I know musicians that get paid and I don't see anything really wrong with it. However, when I played for the church, I never got paid, at least in money. I also would help when my eyes were good
@@aronjackson971 That's where I stand with this. Musicians don't necessarily need to be paid money but should get some benefit like food after service and such. This is very fair and shouldn't be a problem for church leaders.
I was with a church for 7 years that didn't pay me..I played every single service....things got rough for me financially so I told the pastors I couldn't afford to play for free anymore...after that I worked for four different churches over the years and each of them paid very well. I believe musicians should be paid...In Luke it says the worker should be paid his wage...I agree with Jamal...musicians should be paid....
+Frankie Gray do you also believe that everyone who sings in the choir or the like should be paid? Should the people who clean the church? How about anyone who does anything at a church? If you should get paid for your contribution, then so should everyone else who contributes in any way, shape or form. It just sounds like money is your motivation for doing your thing at church.
+BDP I dont see how U can say money is my motivation knowing I played for a church for 7 years without getting a cent and in many cases not even a thank U..I never said that everyone should be paid...if someone wants to volunteer, thats a wonderful thing..I did it for 7 years..i cant afford to do that anymore so what should I do?
+Frankie Gray I am not critical of your willingness to receive compensation, if there is a mutual agreement with all parties involved. My concern is for your heart. In other words, do you feel comfortable in no longer (being willing to), if called upon, to serve in this capacity on a volunteer basis, if your time permitted it? There are those who have never volunteered their service and refuse to even consider it, which of course cannot be said of you. These people do not shine the light of Christ. Yet, I believe that our service should reflect the sacrificial assistance that Christ offered for us. This means that financial compensation should not be our primary motivation for serving in the kingdom. Like all people with professional training, you do have opportunities for find work in other areas if you so choose. You simply did not explore this as an option. This would have permitted you not to (have to rely) solely on a Church or Ministry for income. That said, if opportunities arise that allow you to do work full-time and receive wages that meet your financial needs, then pray about it and do what the Lord leads. But also make sure in some way that the place that you are leaving is going to be alright. And if they need you, don't reject their request because of the past, but be willing as you always have, (if your time permits), to continue to be a blessing to them. Finally, remember, like the widow woman and her child in (1Kings 17:1-16), God can wait until you get to a place of "total desperation", then use you to (sacrifice your last) for the man of God, then bless you miraculously for years to come; perhaps with something far greater than you are getting at this time. God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore! What he did for others, he can do for you! May God bless and keep you!
Many people reject truth. They are forever learning and speaking from a limited conception of things and a distorted perception of reality. Unfortunately, you happen to be in that group.
Jamal you're on point as usual. I spent time building a ministry a few years ago and ended up putting the $ I was paid back into the church to help build it up. Sewing seeds brother!! Keep stressing that...what goes around TRULY does come back around. I'm more blessed today than I ever thought and I still strive to learn more and ask for a fresh anointing to glorify his name.
As a former church musician (Drummer) me not getting paid was the reason I stopped playing the drums all together as well as other personal issues behind the situation. During that time I was forced and the more I was forced it made me not wanna play anymore. That was 10 years ago I was 18 and didn’t really know how to handle certain situations. 10 years later at 28 I started checking out live bands, watching old marching material and was also motivated by old friends from my high school marching band telling me to get back to it because of how good I was. I bought me a set started practicing and it felt good to be doing something i once loved ( Still Do). From that situation I learned my worth and I learned not to be taken advantage of. I’m interested in possibly playing for another church but I would have to be paid especially if everyone else are getting paid.
PLEASE PEOPLE...DO NOT COMMENT FROM THE TITLE ALONE. WATCH THE VIDEO THEN COMMENT. MANY OF YOU ARE COMMENTING OUT OF YOUR FEELINGS AND YOUR TRADITIONS AND NOT OUT OF THE WORD OF GOD. THIS VIDEO IS PACKED FULL OF EXAMPLES AND SCRIPTURES. WATCH THE VIDEO FIRST!
This brought tears to my eyes,which Holly spirit do the church leaders listen to when in comes to this matter?8+years of explotation why?we love God ,we love to surve but y send us where we dont wanna go?y Malachi 3 if Nehemia 10 does not work😔
@@judithsomhlaba676 you said a mouthful. That's why I visit, and currently not a member of a church right now. I love God, and music is my gift, but it's time people understood the gifting of the musicians, and to stop discounting us. I have gotten the lecture before that musicians serve unto the Lord, yet want you at EVERY service..... Naw, Playa...
You preaching truth brotha..... not to mention the amount of time put in to learn all of the material.. People need to understand that being a musician is not as easy it looks and that there is a tremendous amount of responsibility and pressure that comes along with it.
I agree I been playing since 7 Music Ministry or MOM since 14 there are churches out there that abuse there musican and do not properly compensate them..A lot of musicians are over worked under paid and stressed out.. The Bible clearly state how musicians should be treated...Thanks for sharing your knowledge and speaking the truth in Love..
Wow, I had always been the person that said that I would like to get paid but thought that it was wrong for me to ask for it. I thought that it should have been the church's decision to pay. but now I see that I am not wrong for wanting to get paid for the work that I do. Thanks for the clarity.
I am a Self made / taught Muso and my God given Talent & Gift was always up for re-embursment upon satisfying the musical desires with music Bands and Church music So Ya I need and must be paid - else I walk and believe me I AM IN DEMAND
Thanks for sharing Jamal! I'm a pianist from Argentina. Your videos and tutorials are truly inspirational to me. I wish I could explain this to the people in my church.
Excellent video Jamal. I am not a serious keyboard player.But i do play. What i did in church was composed the music. I went as far as worked on the video that helped the congregation with the words of the songs. And even had moving videos at the same time. Brother, i put in work. Watching your video made me really think. I did this work to glorify God. And i don't think there is anything wrong with that. The problem was what friends and family had to say about it. I was no longer contributing at home the way i should. I felt guilty and stopped the work. It felt as though i crippled the church. And that is the demons i live with this very day. I shared your video on Facebook. And immediately after sharing it. A sister i have known for about 30 years commented "of course not" to the question of "should a musician get paid to play for church?". She didn't even watch the video. I know that for sure. But it goes to show what preconceive notions people have of this issue. Jamal, thanks for putting this out man. We musicians needed it. This is an edited version of my comment by the way. One Love.
+Devon Wau Most churches that want you to work for free also treat you like crap. I played drums for free for several churches and those pastors got too abusive so I walked away and never looked back. Two pastors had the audacity to ask me why I left. ...I should have said, " I left because slavery ended a century ago."
Jamal, I play keyboard in church since 12 years ago in Chiapas, Mexico, I did always my best, programming, sounds, lyrics, analyzing chords and all the arrangements possibles to sound better.. The last I did is to program in MainStage, combining Onsong, well, I realized that I let my busines down.. I just take advantage of the great help of a business that my father give me, 11 years ago, to management.. But ultimately I ask in church for more time to manage my store.. And until know I start to get results when I stop play, Now my father is getting sick, and now I have to get back some of a lot of Income derived that my father forgive me.. I can't even buy a house right know for my family, my wife and my daughter too.. And the church never help me.. So I start to give less time to church.. and I think I will ask more and more time to work to my family and personal business.. Although my church is the biggest in the city, all the musicians stays in the same way.. Now I have priorities.
Thank you for this clarity. All I have ever wanted to do was write and praise the Most High in song. but I recently came across a minister who states that we Christian musicians/singers were going to hell because we get paid for our services. I found it hard to believe and looked for more input. I've asked him for scriptures to support his statement. So far I haven't gotten a response. People don't know how difficult it is to focus on anything else when GOD gives you music through out your day when awake and asleep- praise and worship songs, songs of admonition, songs of deliverance - songs that are given to be used in services with the congregation and to most importantly to magnify Elohim and the Savior Jesus Christ - Yeshuah ha Mashiach. I've never been lazy and have worked regular jobs most of my life. but if I could make my entire living from music without compromising my principles and staying true to GOD I would consider that a blessing.
Grew up playing keys/drums in the church here. I couldn't agree any more. Musicians dedicate enormous amounts of time to make worship a moving and inspiring experience. Giving the musicians the proper portion of tithes will lead to them being able to support their families and dedicate even more time to the church. Give the musician the support NEEDED (not wanted) and bless them and watch how much time the musician can spend with the church and take the church to new levels. This is so true and every church leader(s) should be discussing this. Thank you Jamal.
You`re right ! All jobs around the worlds should be done with the heart ! Everybody should earn money for his job - everybody should do his job with his heart ! If all of us live with heart, the lord get`s a big smile on his face. Best greetings from germany !
Good morning. I just wanted to thank you for speaking on this topic today. I really appreciated your comments today on paying musicians. I’ve been in plenty situations where I have played for churches and and have been seriously mistreated my pastors of large congregations who just took advantage of me and some of my other fellow musicians but yet the same pastors expected to get paid for their services. I know that there are many Different scenarios that remain in various churches and situations in which I am not going to get in but, I am glad that you open the door for dialogue on this topic. Have a wonderful day.
Listen I am a musician, The Church I attend from a child up, I was in middle school when all started for me. I strarted playing for the Sunday school, then it moved on to the youth choir, we had other musician there,as time we on they left and moved away. now we have a lady there she's a member like me, she only plays for the Senior Choir, Me I am the only Organist there, I go to Everybodies rehearsal. we have Youth choir, Gospel Choir, Voice of Victory Choir, plus the Senior Choir. I'm retired from my regular job which was in our School system. I Played for everything that happen at the Church,even when I was working. and Yes they pay me. Don't Knock it , It's a job.
