians, we are a vital part of the overall worship experience. Let us keep in mind that all we do is unto the Lord and what we do as musicians should complement the entire worship service. Remember, work toward achieving “No drowning zones” in our services, be blessed!

 

Cavell Samuels is a man of integrity, honesty and hard work, who has the passion and desire to see things done in the spirit of excellence, and a defender of absolute Bio Pictruth. Cavell’s main desire is that the will of the Lord be done in all areas of his life, and in the lives of others.

4 Ways To Bridge The Spiritual Gap Between Your Music Ministry And Your Pastor

By | |
3 Comments

Today I’d like to welcome a guest blogger to The Music Ministry Coach.com . His name is Cavell Samuels. Cavell brings many years of experience working in music ministry to the table and I hope to have him as a regular contributor. In this blog post Cavell will be sharing with us 4 steps that will help us close that spiritual gap that sometimes exists between the music department and the Shepard of the house. Please make Cavell feel welcome by offering your comments. Also, be sure to visit Cavell’s website, which you can find in his bio at the bottom of the article. Take it away Cavell!
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************

This article is a new direction that Kingdom First will be branching off into, as this also deals with the administrative function of churches and  music ministries. The direction I am referring to is the relationship between pastors and musicians. We begin to take steps toward eliminating the gap between pastors musicians, and ministers of music which exists.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 states “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not easily broken.” When the lines of communication, or the cords are broken between the pastor, musicians and ministers of music, this has the potential to cause chaos in a church or ministry and destroy relationships. This is why we that serve in these areas must make all efforts to eliminate all gaps!

If you are reading this post, the first question that comes to mind probably is where do I start in the addressing or preventing of this from taking place? I will provide a few tips to aid and assist in firstly, having this conversation, if the problem exists, and two, to place some parameters in place in an attempt to prevent this from taking place. We , as musicians, pastors, and ministers of music cannot afford to have division in our services, division in our ministries, and division in our churches!

1. Have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ

Why are you putting this as a part of this article? I thought that all who are musicians, pastors and ministers of music are already saved? Contrary to popular belief, this is not always the case. I have ran into many musicians, ministers of music and even some pastors who do not have a relationship with the Lord. I John 2:17 declares : “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The will of the Lord is found in His Word! His Word declares in Romans 10:9-10-“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Acts 4:12 puts it like this: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

I could give many other scriptures, but the bottom line is ALL that serve in ANY area of and in ministry should have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the #1 prerequisite, even above talent. Total commitment to Christ is essential for service to the Lord! If you are not serving the Lord, you are serving yourself! The key to relationship with the Lord is for you to be in second place, not the Lord! Relationship with the Lord involves placing Him first!

2. Proper, Biblical Conversation

Psalm 19:14 says“Let the words of my mouth and words of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” This is not just a thing pastors and preachers pray before teaching or preaching, but something that we should live by. On many occasions people do not have a problem with what was said, but have a problem with how things are said! We, as units (musicians, ministers of music, and pastors) that are working in our churches must keep in mind that we are to talk to one another in a civil and appropriate manner. I have learned through many years of experience that talking to people the right way goes a long way in building strong relationships. Asking the Lord to frame our words, speech and presentation works wonders. So we must always keep this in mind and ask the Lord to frame our words when dealing with others.

3. Fellowship, fellowship, fellowship

This is key in eliminating the gap between pastors, musicians and ministers of music. Many times you can learn many things just by being in the same room and being connected with others. I would recommend for fellowships to take place outside of the church or ministry. For those of you who are on salary at your respective church or ministry, this is fellowship outside of work. Psalm 133:1 states “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Fellowship fosters friendship and friendship foster unity! It is extremely vital for musicians, ministers of music and pastors to be united! Our worship services depend on this unity, our families depend on this unity, and our communities at large depend on this unity! Regular fellowship is essential for great relationships between the musicians, pastors and ministers of music.

