the music department a blessing or a curse?

[Classik]

The music department a blessing or curse?

A blessing or a curse in disguise? Following my recent thread on distraction....I have noticed that the church unit/department, 'Music department', may not be very necessary or inevitable in every church.
We can still do it the traditional way - without the help of the band.

I see the pride in every band (not all tho) - an undertone or even a proclamation that "they can't do without us". This is a huge lie. One of the reasons churches keep their bands is because they wish to attract visitors or impress the younger ones. The band and choir are not inevitable! I realised I pay more attention to Music in church than to the sermon. Shame!

We can do the hymns all day and not get exhausted.

I'm a musician too - I'm not condemning music.

 

[Willie T]

I wonder why they had all those specified musicians (a music department, if you will) in the Jewish system of the OT?

 

[Obadiah]

...I have noticed that the church unit/department, 'Music department', may not be very necessary or inevitable in every church.
We can still do it the traditional way - without the help of the band...

As with your other recent thread on how much to pay a pastor, every church congregation is different in what they prefer and how they prefer to do it. If what they are doing works or doesn't work, people will make their preference known with their feet.

...I see the pride in every band (not all tho)...

This doesn't make any sense. You either see "pride in every band", or you don't. You can't see pride in every band and then say you don't see pride in all of them.

...I see the pride in every band (not all tho) - an undertone or even a proclamation that "they can't do without us". This is a huge lie...

While it's certainly untrue that every music team is prideful, we have to understand that everyone in every position is subject to pride. You have to realize that the pastor preaching the sermon also takes pride in preaching a good sermon and even the person making announcements or leading a prayer is going to take pride in doing a good job of it. And believe me, when the pastor plans his sermon, most are at least in part thinking about the effect it will have in attracting people to their church. This isn't always a bad thing, you know. We are told in scripture that what we do, we should do well. There is nothing sinful about pride in a job well done for the Lord. Pride becomes sinful when it becomes the attitude of believing we did it all on our own and didn't need God's help and guidance.

Same thing for the idea of attracting people into the church. There is nothing wrong with this, and encouraging people to do their job well helps to bring this about. Once again, it comes down to the reasoning behind it. Are they wanting more people so they can brag about the church "they" built up? Or are they using their professionalism and skills to the best of their ability to attract more people into the church so more Christians can be ministered to and more non-christians can hear the gospel? There's nothing at all wrong with the goal of attracting more people as long as it's for the right reasons.

...I realised I pay more attention to Music in church than to the sermon. Shame!...

With all the emphasis on music in scripture, why are you ashamed of this? God likes music. Perhaps this is an indication not that the music should be de-emphasized, but that the pastor needs to take a little more pride (good pride) in his sermons and make them more fulfilling. That's the attitude they take in the church I work at. I've not missed a Sunday in 3 years now, and even though we've had some pretty great worship music led by some talented musicians at times, I've not once heard a boring sermon.

 

[Obadiah]

Oh, and just to balance things out, yes, I also understand some musicians (as well as others who have a part in the church service) can be arrogant, prideful snots. I'm the sound engineer and last Sunday I had the displeasure of running sound for the second time for a guest guitarist/lead singer who comes into a church as a guest and insists on doing everything his own way no matter what he is told or what reasons he is given. And everything he does is geared to draw attention to himself and his guitar playing. He ruined his band's "performance" (because that's what it was for him, a "performance") and made me want to just quit my job an go home. And quitting is exactly what I would do if he was going to be there on a regular basis. Fortunately I'm pretty sure he was just asked to fill in because it happened everyone else who is qualified is out of town this one time and no one else could be found on short notice.

So I understand what you are saying about prideful Christian musicians. I just don't agree that it applies to all, or even to the majority of them. In the three years since they hired me as a sound engineer, this one guitarist who has "performed" only twice now, has been the only problem.

 

[Kathi]

I liked the Worship team that started off our service at the Church I used to go to.It was a very large congregation.We would sing contemporary and old time hymns.A talented bunch of musicians and singers.I appreciated them.

 

[Classik]

Good replies.
Obadiah, your second reply balances all. I was speaking from a musician perspective. I didn't say all musicians are arrogant.

To rephrase the question, can a church exist without the church band?

 

[Classik]

What is the difference between pride and arrogance?

 

[Obadiah]

Good replies.
Obadiah, your second reply balances all. I was speaking from a musician perspective. I didn't say all musicians are arrogant.

To rephrase the question, can a church exist without the church band?

It can. But should it? A church CAN exist without a lot of things that could be beneficial to it. But that doesn't mean that it should avoid those things if they are available.

 

[Obadiah]

What is the difference between pride and arrogance?

In the way I was using the words in this thread, I was using pride more as a feeling of satisfaction in knowing you did the right thing, did it to the best of your ability, and in the case of a Christian, allowed God to take over where your abilities left off. Arrogance, on the other hand, I was using as referring to a trait of having done a good job and being proud of the idea that you did it all on your own with no one elses help, including no help from God, and you did it mainly to make yourself look good in front of everyone else.

Now before someone points out things like "pride goweth before a fall", etc to contradict me.... I'm just explaining that's the way I'm using the words in this context.

 

[Kathi]

What is the difference between pride and arrogance?

Pride
a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
Arrogance
conceit, pride, self-importance,

 

[Classik]

The later is precisely my intent...tho culturally we use them alike.

 

[Classik]

The later is precisely my intent...tho culturally we use them alike.

Or rather tthe two words are actually my intent.