I appreciate you taking the time out to enlighten us sir. u have been a huge blessing in my life with your talents and heart to reach other musician. I have been Through alot as many of the other brother and sister with Pastors being very abusive in public and such. I could say alot, but I think you for this video. May God Bless
Jamal, thank you for explaining how and who tithe should be distributed to! Here's the problem, choir members, devotional singers and deacons, most of the time do not get paid. This is an unfair system and most churches do not operate entirely on the complete tithing system of the bible! One thing I would like to point out! God blessed all the children of Israel with land for the means of survival except the LEVITES which are those within the category mentioned above. So we must assume that those who were working within the church day and night could not attend to the production of food {Livestock and Produce} for the means of survival! "This thing is deeper than just musicians getting paid in todays time" The Levites was dedicated to the full operation of the church and not secular jobs! You seem to be on point with this. However, tithe in that time was not just money as we all think! In fact it was properly less money! The store house was not a bank, it was a room where they stored food and other items needed for the means of survival to be distributed! The point is, if I brought toiletry to the store house would it be received as part of payment? That was an analogy! So in other words, for this thing to work properly Musicians would have to work full time and be dedicated to the church "not just music" and receive all and any form of payment and not just money! That being said, the church is so far away from this system being reapplied in todays time correctly! The best thing to do is get a secular job and render music when you can to the church without any financial obligation! There are other channels for musicians to get paid outside the church in a clean environment and remain Holy!
I played in several secular bands back in the day. When I got saved, I was asked to play in church. I was honored to do so. I ended up playing in church for free for some 20 years. 5 years ago I was offered a paid position. I was hesitant to take it. My day job brings me in contact with church musicians and I’ve found there’s often an attitude of looking at what they do as a gig rather than a ministry. Not being loyal if another church down the street offers $50 more etc. I used our time to present a view of playing in church as a ministry, being an example, leading people to worship, (can’t lead anyone to a place you haven’t been) and just seeing the bigger picture rather than just themselves. I would say, I play in church too and for free. Giving back some of the many blessings I’ve been given. So I had to pray about this offer. It came to me several times so I began to believe this door opened for a reason. After hearing the praise team, I was so impressed with the music I was humbled that they would consider having me play with them. So I’ve been there over 5 years! From a musicians point of view there is a significant difference between paid and unpaid. Our team works very hard and always come prepared. They carry on very professionally, taking the service very seriously. Of course we have fun and absolutely love playing and worshiping together. To think several years ago I was thinking of quitting because of the lack of quality of the music and lack of dedication. Now I’m playing with some of the best musicians I’ve ever played with! Gos is good!
Thought you might like to know. I subscribed to your channel BECAUSE of this video. I am a composer and musician and have been working on my craft since I was 5 years old. I have experienced both sides of the fence regarding this issue of being paid or not paid as a worship musician/leader. What I experienced from the church that did NOT pay me was UNAPPRECIATION, and I experienced burn-out and thought I would never want to be on a worship team again after playing for them for 3 and a half years. I think the saying holds true here that you don't appreciate as much what you get for free. However, the Lord has healed me from that experience via a church about the same size who PAY their musicians for their work. What's ironic is I regularly experience affirmations of appreciation from the pastoral staff as well as the congregation for what I do to help the congregation worship the Lord and connect with Him. Furthermore, I am not experiencing burn-out because the pay enables me to take time and work on the songs for each service. What a lot of Christians (amateur musicians included) who are not professional musicians don't realize is how much TIME a professional musician will take to hone their craft for that one Sunday service. For me, that can be as many as 15 hours per week and that doesn't include a lifetime of hours and hours spent in the woodshed just so I could play my instrument. Now, how would you like to work on something for 15 hours several weeks out of the year (plus a lifetime of honing your craft) only to be told you should be donating your "gifts", which is really your TIME AND GIFTS, to the Lord and not get paid? How would you like for your employer to tell you, "Oh we cut 15 hours of pay from your pay check because those hours should be donated for the Lord?" Said another way, I highly recommend anyone who has an opinion on this issue to read this: www.beethovenboy.com/blog/files/should-church-musicians-be-paid.html Another scripture to consider on this topic is 2 Samuel 24:24. Human beings tend to not hold as valuable or as dear what costs nothing. Lastly, it would be interesting to see how people's perspective on this issue would change after mulling over the material in the book Thou Shalt Prosper by Rabbi Lapin.
Musicians not getting paid is one of the church's biggest downfalls or ripoffs. It has lead to musicians not being professional, not enough time overall being spent on the craft, pretty much 90 percent of the issues you have stated in the previous video in this series. If the preacher gets paid, then the musician should get paid. Why do you think there are so many musicians playing in night clubs playing worldly music? to put food on the table and pay bills. The musician has to eat too.
+ThePoacherz Just think, if Jay-Z, Beyonce, Ice-Cub, or Dr.Dre put all their talents into the Lord. We'd be in heaven right now, haha. But No, the church will want to pay them a $1.50.
+nukeman444 Musicians are not needed to convert the lost and to build up the church. This means that feeling that one should pay a musician is nonsense. Jesus didn't use any musicians to establish and build the kingdom. The Apostles didn't use them to expand the church. They were not needed for signs and wonders and miracles. Musicians are not even needed for worship in spirit and truth. This means if they were not (needed then), for kingdom growth etc., they are not (needed now)! So why pay someone for something you don't need? In fact, Paul and Silas did quite well without a musician in Acts 16! Does every professional Accountant or skilled craftsman who joins a church tell the pastor and the membership that they have to eat too? Let me encourage you to get out there and like the rest of us, get a job or start a business. Ask the Lord to bless it and he will. That way you will be able to easily pay your bills and eat. Volunteer your musical gifts to the church like the rest of us that do for the Lord!
+BDP What the hell are you talking about dude? I'm *a software developer with MCSD credentials* making almost 6 figures bro. 99 percent of all churches *could not pay me enough to meet my household requirements* anyways. As a matter of fact, I'm playing for a funeral this weekend for some people *free of charge as I usually do*. I was speaking for people who are *full time musicians*. Get your facts straight dude.
I know many musicians that have to play in cabarets and night clubs and secular concerts to sustain themselves. These negative influences often lead some of them away from the faith. Financial compensation should be given to musicians just os it is to pastors, especially those who are required to be present regularly.
as musicians or ministers of music...we are always on the church....I am on duty daily looking for material, purchasing materials, attending conferences, teaching the choir, following pastor when needed..those things are not free...mostly at the church more than anyone else....yes we should know our worth...and its not free and no I am not in it for the money. I love what God has blessed with with
That's good word Man of God!! You've covered everything that the scriptures says concerning Levites. What bothers me about people who down us musician's is that when they say we are wrong for being paid they don't have not ONE scripture to back up how they feel. But they will argue you down. If you do not have a scripture to stand on then you can't preach it, teach it, or stand on it. And it is very dangerous to say you disagree with something that is plainly in the scriptures. As Christians the bible is not a Trail mix. You don't get to pick and choose what you want to believe, and what you don't want to believe. Good teaching Man of God!!
+GospelMusicians Like I stated in my earlier post, Jay-Z, 'Dr. Dre', 'Kanye West', Timberland? Those guys are getting millions. One of them is worth a billion. Music for the lord is more important. How are we going to encourage young musicians to play for the lord when secular musicians are treated with much more respect, and plus that's where they see most of the professionalism.
The peace of the Lord Jamall ! I agree with you! I play keyboards in a band in my name here in Brazil , I follow your videos a long time and I love the way you spend your knowledge ! My Viewed believe almost all your videos and Sandro Giovanni also learned a lot, but still need to learn a lot to try to do something , by God's grace today play but only by the grace of Jesus Himself , because it neither could haaha ... thank you for your videos . May God continue illuminating you and making you convey the message of the gospel music for us! Big Hug a brother in Brazil.
at the end of the day, looking at this in a spiritual point of view. everything what we do is done out of love. preaching the gospel,serving the lord in ANY privileges is done with love and i think we should never lose sight of that. i agree in all aspect however, it all depends where you serve or where god is calling you to serve. I am a full time young dad,musician,worker,and servant of the lord since i was born(im a son of a pastor) but everything that i did and continue to do is done for the lord with love.The lord has always PROVIDED with my necessities. I think that if we see church as a business aspect, we losing the point of what we are called to do. if a ministry is prosperous , then yes those who are gifted and serve full time deserve their salary. but if a church is struggling and cannot afford, then the situation changes everything. its what the holy spirit make you feel and make you believe with conviction. so my point is nor pro or con but its where ever god has called you to serve(doesnt matter what talent you have or calling) you must listen and go. Doesn't matter if get paid or not paid. god will always reward you and open doors on earth for his blessing. i testify it. we must never lose in sight of that. God bless you Jamal and may god open doors for your hard work and for sharing your musical talent and knowledge to us. remembering the what the scriptures says, the more you give, the more you will recieve ;). I strongly believe that god will continue to bless you with more musical talent and knowledge.