4. Prayer

Luke 18:1 states “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men aught always to pray, and not faint.” Prayer is key in our respective walks with the Lord, and is no different in our functions as musicians, ministers of music and pastors. There is an old saying that states the family that prays together stays together. This is true for us in our service as musicians, ministers of music and pastors. Prayer with each other is key and should take place often. Prayer should always take place before any meeting, rehearsal sessions, and before any services you may be participating in.

Personally, I can tell the difference in my playing when I pray, verses when I do not pray. Prayer is essential in breaking down and spiritual walls, breaking down anything going on in the spiritual realm, and essential in our hearing from the Lord regarding the flow and direction of our lives and our worship services.

Keep in mind prayer is a dialogue (The Lord speaking to us and our speaking to the Lord) and not a monologue (Just us speaking). When we are praying, we must allow time for listening in our prayer time. If we are to be ready at all times, we should pray at all times. This will help in our service to the Lord!

Again, these are just a few tips to aid and assist in the eliminating of the gap which may be evident with musicians, ministers of music and pastors. In these days and times, we cannot afford for any gaps to take place in our ministries and in our churches! Our churches and ministries need for us to be strong! The only way we are going to be strong and eliminate any gaps is only through the Lord’s help!

 

Bio PicCavell Samuels is a man of integrity, honesty and hard work, who has the passion and desire to see things done in the spirit of excellence, and a defender of absolute truth. Cavell’s main desire is that the will of the Lord be done in all areas of his life, and in the lives of others. Visit Cavell’s website at KingdomFirstConsulting.com

How To Protect Your Church Music Ministry From Copyright Infringement (part 2 of 6): Using Secular Music

By | |
3 Comments
How To Protect Your Church Music Ministry From Copyright Infringement (part 2 of 6): Using Secular Music

“Today Susan Fontaine , Founder and President Christian Copyright Solutions  is back for her second installment in the 6-part series on protecting your church music department against copyright infringement. Susan covers the use of secular music in your worship service. I realize many churches are against this. For those that do, Susan has some great advice to share today regarding what you need to know to keep it all legal. It’s all yours Susan!
***************************************************************************

The first time I remember hearing a secular song used in worship was at a rural church in northern Indiana. It was “Let My Love Open the Door,” by Pete Townsend, performed by a spunky blond woman from the praise band. It was a catchy and energetic way to kick off a service closing out their “Doors” series, which would invite people to walk through a large door on stage to symbolize their acceptance of Christ.

I became an instant fan of using secular music in worship, if it supported the message. I anticipated opposition to the idea from our church’s leadership, partially from a legal perspective (was a church even allowed to do that without special permission?) but mainly from a theological perspective. It can be controversial, as a lot of people feel secular music has no place in sacred worship. Granger pastor Tim Stevens makes the case for using secular music in his book, Pop Goes the Church, saying there is biblical precedent and gospel imperative for churches to leverage pop culture to reach secular people.

If you can remove the theological stumbling block for your congregation and fellow worship planners, you can rest easy knowing that the legal stumbling block has already been taken care of. As it turns out, secular music is included under the Religious Services Exemption to U.S. copyright law, stating that churches do not need a performance license to play live or pre-recorded versions of any kind of music (sacred or secular) in the context of regular worship services. The only exception in the exemption is “dramatico-musical” works (operas and plays) of a secular nature. These are not exempt and would require licensing.

It’s important to note that this exemption only applies to playing or performing music, and does not extend to reproducing music in any form, such as making an audio or video recording of music in your service, or making copies of song lyrics.

The morning after that service at Granger, I heard Pete Townshend’s song again on a pop radio station, and I was immediately reminded of the service’s message. To this day, I remember that Christian message whenever I hear the song. That’s the power of using pop songs in worship, and there’s no law to keep you from embracing it.

Want to know more about copyright myths that put your church at risk? Watch this helpful video from Christian Copyright Solutions and download their free downloadable resource to worship ministers – 6 Myths About Copyrights That Put Your Church at Risk.

CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration and advocacy for copyright owners.