I agree. It’s frustrating coming to the realization that most people think that there aren’t hours of preparation in being a musician. And doing it well is definitely a full time job. Not enough people take us seriously
My brother, the bible says look for the kingdom and the rest will be added unto you.. In order to receive help financially, you gotta show passion, dedication and heart for it, the Lord sees that and will bless you! He is King of kings after all.. Many musicians want to live a mediocre life maybe and still expect to get paid. God will open doors and bless you financially, and overall will put the grace for you to receive. People and other ministries will want to partake what the Lord has put in you and you will be blessed that way.. I applaud you for posting the video man, lets be grateful and bless the real worshipers of Christ and the Lord will return in ten folds
PREACH DOC!!!! This needed to be said BIG TIME! I've been blessed to receive good compensation for the craft and the gifts God put in me musically. There is so much that goes into this. Constantly learning tunes, directing the band, teaching all of the choirs. Then there's administration (a whole different beast). When you have this kind of mandate, it can be very overwhelming at times. I've bee a compensated musician for 20 years, and I make NO apologies about that. I am, however at a stage where I'm ready for something different. There is just not enough Federal Reserve Notes available to compensate for church politics. I may do a video on that! (lol) In my experience though, church politics and systems can really be cumbersome and discouraging for a musician (that's trying to do the right thing), but that's another topic. I am so grateful that God is changing my season!! :)
When you read the scriptures you have to take 4 things into consideration; 1. The Historical setting, 2. Literal meaning, 3. Grammar/context, and 4. Fusion. The tithe existed before before the Mosaic Law. After returning from rescuing Lot, Abraham met Melchizedek. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of all the goods he had obtained in battle (Genesis 14:17-20). Jacob also, long before the Law of Moses, promised that he would give the Lord a tenth of all he received (Genesis 28:22). The Mosaic Law stated that the tithe of the land would include the seed of the land and the fruit of the tree (Leviticus 27:30-32). The reason why the Levites would be given a portion of the tithe was because the Levites did not receive a land inheritance like the other tribes of Israel. The Levites, in turn, were to offer a heave offering to the Lord. I say that again, the Levites were to offer a heave offering to the Lord. The purpose of the tithe was to meet the material need not only of the Levite, it was also there to meet the material needs of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 26:12-13). That’s the historical setting. You mentioned Nehemiah 13:10. You have to read all the scriptures and not just one. In Nehemiah 13:4-9, Eliashib had oversight of the chambers of the temple while Nehemiah was away. Eliashib had built a chamber for Tobiah and instead of giving the Levites their portions, Eliashib had taken all the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and oil, and put them in that chamber for Tobiah. When Nehemiah found out about this, he cast Tobiah and everything and everyone that belong to Tobiah out of the temple and closed the chamber that Eliashib had built and he brought back all the offerings. Because Eliashib and Tobiah had done this, Nehemiah assumed that the Levites didn’t received their portions because they all were working in their fields. The Levites were supposed their portions of the tithe has a heave offering. How many of you musicians tithe in the church? I can tell you that none of the musicians in the church I attend tithe but we pay them. Nowhere in the scriptures did it say tithing is limited to money. The tithe that the Levites received cake in the form of oil, wine, meat, corn, fruits and vegetables, and frankincense. What if the church isn’t where it wants to be financially? Would you take money from a church who is struggling to keep its doors opened? Would you take money from a single mom in need? One of the purposes for the tithe was to meet the material need of the widow. If the church is struggling financially, and it has to pay you, it can help the widow or the stranger or the fatherless. What if the church needs your help but can’t pay you, will you deny the church your services?
I truly appreciate this video. I'm glad that you used scripture to back up and drive your point across. I played for a new ministry for 15 years and never got paid and honestly I wasn't looking to get paid. I even went as far as purchasing sound equipment with my own money and I'm not talking a cheap keyboard or a speaker wire here or there I'm talking whole PA systems including drums. After I was ordained to pastor my own church and left the ministry they've had four other musicians that have come in and been paid to play but none of them have had the longevity I've had with the ministry. As you stated in the video it's the bad musicians who show up late if they show up at all, want to get paid, have no oil/anointing or relationship with God, want to play the phat chords and don't know how to flow/follow in the spirit, but feel like they should get this huge salary from the church. Now here I am trying to build my ministry from the ground up and all I run into are these same musicians
+Johnny Wade Hey Johnny, I'm glad you saw the other video and understood both sides. By all means, don't even hire those guys at all. The musician staff is not the only way to grow a ministry. The Bible says: If I be lifted up from the earth, I'll draw all men unto me.
I was a musician at a church for the 3 years. The pastor said they would pay me in the first year, but I never got paid. I never brought it up the whole time because I didn't want it said that I was playing just for money. It made my life a mess for a long time. Thank you for this video. God bless you.
Currently.... I get paid and pour so much anointing into the music.... The pastor can't afford it any more and needed to cut back ....in stead of them being honest ...they said i am only playing for the money. My heart was shattered. I wish people would understand that getting paid doesn't mean your heart isn't in it for the lord. It just means we should be taken care of entirely.
@@testline9459 Let not their lack of tack affect you too much. God knows your heart. Also, never shy away from being honest with your circumstances. The congregation expects a certain level of commitment from yourself but you are human and have needs to should be met fo you to function properly. State clearly that you don't make ends meet and looking for a job will mean not having enough free time to serve as much as you need to do. If they try to use shame or scare tactics, then you should leave that church altogether and pray God to lead you to a better one. Remember that you are serving God and not a human. Stay strong brother.
@@Kevin-jc1fx thank you, yes a year ago I did just that and I allowed God to lead me and he has done GREAT things and brought me to amazing people to do his works. He's is a good GOOD father! All he needs is our love and faith and he takes care of the rest!
Not to mention, along with a full time job, spouse and kids have to sacrifice their bonding time with you which also can put you into a spiritual issue altogether different.
Awesome video sir!!! I believe if everyone does what they are supposed to do, God's House can be fed and every need be met including musician compensation. Just like someone said further up in the comments, I believe musicians are to be compensated for their efforts in accompanying the services. I do wish that musicians overall would stop bashing each other and let's work together. Because of how a lot of musicians are now of days, I'd prefer playing at bars and grills and not churches unless it's my home church where love is displayed. Bashing other musicians does not display the image of God that we were all created in (Gen 1:26-27) I pray people will listen to your words and understand that you are promoting spiritual growth with translates in the natural at the right time.
Good word! alot of church's don't understand this as being how God design his church but also I would like to say that there is a huge difference between a "musician" and a "Levite" the Musician who just plays at church is just that plays with no spiritual integrity who don't fast and pray and seek God's face and seek for more anointing from the Lord to minster on his instrument of choice While the levite is the exact opposite this is someone who seeks God daily and plays under the pure anointing of the holy Spirit and takes his/her relationship serious with the Lord. From my experience I've seen church hire Musicians without doing a proper spiritual back ground check to see if this person is number 1 saved and then #2 holy ghost filled, where is his/her current relationship with the Lord all these things matter when becoming employed to God's house and becoming a minstrel of music.
*Back to the transpose button.* Inexperienced musicians who rely on the transpose button don't realize that there are many, many songs that *change key/pitch midway into the arrangement.* Some gospel songs may even go up *a whole step.* I've played songs modulate an *entire 4th.* That's when you here the musician *drop out* of playing with you, then you here the *chromatic tapping of the keys* midway into the arrangement that annoys the crap out me and it also throws the singers off. *Musicians, please learn your scales.*
I believe that musicians should be paid the ministry requires a high level of musicianship. It’s only right because those musicians are spending hours every week preparing to deliver the best performance. But if you have a ministry where the level of music isn’t much of a factor, there is no need to pay a low-skilled musician who’s just ‘making it work’ since the demand for great musicianship isn’t there anyway.
just started getting paid for the first time playing was feeling a little bad but after this video I completly believe their is nothing wrong with that what so ever God bless brother
+Joel Ramos Awesome man....then this video was for you :). I came back from riding my bike and I wasn't going to do the video. I left it in the archives, but I was prompted to do it. Just remember that your greater reward is in heaven and not to seek money...always seek the kingdom, but you are not wrong for wanting to serve God with your gift and to get compensated.
+GospelMusicians yes brother thank u for responding it WAS for me defenetly...yur an awsome player by the way wish I could play a half of what u play lol an also on fire for God keep it up!
I struggle deeply with this.I was born a musician highly gifted.I haven't been able to find my place in this world in 46 years. I keep preparing/perfecting my craft for a gig that doesn't come.I do everything with a spirit of excellence-I have played on teams where I treated the position like a full time job and was always the most prepared, rehearsed etc.I don't need the money but for most people, money motivates them and you generally get what you pay for.
This is by far the best explanation I have heard on this topic. Question: how can churches decide who gets paid when it is struggling financially? Musicians often want to be paid but no one pays the deacons, the bible teachers, the treasurer, the elders, and the list goes on. Also many musicians request prices that are quite high. I have known of churches paying as much as 30% of their budget for music alone but would not invest as much toward let’s says Children’s ministries. Should a nurse or other professionals request to be paid to be a deacon? Should all church’s positions be paid? If this is not possible then how to decide which positions should be volunteered? What could be a balanced approach?
+dpm I have a video coming out on this as well, but I would ask the question: 1. Why is a church struggling? 2. Perhaps the church has maxed out it's membership and it should not be a big church. 3. Why are we so dependent upon a musician to bring in the anointing?
The difference is musicians are required to play every service , spend ours practicing , teaching songs, traveling and all. Other positions only operate on certain days. Musician job never stops
Your exactly right Jamal. And just to add my 2 cents. if your heart is for the Lord musicians, be lead by the Spirit of God and you will know that there maybe seasons in your music ministry when not to receive money and seasons when to receive money. and there are various ministry situations that should help show you which season you may be in.
I don't judge those that get paid for playing at Church. My feeling is that I play for the enjoyment. When I was a youngin, I had someone slip me a little cash for playing one Sunday but I gave it back because it just didn't feel right. That was just my feeling but I understand that everyone has their own belief.
I'm not sure whether they should be paid or not. I'm going to have to pray on that. What I do know is that if you are a gospel musician you had better be saved ( there are many secular people who churches hire to play who don't know God and it's just a gig and gospel is just another genre to them) and you had better be sure God called you to go full time and that's with any ministry. Jesus and living right is before ministry and money is not the motivation.
I am the church drummer for Grace Tabernacle Christian Church in Philadelphia. I have never got paid and I don't want too. Because I do it for the Lord which is way better than money!
Hipocresy preachers ask for tithe from Old Testament but they don't says nothing about Levites.. Sadly something is wrong.. Thanks Jamal this is an excellent video.. God Bless You.. Now I confirm my priorities, I will serve God when I sell products in my store and ocasionally when I play in church without rewards.. My family has to be provided..
I think we should all offer some time to our church. Play the keyboard on sunday plus one rehearsal take a couple of hours. I would not ask to get paid for that. Of course, if this takes more time i.e. a part/time or full time job there is no reason not to be remunerated.
Ive played for many churches of all kinds. i have never been asked to play for free unless it was a charity event which I'm always happy to do. I have in some cases scene a couple of musicians that were very close to the church and they had very good financial situations so they didn't take money so that the less fortunate musicians could make more. If a church is demanding that you play for free, find another church. Its probably not a honest church. Unfortunately there are a lot of those these days.
+Reuben Andrews is one demand greater than another? If a musician can demand money for their service, then should not a church be able to do the same? Do you all pay for utilities, space and the opportunity to expose your talent to others? Do you think that it is wrong for a church to ask you to volunteer your service? If a church cannot afford to pay a musician, yet they ask them to play solely for the glory of God that they are not honest and honorable?
+BDP Sorry for the typo! The question was if someone is asked to play solely for the glory of God, do you think that the church is dishonest and dishonorable? If my family church ask me to play and the membership is small, (25 people who love God - the majority on fixed income), should I and others declare them as "dishonest and dishonorable"? Should these people who raised me to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to spread his love and his Gospel be deemed as dishonest and dishonorable, because they ask me to play for his glory AND NOT FOR MONEY?
+BDP here is the truth. most churches in my experiance are a business and are more concerned with generating revenue then helping people. only a small percentage of churches are real. being a musician and playing in a band is very hard work and takes a large amount of time to practice material and organize everything to come together and make a show. musicians should be paid. can a church ask for free work yes but a church that only uses musicians that will play for free is wrong. you bet your ass the preacher and other people in the church are getting money. most churches are rackets taking advantage of people in my experiance. the simple obvious truth is that we are all connected to god at all times and we are part of god. God doesn't need church and neither do we. but.. there are a few good churches that really do help people and deserve help. there really is no right or wrong answer. do what feels right. if your church has the money then pay for hard work. if not then ask for help. non musicians have no idea of the work involved and they just think the band are a buch of guys up there having a good time. they are but there is a huge amount of work behind them. people have no idea the time involved to be a musician. it's a life time of work.
+Reuben Andrews I see your perspective. I have little to zero experience with churches that are not genuinely concerned about the welfare of the people. I am coming from this perspective. It is important to keep in mind that when one deals with True Christ-Centered Churches that it is more than reasonable to ask for assistance, since "sacrificial service" is what it is fundamentally about. As Christ sacrificed for us, we are to sacrifice for one another. On the other-hand, if an organization "called a church" is as you say, "About business and revenue", then the approach that you speak of is more than acceptable. Christ-Centered Churches are actually needed, which is why they were set up in the New Testament and continue to exist today. Countless lives would be in ruins without them. There are unfortunately, "FRAUDS" out there. They do indeed, look and sound like the real thing, but are disgraceful disguises, that misuse the name and history of the True Church, as well as, decent hard working people. I am glad to know that you feel that the "few good churches", (really help people) and "deserve help", as you stated!
music is a ministry. for those that feel a musician shouldn't get paid they must also feel the pastor shouldn't get paid either. Nobody appreciates the music ministry until it's not there. have you been to a church without music? it's a whole different experience. I'm not saying you can't have church without music, it's just different. As long as the musicians are not making money the Reason for them playing.
There are pastors, singers and other church workers who don't get paid and still put in their best. There are many musicians who hop from one church to another looking for better pay and give mediocre service.
@@blessingecoma9233 yes.. I agree. It can go both ways. You can have money hungry musicians. My point is that the minister of music is a position in the church. I've played for my church 10+ years without asking for anything. It's not all about money for most.
Arron Williams ..Awesome Brother God Bless You , i know many well known Christian Musicians...that Charge gods people , just so they can play for them ...alot of these musicians are Doing no different then the secular world ,......and try to bend the word,...so it can benefit them,.....Thank God for Brothers like You.....and thank you Truly for Blessing Gods Kingdom
I stopped playing for the world,started playing in church,I was touched by God,I surrendered my life to him...been a Christian since,proud to be God’s child for years now....even if a person starts out not even as a Christian playing for a church,at least the chances of being touched by God are at a better risk of being touched than not being around Christian folks or Christian service,my thoughts are if a Christian musician wants to get paid,that’s his choice,if he wants to do it for free that’s his also,I know some congregations can’t afford top pay,depending on the size,everything is negotiable,now my older brother who is a pastor,his work in my opinion is a lot more work than the musicians,I’m a drummer and I can play many styles,but I do say if the can contribute to the musicians,they work very hard to,it’s not just a get together on sundays,it’s work involved,a lot off work every church congregation is different in size,it needs to decide how to run it’s own payroll,cause remember,no week is the same in its collection plate or mail ins,Godblessyou all...
I work as a welder 10 hrs a day and play guitar for the church on Sunday for free. We show up an hour before service to practice, so it really doesn't take to much of my time. I wouldn't accept money even if they offered. I do agree that if its taking up all your time then the church should support you 😊
I understand the people who don’t want it who play out of pure joy and I understand the people who feel they should get reimbursed. Me being a college student right now, i am living week to week by gigs or anything else. Money at this point will help me with various endeavors. Basically all of the time, if I don’t need to spend the money for travel or food/supplies, I save it to put towards more music equipment or my instrument to further progress my playing which I know everyday is a gift from god. Anytime I try to upgrade something, I view it as me progressing into my full form of his image. I feel churches should offer pay especially if they can to the musicians. Lack of resources can really change a situation for someone.
It all comes down to the intention of your heart. God put on my heart not to ever accept money or offering... To me God is my reward just to know that he uses me to touch lives it's all I need. I don't condemn the ones who do it but I'm scared to one day when I meet the Lord he tells me to stay away because he doesn't know me... Heaven is real also is hell. God's presence is all I need... God knows everyone's hearts and intentions... we can't deceive him..... He transformed my life, I praise him because I'm thankful for what he did... God bless y'all...
Listen brother, being a musician is an occupation! You must practice many hours to perform on a high level. That will take study and sweat equity. You are a professional when you can earn a living at what you do, or at a minimum supplement your other income. That said, you should be paid for your services. I am a pastor and a musician. I make certain that all of our musicians are paid weekly. I make certain that they are paid first. They are professionals and they have human needs like all of us. Finally, when our musicians receive sufficient pay, they should become settled and not have to run from church to church to make ends meet. May God bless you mightily!
If ministers and musicians are the only one to receive something ; it only speaks to the sad state of people who waste their time going to churches every Saturday and Sunday.!! What about the elderly, widows, fatherless etc?????? READING is fundamental y!!! A must!!!
Asking if a musician should get paid it's just like asking should a pastor get paid as well? I think if your knowledgeable in something needed for the common good having the means of course you or anyone else should get paid.
and we grew up from different culture. maybe u grew up and u have seen church musician are paid. and i grew up knowing that serving the Lord through playing the instrument is like an offering, because this talents that we have is a gift from above.
That's wonderful and all but I cant eat talent and I still need to pay hundreds a year on instrument and sound equipment maintenance so it would be nice for the church to help support the music they enjoy so much.
couldn't agree more here- the "you're getting an opportunity to serve the Lord" argument gets old when you realize how many paid staff are at a church (and with larger churches, how much money is flowing through the building)...when i ask, "if you're serving the Lord, why do you draw a salary?"...their response is usually, "because i have to provide for myself and my family", to which i usually reply, "so do I..." (because being a musician is my only job)...obviously, you want to encourage "servanthood" in a church...but there's a fine line between this, and just trying to take advantage of people because you need their skills on Sunday mornings...
Love your videos. You've pushed my musicianship an discipline. QUICK QUESTION: what if the church isn't so big and there is barely enough to cover the bills? I'd rather do it for free to have the pastor obtain what's left.
My personal OPINION is that I don't have a problem with a church paying or not paying and I don't place any condition of pay upon my participation in musical worship. The only thing I ask is that if you treat me like an employee, then you should pay me like an employee. If you pay me like a volunteer, then treat me like a volunteer. I think a lot of volunteer burnout comes when volunteers are given the pay of volunteers (i.e. nothing) but have expectations of employees put upon them (e.g. you must be at church 2 hrs early and on stage every single week).
I agree with you Jamal. Musicians shouldn't get pay like What the Heck are there getting payed for just being a musician. That is stupid for people to get freckin payed for being a musician! !
I don’t do church services for free and any pastor that gives me that old punchline do it for free God’s going to bless you I’ve told many preachers in the past to bad you don’t tell yourself that when you in the back room with them trustees collecting a paycheck every week i’ve gotten so many preachers mad with that
Doctors and nurses who works at the hospitals are doing it because its their job and its their work. But if they extend their profession inside the church like doing medical mission or any help inside the church, they call it service. Medical field can also be a spiritual gift. Musicians who plays outside the church is considered a job or work but when they play inside the church its called service. Playing instruments either it's acquired or its a talent if you used it inside the church its a spiritual gift. when i play on different churches Like Catholic church, pentecostal, Baptist and ETC. they pay me and its like a job/work when i play to them. But when i play inside my church i play for free its my service. So it depends upon the musician if he wants to be a fulltime gospel musician as a job then he should be paid. But some musicians do it for service. i respect all musicians coz we have all different personalities, perspective and goals. God bless us all.🙏✌🏽
If someone was doing construction, plumbing, electrical work on the church building no one would argue that they need to get paid for their services.
Facts!
Exactly! Music isn't just fun. It's work. Difficult work.
We are professionals arent we
@@ezporcelain preach
I know musicians that get paid and I don't see anything really wrong with it. However, when I played for the church, I never got paid, at least in money. I also would help when my eyes were good
@@aronjackson971 That's where I stand with this. Musicians don't necessarily need to be paid money but should get some benefit like food after service and such. This is very fair and shouldn't be a problem for church leaders.
I was with a church for 7 years that didn't pay me..I played every single service....things got rough for me financially so I told the pastors I couldn't afford to play for free anymore...after that I worked for four different churches over the years and each of them paid very well. I believe musicians should be paid...In Luke it says the worker should be paid his wage...I agree with Jamal...musicians should be paid....
+Frankie Gray do you also believe that everyone who sings in the choir or the like should be paid? Should the people who clean the church? How about anyone who does anything at a church? If you should get paid for your contribution, then so should everyone else who contributes in any way, shape or form. It just sounds like money is your motivation for doing your thing at church.
+BDP I dont see how U can say money is my motivation knowing I played for a church for 7 years without getting a cent and in many cases not even a thank U..I never said that everyone should be paid...if someone wants to volunteer, thats a wonderful thing..I did it for 7 years..i cant afford to do that anymore so what should I do?
+Frankie Gray I am not critical of your willingness to receive compensation, if there is a mutual agreement with all parties involved. My concern is for your heart. In other words, do you feel comfortable in no longer (being willing to), if called upon, to serve in this capacity on a volunteer basis, if your time permitted it? There are those who have never volunteered their service and refuse to even consider it, which of course cannot be said of you. These people do not shine the light of Christ. Yet, I believe that our service should reflect the sacrificial assistance that Christ offered for us. This means that financial compensation should not be our primary motivation for serving in the kingdom.
Like all people with professional training, you do have opportunities for find work in other areas if you so choose. You simply did not explore this as an option. This would have permitted you not to (have to rely) solely on a Church or Ministry for income. That said, if opportunities arise that allow you to do work full-time and receive wages that meet your financial needs, then pray about it and do what the Lord leads. But also make sure in some way that the place that you are leaving is going to be alright. And if they need you, don't reject their request because of the past, but be willing as you always have, (if your time permits), to continue to be a blessing to them.
Finally, remember, like the widow woman and her child in (1Kings 17:1-16), God can wait until you get to a place of "total desperation", then use you to (sacrifice your last) for the man of God, then bless you miraculously for years to come; perhaps with something far greater than you are getting at this time. God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore! What he did for others, he can do for you! May God bless and keep you!
BDP you don't get it
Many people reject truth. They are forever learning and speaking from a limited conception of things and a distorted perception of reality. Unfortunately, you happen to be in that group.
Jamal you're on point as usual. I spent time building a ministry a few years ago and ended up putting the $ I was paid back into the church to help build it up. Sewing seeds brother!! Keep stressing that...what goes around TRULY does come back around. I'm more blessed today than I ever thought and I still strive to learn more and ask for a fresh anointing to glorify his name.
As a former church musician (Drummer) me not getting paid was the reason I stopped playing the drums all together as well as other personal issues behind the situation. During that time I was forced and the more I was forced it made me not wanna play anymore. That was 10 years ago I was 18 and didn’t really know how to handle certain situations. 10 years later at 28 I started checking out live bands, watching old marching material and was also motivated by old friends from my high school marching band telling me to get back to it because of how good I was. I bought me a set started practicing and it felt good to be doing something i once loved ( Still Do). From that situation I learned my worth and I learned not to be taken advantage of. I’m interested in possibly playing for another church but I would have to be paid especially if everyone else are getting paid.
PLEASE PEOPLE...DO NOT COMMENT FROM THE TITLE ALONE. WATCH THE VIDEO THEN COMMENT. MANY OF YOU ARE COMMENTING OUT OF YOUR FEELINGS AND YOUR TRADITIONS AND NOT OUT OF THE WORD OF GOD. THIS VIDEO IS PACKED FULL OF EXAMPLES AND SCRIPTURES. WATCH THE VIDEO FIRST!
This brought tears to my eyes,which Holly spirit do the church leaders listen to when in comes to this matter?8+years of explotation why?we love God ,we love to surve but y send us where we dont wanna go?y Malachi 3 if Nehemia 10 does not work😔
@@judithsomhlaba676 you said a mouthful. That's why I visit, and currently not a member of a church right now. I love God, and music is my gift, but it's time people understood the gifting of the musicians, and to stop discounting us. I have gotten the lecture before that musicians serve unto the Lord, yet want you at EVERY service..... Naw, Playa...
You preaching truth brotha..... not to mention the amount of time put in to learn all of the material.. People need to understand that being a musician is not as easy it looks and that there is a tremendous amount of responsibility and pressure that comes along with it.
yep!
Yep! It's a LOT of work. Yep, work.
I agree I been playing since 7 Music Ministry or MOM since 14 there are churches out there that abuse there musican and do not properly compensate them..A lot of musicians are over worked under paid and stressed out.. The Bible clearly state how musicians should be treated...Thanks for sharing your knowledge and speaking the truth in Love..
Wow, I had always been the person that said that I would like to get paid but thought that it was wrong for me to ask for it. I thought that it should have been the church's decision to pay. but now I see that I am not wrong for wanting to get paid for the work that I do. Thanks for the clarity.
I am a Self made / taught Muso and my God given Talent & Gift was always up for re-embursment upon satisfying the musical desires with music Bands and Church music So Ya I need and must be paid - else I walk and believe me I AM IN DEMAND
Thanks for sharing Jamal! I'm a pianist from Argentina. Your videos and tutorials are truly inspirational to me. I wish I could explain this to the people in my church.
Excellent video Jamal. I am not a serious keyboard player.But i do play. What i did in church was composed the music. I went as far as worked on the video that helped the congregation with the words of the songs. And even had moving videos at the same time. Brother, i put in work. Watching your video made me really think. I did this work to glorify God. And i don't think there is anything wrong with that. The problem was what friends and family had to say about it. I was no longer contributing at home the way i should. I felt guilty and stopped the work. It felt as though i crippled the church. And that is the demons i live with this very day. I shared your video on Facebook. And immediately after sharing it. A sister i have known for about 30 years commented "of course not" to the question of "should a musician get paid to play for church?". She didn't even watch the video. I know that for sure. But it goes to show what preconceive notions people have of this issue. Jamal, thanks for putting this out man. We musicians needed it. This is an edited version of my comment by the way. One Love.
+Devon Wau Most churches that want you to work for free also treat you like crap. I played drums for free for several churches and those pastors got too abusive so I walked away and never looked back. Two pastors had the audacity to ask me why I left. ...I should have said, " I left because slavery ended a century ago."
God bless bro!!! we also as musicians should learn our words so we can articulate our point as my brother just did.
Man this is EXCELLENT!!!!!!! You serving in any profession makes it spiritual because you are spiritual! (POWERFUL). Good post. Thanks
Jamal, I play keyboard in church since 12 years ago in Chiapas, Mexico, I did always my best, programming, sounds, lyrics, analyzing chords and all the arrangements possibles to sound better.. The last I did is to program in MainStage, combining Onsong, well, I realized that I let my busines down.. I just take advantage of the great help of a business that my father give me, 11 years ago, to management.. But ultimately I ask in church for more time to manage my store.. And until know I start to get results when I stop play, Now my father is getting sick, and now I have to get back some of a lot of Income derived that my father forgive me.. I can't even buy a house right know for my family, my wife and my daughter too.. And the church never help me.. So I start to give less time to church.. and I think I will ask more and more time to work to my family and personal business.. Although my church is the biggest in the city, all the musicians stays in the same way.. Now I have priorities.
Thank you for this clarity. All I have ever wanted to do was write and praise the Most High in song. but I recently came across a minister who states that we Christian musicians/singers were going to hell because we get paid for our services. I found it hard to believe and looked for more input. I've asked him for scriptures to support his statement. So far I haven't gotten a response. People don't know how difficult it is to focus on anything else when GOD gives you music through out your day when awake and asleep- praise and worship songs, songs of admonition, songs of deliverance - songs that are given to be used in services with the congregation and to most importantly to magnify Elohim and the Savior Jesus Christ - Yeshuah ha Mashiach. I've never been lazy and have worked regular jobs most of my life. but if I could make my entire living from music without compromising my principles and staying true to GOD I would consider that a blessing.
Thanks Jamal. Powerful message
Thank you for this message!
Grew up playing keys/drums in the church here. I couldn't agree any more. Musicians dedicate enormous amounts of time to make worship a moving and inspiring experience. Giving the musicians the proper portion of tithes will lead to them being able to support their families and dedicate even more time to the church. Give the musician the support NEEDED (not wanted) and bless them and watch how much time the musician can spend with the church and take the church to new levels. This is so true and every church leader(s) should be discussing this. Thank you Jamal.
You`re right ! All jobs around the worlds should be done with the heart ! Everybody should earn money for his job - everybody should do his job with his heart ! If all of us live with heart, the lord get`s a big smile on his face. Best greetings from germany !
Good morning. I just wanted to thank you for speaking on this topic today. I really appreciated your comments today on paying musicians. I’ve been in plenty situations where I have played for churches and and have been seriously mistreated my pastors of large congregations who just took advantage of me and some of my other fellow musicians but yet the same pastors expected to get paid for their services. I know that there are many Different scenarios that remain in various churches and situations in which I am not going to get in but, I am glad that you open the door for dialogue on this topic. Have a wonderful day.
Listen I am a musician, The Church I attend from a child up, I was in middle school when all started for me. I strarted playing for the Sunday school, then it moved on to the youth choir, we had other musician there,as time we on they left and moved away. now we have a lady there she's a member like me, she only plays for the Senior Choir, Me I am the only Organist there, I go to Everybodies rehearsal. we have Youth choir, Gospel Choir, Voice of Victory Choir, plus the Senior Choir. I'm retired from my regular job which was in our School system. I Played for everything that happen at the Church,even when I was working. and Yes they pay me. Don't Knock it , It's a job.
I appreciate you taking the time out to enlighten us sir. u have been a huge blessing in my life with your talents and heart to reach other musician. I have been Through alot as many of the other brother and sister with Pastors being very abusive in public and such. I could say alot, but I think you for this video. May God Bless
you are so on point my Brother,preache it Halleluyah!!
Jamal, thank you for explaining how and who tithe should be distributed to! Here's the problem, choir members, devotional singers and deacons, most of the time do not get paid. This is an unfair system and most churches do not operate entirely on the complete tithing system of the bible! One thing I would like to point out! God blessed all the children of Israel with land for the means of survival except the LEVITES which are those within the category mentioned above. So we must assume that those who were working within the church day and night could not attend to the production of food {Livestock and Produce} for the means of survival! "This thing is deeper than just musicians getting paid in todays time" The Levites was dedicated to the full operation of the church and not secular jobs! You seem to be on point with this. However, tithe in that time was not just money as we all think! In fact it was properly less money! The store house was not a bank, it was a room where they stored food and other items needed for the means of survival to be distributed! The point is, if I brought toiletry to the store house would it be received as part of payment? That was an analogy! So in other words, for this thing to work properly Musicians would have to work full time and be dedicated to the church "not just music" and receive all and any form of payment and not just money! That being said, the church is so far away from this system being reapplied in todays time correctly! The best thing to do is get a secular job and render music when you can to the church without any financial obligation! There are other channels for musicians to get paid outside the church in a clean environment and remain Holy!
Really clear and explicit. Thanks.
I played in several secular bands back in the day. When I got saved, I was asked to play in church. I was honored to do so. I ended up playing in church for free for some 20 years. 5 years ago I was offered a paid position. I was hesitant to take it. My day job brings me in contact with church musicians and I’ve found there’s often an attitude of looking at what they do as a gig rather than a ministry. Not being loyal if another church down the street offers $50 more etc. I used our time to present a view of playing in church as a ministry, being an example, leading people to worship, (can’t lead anyone to a place you haven’t been) and just seeing the bigger picture rather than just themselves. I would say, I play in church too and for free. Giving back some of the many blessings I’ve been given. So I had to pray about this offer. It came to me several times so I began to believe this door opened for a reason. After hearing the praise team, I was so impressed with the music I was humbled that they would consider having me play with them. So I’ve been there over 5 years! From a musicians point of view there is a significant difference between paid and unpaid. Our team works very hard and always come prepared. They carry on very professionally, taking the service very seriously. Of course we have fun and absolutely love playing and worshiping together. To think several years ago I was thinking of quitting because of the lack of quality of the music and lack of dedication. Now I’m playing with some of the best musicians I’ve ever played with! Gos is good!
Wow, I love this! It's exactly my sentiments, but couldn't express it the way you did. Thank you my brother!
Music is a profession just like everything else, musicians should absolutely get paid.
and my question is why do we even collect offering for the preacher if churches feel the same way about musicians not getting paid
Amen!! Preach it. I myself don't get paid at my church, but there's nothing wrong with Musicians getting paid.
Thought you might like to know. I subscribed to your channel BECAUSE of this video.
I am a composer and musician and have been working on my craft since I was 5 years old. I have experienced both sides of the fence regarding this issue of being paid or not paid as a worship musician/leader.
What I experienced from the church that did NOT pay me was UNAPPRECIATION, and I experienced burn-out and thought I would never want to be on a worship team again after playing for them for 3 and a half years. I think the saying holds true here that you don't appreciate as much what you get for free.
However, the Lord has healed me from that experience via a church about the same size who PAY their musicians for their work. What's ironic is I regularly experience affirmations of appreciation from the pastoral staff as well as the congregation for what I do to help the congregation worship the Lord and connect with Him. Furthermore, I am not experiencing burn-out because the pay enables me to take time and work on the songs for each service.
What a lot of Christians (amateur musicians included) who are not professional musicians don't realize is how much TIME a professional musician will take to hone their craft for that one Sunday service. For me, that can be as many as 15 hours per week and that doesn't include a lifetime of hours and hours spent in the woodshed just so I could play my instrument.
Now, how would you like to work on something for 15 hours several weeks out of the year (plus a lifetime of honing your craft) only to be told you should be donating your "gifts", which is really your TIME AND GIFTS, to the Lord and not get paid?
How would you like for your employer to tell you, "Oh we cut 15 hours of pay from your pay check because those hours should be donated for the Lord?"
Said another way, I highly recommend anyone who has an opinion on this issue to read this: www.beethovenboy.com/blog/files/should-church-musicians-be-paid.html
Another scripture to consider on this topic is 2 Samuel 24:24. Human beings tend to not hold as valuable or as dear what costs nothing.
Lastly, it would be interesting to see how people's perspective on this issue would change after mulling over the material in the book Thou Shalt Prosper by Rabbi Lapin.
i love you bro . you are gifted with wisdom i follow you so much. am a pianist and i support what you are saying
Musicians not getting paid is one of the church's biggest downfalls or ripoffs. It has lead to musicians not being professional, not enough time overall being spent on the craft, pretty much 90 percent of the issues you have stated in the previous video in this series. If the preacher gets paid, then the musician should get paid. Why do you think there are so many musicians playing in night clubs playing worldly music? to put food on the table and pay bills. The musician has to eat too.
Or worse, they decide to play in the clubs!
+ThePoacherz Just think, if Jay-Z, Beyonce, Ice-Cub, or Dr.Dre put all their talents into the Lord. We'd be in heaven right now, haha. But No, the church will want to pay them a $1.50.
+nukeman444 Musicians are not needed to convert the lost and to build up the church. This means that feeling that one should pay a musician is nonsense. Jesus didn't use any musicians to establish and build the kingdom. The Apostles didn't use them to expand the church. They were not needed for signs and wonders and miracles. Musicians are not even needed for worship in spirit and truth. This means if they were not (needed then), for kingdom growth etc., they are not (needed now)! So why pay someone for something you don't need? In fact, Paul and Silas did quite well without a musician in Acts 16! Does every professional Accountant or skilled craftsman who joins a church tell the pastor and the membership that they have to eat too? Let me encourage you to get out there and like the rest of us, get a job or start a business. Ask the Lord to bless it and he will. That way you will be able to easily pay your bills and eat. Volunteer your musical gifts to the church like the rest of us that do for the Lord!
+BDP What the hell are you talking about dude? I'm *a software developer with MCSD credentials* making almost 6 figures bro. 99 percent of all churches *could not pay me enough to meet my household requirements* anyways. As a matter of fact, I'm playing for a funeral this weekend for some people *free of charge as I usually do*. I was speaking for people who are *full time musicians*. Get your facts straight dude.
+nukeman444 The last time I heard someone say, "What the hell are you talking about dude?" was when when
Thank you for that Jamal that was an on time word
I know many musicians that have to play in cabarets and night clubs and secular concerts to sustain themselves. These negative influences often lead some of them away from the faith.
Financial compensation should be given to musicians just os it is to pastors, especially those who are required to be present regularly.
as musicians or ministers of music...we are always on the church....I am on duty daily looking for material, purchasing materials, attending conferences, teaching the choir, following pastor when needed..those things are not free...mostly at the church more than anyone else....yes we should know our worth...and its not free and no I am not in it for the money. I love what God has blessed with with
Yep! You are one of the good ones.
Thx
Not many Pastors will point out that The LORD had the Musicians & Singers paid 1st they were fed first, they went before the Army's of The LORD.
That's good word Man of God!! You've covered everything that the scriptures says concerning Levites. What bothers me about people who down us musician's is that when they say we are wrong for being paid they don't have not ONE scripture to back up how they feel. But they will argue you down. If you do not have a scripture to stand on then you can't preach it, teach it, or stand on it. And it is very dangerous to say you disagree with something that is plainly in the scriptures. As Christians the bible is not a Trail mix. You don't get to pick and choose what you want to believe, and what you don't want to believe. Good teaching Man of God!!
+Shawn “KingdomMinded87” Walker Yea man....people got the wrong impression from my last video and I wanted to set the record straight.
+GospelMusicians Like I stated in my earlier post, Jay-Z, 'Dr. Dre', 'Kanye West', Timberland? Those guys are getting millions. One of them is worth a billion. Music for the lord is more important. How are we going to encourage young musicians to play for the lord when secular musicians are treated with much more respect, and plus that's where they see most of the professionalism.
I bet you eat pork....
The peace of the Lord Jamall ! I agree with you! I play keyboards in a band in my name here in Brazil , I follow your videos a long time and I love the way you spend your knowledge ! My Viewed believe almost all your videos and Sandro Giovanni also learned a lot, but still need to learn a lot to try to do something , by God's grace today play but only by the grace of Jesus Himself , because it neither could haaha ... thank you for your videos . May God continue illuminating you and making you convey the message of the gospel music for us! Big Hug a brother in Brazil.
Well said. Also the mention of being a Christian 24/7 rather than only on ceremony.
That is this video: ruclips.net/video/HsaafuKO2xY/видео.html
jamal you spitting the truth my brotha!god bless you bro
at the end of the day, looking at this in a spiritual point of view. everything what we do is done out of love. preaching the gospel,serving the lord in ANY privileges is done with love and i think we should never lose sight of that. i agree in all aspect however, it all depends where you serve or where god is calling you to serve. I am a full time young dad,musician,worker,and servant of the lord since i was born(im a son of a pastor) but everything that i did and continue to do is done for the lord with love.The lord has always PROVIDED with my necessities. I think that if we see church as a business aspect, we losing the point of what we are called to do. if a ministry is prosperous , then yes those who are gifted and serve full time deserve their salary. but if a church is struggling and cannot afford, then the situation changes everything. its what the holy spirit make you feel and make you believe with conviction. so my point is nor pro or con but its where ever god has called you to serve(doesnt matter what talent you have or calling) you must listen and go. Doesn't matter if get paid or not paid. god will always reward you and open doors on earth for his blessing. i testify it. we must never lose in sight of that. God bless you Jamal and may god open doors for your hard work and for sharing your musical talent and knowledge to us. remembering the what the scriptures says, the more you give, the more you will recieve ;). I strongly believe that god will continue to bless you with more musical talent and knowledge.
loving this message......... keep it up bro and please pray for myself and my musical ministry!!!!!
I agree. It’s frustrating coming to the realization that most people think that there aren’t hours of preparation in being a musician. And doing it well is definitely a full time job. Not enough people take us seriously
This message has Blessed me..
My brother, the bible says look for the kingdom and the rest will be added unto you.. In order to receive help financially, you gotta show passion, dedication and heart for it, the Lord sees that and will bless you! He is King of kings after all.. Many musicians want to live a mediocre life maybe and still expect to get paid. God will open doors and bless you financially, and overall will put the grace for you to receive. People and other ministries will want to partake what the Lord has put in you and you will be blessed that way.. I applaud you for posting the video man, lets be grateful and bless the real worshipers of Christ and the Lord will return in ten folds
Your gift will make room for you. Amen brother
PREACH DOC!!!! This needed to be said BIG TIME! I've been blessed to receive good compensation for the craft and the gifts God put in me musically. There is so much that goes into this. Constantly learning tunes, directing the band, teaching all of the choirs. Then there's administration (a whole different beast). When you have this kind of mandate, it can be very overwhelming at times. I've bee a compensated musician for 20 years, and I make NO apologies about that. I am, however at a stage where I'm ready for something different. There is just not enough Federal Reserve Notes available to compensate for church politics. I may do a video on that!
(lol) In my experience though, church politics and systems can really be cumbersome and discouraging for a musician (that's trying to do the right thing), but that's another topic. I am so grateful that God is changing my season!! :)
Definitely agree about the church politics smh....especially a musician
Amen, preach it brotha! Plus, people that pay money for music degrees, and are working musicians, you think that degree didn't cost a penny?
When you read the scriptures you have to take 4 things into consideration; 1. The Historical setting, 2. Literal meaning, 3. Grammar/context, and 4. Fusion. The tithe existed before before the Mosaic Law. After returning from rescuing Lot, Abraham met Melchizedek. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of all the goods he had obtained in battle (Genesis 14:17-20). Jacob also, long before the Law of Moses, promised that he would give the Lord a tenth of all he received (Genesis 28:22). The Mosaic Law stated that the tithe of the land would include the seed of the land and the fruit of the tree (Leviticus 27:30-32). The reason why the Levites would be given a portion of the tithe was because the Levites did not receive a land inheritance like the other tribes of Israel. The Levites, in turn, were to offer a heave offering to the Lord. I say that again, the Levites were to offer a heave offering to the Lord. The purpose of the tithe was to meet the material need not only of the Levite, it was also there to meet the material needs of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 26:12-13). That’s the historical setting. You mentioned Nehemiah 13:10. You have to read all the scriptures and not just one. In Nehemiah 13:4-9, Eliashib had oversight of the chambers of the temple while Nehemiah was away. Eliashib had built a chamber for Tobiah and instead of giving the Levites their portions, Eliashib had taken all the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and oil, and put them in that chamber for Tobiah. When Nehemiah found out about this, he cast Tobiah and everything and everyone that belong to Tobiah out of the temple and closed the chamber that Eliashib had built and he brought back all the offerings. Because Eliashib and Tobiah had done this, Nehemiah assumed that the Levites didn’t received their portions because they all were working in their fields. The Levites were supposed their portions of the tithe has a heave offering. How many of you musicians tithe in the church? I can tell you that none of the musicians in the church I attend tithe but we pay them. Nowhere in the scriptures did it say tithing is limited to money. The tithe that the Levites received cake in the form of oil, wine, meat, corn, fruits and vegetables, and frankincense. What if the church isn’t where it wants to be financially? Would you take money from a church who is struggling to keep its doors opened? Would you take money from a single mom in need? One of the purposes for the tithe was to meet the material need of the widow. If the church is struggling financially, and it has to pay you, it can help the widow or the stranger or the fatherless. What if the church needs your help but can’t pay you, will you deny the church your services?
I truly appreciate this video. I'm glad that you used scripture to back up and drive your point across. I played for a new ministry for 15 years and never got paid and honestly I wasn't looking to get paid. I even went as far as purchasing sound equipment with my own money and I'm not talking a cheap keyboard or a speaker wire here or there I'm talking whole PA systems including drums. After I was ordained to pastor my own church and left the ministry they've had four other musicians that have come in and been paid to play but none of them have had the longevity I've had with the ministry. As you stated in the video it's the bad musicians who show up late if they show up at all, want to get paid, have no oil/anointing or relationship with God, want to play the phat chords and don't know how to flow/follow in the spirit, but feel like they should get this huge salary from the church. Now here I am trying to build my ministry from the ground up and all I run into are these same musicians
+Johnny Wade Hey Johnny, I'm glad you saw the other video and understood both sides. By all means, don't even hire those guys at all. The musician staff is not the only way to grow a ministry. The Bible says: If I be lifted up from the earth, I'll draw all men unto me.
Try someone who's truly dedicated to GOD.
Bro I love this naked truths.. Thanks a lot for this...
I was a musician at a church for the 3 years. The pastor said they would pay me in the first year, but I never got paid. I never brought it up the whole time because I didn't want it said that I was playing just for money. It made my life a mess for a long time. Thank you for this video. God bless you.
Currently.... I get paid and pour so much anointing into the music.... The pastor can't afford it any more and needed to cut back ....in stead of them being honest ...they said i am only playing for the money. My heart was shattered. I wish people would understand that getting paid doesn't mean your heart isn't in it for the lord. It just means we should be taken care of entirely.
@@testline9459 Let not their lack of tack affect you too much. God knows your heart. Also, never shy away from being honest with your circumstances. The congregation expects a certain level of commitment from yourself but you are human and have needs to should be met fo you to function properly. State clearly that you don't make ends meet and looking for a job will mean not having enough free time to serve as much as you need to do. If they try to use shame or scare tactics, then you should leave that church altogether and pray God to lead you to a better one.
Remember that you are serving God and not a human. Stay strong brother.
@@Kevin-jc1fx thank you, yes a year ago I did just that and I allowed God to lead me and he has done GREAT things and brought me to amazing people to do his works. He's is a good GOOD father! All he needs is our love and faith and he takes care of the rest!
@@testline9459 I am happy for you. Humans can disappoint us but God will never. Praise God for your life. 👏👏👏
brother, u are on point!! we can't be dedicated fully without compensation
Not to mention, along with a full time job, spouse and kids have to sacrifice their bonding time with you which also can put you into a spiritual issue altogether different.
Preach on Brotha! Amen
Awesome video sir!!! I believe if everyone does what they are supposed to do, God's House can be fed and every need be met including musician compensation. Just like someone said further up in the comments, I believe musicians are to be compensated for their efforts in accompanying the services. I do wish that musicians overall would stop bashing each other and let's work together. Because of how a lot of musicians are now of days, I'd prefer playing at bars and grills and not churches unless it's my home church where love is displayed. Bashing other musicians does not display the image of God that we were all created in (Gen 1:26-27) I pray people will listen to your words and understand that you are promoting spiritual growth with translates in the natural at the right time.
Good word! alot of church's don't understand this as being how God design his church but also I would like to say that there is a huge difference between a "musician" and a "Levite" the Musician who just plays at church is just that plays with no spiritual integrity who don't fast and pray and seek God's face and seek for more anointing from the Lord to minster on his instrument of choice While the levite is the exact opposite this is someone who seeks God daily and plays under the pure anointing of the holy Spirit and takes his/her relationship serious with the Lord. From my experience I've seen church hire Musicians without doing a proper spiritual back ground check to see if this person is number 1 saved and then #2 holy ghost filled, where is his/her current relationship with the Lord all these things matter when becoming employed to God's house and becoming a minstrel of music.
Amen. Great point.
halleluyah i love your level of light on this topic.............. you nailed it. I have gotten arguments on this topic
*Back to the transpose button.* Inexperienced musicians who rely on the transpose button don't realize that there are many, many songs that *change key/pitch midway into the arrangement.* Some gospel songs may even go up *a whole step.* I've played songs modulate an *entire 4th.* That's when you here the musician *drop out* of playing with you, then you here the *chromatic tapping of the keys* midway into the arrangement that annoys the crap out me and it also throws the singers off. *Musicians, please learn your scales.*
Preach brother. This needed to be said!
Amen
I believe that musicians should be paid the ministry requires a high level of musicianship. It’s only right because those musicians are spending hours every week preparing to deliver the best performance. But if you have a ministry where the level of music isn’t much of a factor, there is no need to pay a low-skilled musician who’s just ‘making it work’ since the demand for great musicianship isn’t there anyway.
just started getting paid for the first time playing was feeling a little bad but after this video I completly believe their is nothing wrong with that what so ever God bless brother
+Joel Ramos Awesome man....then this video was for you :). I came back from riding my bike and I wasn't going to do the video. I left it in the archives, but I was prompted to do it.
Just remember that your greater reward is in heaven and not to seek money...always seek the kingdom, but you are not wrong for wanting to serve God with your gift and to get compensated.
+GospelMusicians yes brother thank u for responding it WAS for me defenetly...yur an awsome player by the way wish I could play a half of what u play lol an also on fire for God keep it up!
It's true. Musicians of my country needs to watch that video!!! Am from west Africa Ivory Coast!!!
Woow!! great words sir powerfully explained
I struggle deeply with this.I was born a musician highly gifted.I haven't been able to find my place in this world in 46 years. I keep preparing/perfecting my craft for a gig that doesn't come.I do everything with a spirit of excellence-I have played on teams where I treated the position like a full time job and was always the most prepared, rehearsed etc.I don't need the money but for most people, money motivates them and you generally get what you pay for.
This is by far the best explanation I have heard on this topic. Question: how can churches decide who gets paid when it is struggling financially? Musicians often want to be paid but no one pays the deacons, the bible teachers, the treasurer, the elders, and the list goes on. Also many musicians request prices that are quite high. I have known of churches paying as much as 30% of their budget for music alone but would not invest as much toward let’s says Children’s ministries. Should a nurse or other professionals request to be paid to be a deacon? Should all church’s positions be paid? If this is not possible then how to decide which positions should be volunteered? What could be a balanced approach?
+dpm I have a video coming out on this as well, but I would ask the question:
1. Why is a church struggling?
2. Perhaps the church has maxed out it's membership and it should not be a big church.
3. Why are we so dependent upon a musician to bring in the anointing?
The difference is musicians are required to play every service , spend ours practicing , teaching songs, traveling and all.
Other positions only operate on certain days. Musician job never stops
Your exactly right Jamal. And just to add my 2 cents. if your heart is for the Lord musicians, be lead by the Spirit of God and you will know that there maybe seasons in your music ministry when not to receive money and seasons when to receive money. and there are various ministry situations that should help show you which season you may be in.
I don't judge those that get paid for playing at Church. My feeling is that I play for the enjoyment. When I was a youngin, I had someone slip me a little cash for playing one Sunday but I gave it back because it just didn't feel right. That was just my feeling but I understand that everyone has their own belief.
Thank you! ! I needed this message!
I'm not sure whether they should be paid or not. I'm going to have to pray on that. What I do know is that if you are a gospel musician you had better be saved ( there are many secular people who churches hire to play who don't know God and it's just a gig and gospel is just another genre to them) and you had better be sure God called you to go full time and that's with any ministry. Jesus and living right is before ministry and money is not the motivation.
I am the church drummer for Grace Tabernacle Christian Church in Philadelphia. I have never got paid and I don't want too. Because I do it for the Lord which is way better than money!
Much Respect..Brother
Read well your Bible Sir, I don't ask you to change your mind .
Getting paid doesn't mean it isn't for the lord.
If you don't need the money it is good to allow them to invest it in those who do.
Sounds like you have a day gig.
Hipocresy preachers ask for tithe from Old Testament but they don't says nothing about Levites.. Sadly something is wrong.. Thanks Jamal this is an excellent video.. God Bless You.. Now I confirm my priorities, I will serve God when I sell products in my store and ocasionally when I play in church without rewards.. My family has to be provided..
I think we should all offer some time to our church. Play the keyboard on sunday plus one rehearsal take a couple of hours. I would not ask to get paid for that. Of course, if this takes more time i.e. a part/time or full time job there is no reason not to be remunerated.
Great words.
Ive played for many churches of all kinds. i have never been asked to play for free unless it was a charity event which I'm always happy to do. I have in some cases scene a couple of musicians that were very close to the church and they had very good financial situations so they didn't take money so that the less fortunate musicians could make more. If a church is demanding that you play for free, find another church. Its probably not a honest church. Unfortunately there are a lot of those these days.
+Reuben Andrews is one demand greater than another? If a musician can demand money for their service, then should not a church be able to do the same? Do you all pay for utilities, space and the opportunity to expose your talent to others? Do you think that it is wrong for a church to ask you to volunteer your service? If a church cannot afford to pay a musician, yet they ask them to play solely for the glory of God that they are not honest and honorable?
+BDP Sorry for the typo! The question was if someone is asked to play solely for the glory of God, do you think that the church is dishonest and dishonorable? If my family church ask me to play and the membership is small, (25 people who love God - the majority on fixed income), should I and others declare them as "dishonest and dishonorable"? Should these people who raised me to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to spread his love and his Gospel be deemed as dishonest and dishonorable, because they ask me to play for his glory AND NOT FOR MONEY?
+BDP here is the truth. most churches in my experiance are a business and are more concerned with generating revenue then helping people. only a small percentage of churches are real. being a musician and playing in a band is very hard work and takes a large amount of time to practice material and organize everything to come together and make a show. musicians should be paid. can a church ask for free work yes but a church that only uses musicians that will play for free is wrong. you bet your ass the preacher and other people in the church are getting money. most churches are rackets taking advantage of people in my experiance. the simple obvious truth is that we are all connected to god at all times and we are part of god. God doesn't need church and neither do we. but.. there are a few good churches that really do help people and deserve help. there really is no right or wrong answer. do what feels right. if your church has the money then pay for hard work. if not then ask for help. non musicians have no idea of the work involved and they just think the band are a buch of guys up there having a good time. they are but there is a huge amount of work behind them. people have no idea the time involved to be a musician. it's a life time of work.
+Reuben Andrews I see your perspective. I have little to zero experience with churches that are not genuinely concerned about the welfare of the people. I am coming from this perspective. It is important to keep in mind that when one deals with True Christ-Centered Churches that it is more than reasonable to ask for assistance, since "sacrificial service" is what it is fundamentally about. As Christ sacrificed for us, we are to sacrifice for one another. On the other-hand, if an organization "called a church" is as you say, "About business and revenue", then the approach that you speak of is more than acceptable.
Christ-Centered Churches are actually needed, which is why they were set up in the New Testament and continue to exist today. Countless lives would be in ruins without them.
There are unfortunately, "FRAUDS" out there. They do indeed, look and sound like the real thing, but are disgraceful disguises, that misuse the name and history of the True Church, as well as, decent hard working people. I am glad to know that you feel that the "few good churches", (really help people) and "deserve help", as you stated!
music is a ministry. for those that feel a musician shouldn't get paid they must also feel the pastor shouldn't get paid either. Nobody appreciates the music ministry until it's not there. have you been to a church without music? it's a whole different experience. I'm not saying you can't have church without music, it's just different. As long as the musicians are not making money the Reason for them playing.
There are pastors, singers and other church workers who don't get paid and still put in their best. There are many musicians who hop from one church to another looking for better pay and give mediocre service.
@@blessingecoma9233 yes.. I agree. It can go both ways. You can have money hungry musicians. My point is that the minister of music is a position in the church. I've played for my church 10+ years without asking for anything. It's not all about money for most.
here in brazil several people and unfortunately leaders should listen to this message ...
i play for free god bless me with my talent and am use it too bless others that want play no church pay for me thank you god for my talent
Arron Williams ..Awesome Brother God Bless You , i know many well known Christian Musicians...that Charge gods people , just so they can play for them ...alot of these musicians are Doing no different then the secular world ,......and try to bend the word,...so it can benefit them,.....Thank God for Brothers like You.....and thank you Truly for Blessing Gods Kingdom
@@bernabefuentez3373 thanks brother god bless you and all you do brother
It’s a great place to start bb
I stopped playing for the world,started playing in church,I was touched by God,I surrendered my life to him...been a Christian since,proud to be God’s child for years now....even if a person starts out not even as a Christian playing for a church,at least the chances of being touched by God are at a better risk of being touched than not being around Christian folks or Christian service,my thoughts are if a Christian musician wants to get paid,that’s his choice,if he wants to do it for free that’s his also,I know some congregations can’t afford top pay,depending on the size,everything is negotiable,now my older brother who is a pastor,his work in my opinion is a lot more work than the musicians,I’m a drummer and I can play many styles,but I do say if the can contribute to the musicians,they work very hard to,it’s not just a get together on sundays,it’s work involved,a lot off work every church congregation is different in size,it needs to decide how to run it’s own payroll,cause remember,no week is the same in its collection plate or mail ins,Godblessyou all...
Arron Williams It’s not wrong to be paid to be a musician. It’s biblical. It’s your trade.
Thank you! Finally someone who understands!
I work as a welder 10 hrs a day and play guitar for the church on Sunday for free. We show up an hour before service to practice, so it really doesn't take to much of my time. I wouldn't accept money even if they offered. I do agree that if its taking up all your time then the church should support you 😊
I understand the people who don’t want it who play out of pure joy and I understand the people who feel they should get reimbursed. Me being a college student right now, i am living week to week by gigs or anything else. Money at this point will help me with various endeavors. Basically all of the time, if I don’t need to spend the money for travel or food/supplies, I save it to put towards more music equipment or my instrument to further progress my playing which I know everyday is a gift from god. Anytime I try to upgrade something, I view it as me progressing into my full form of his image. I feel churches should offer pay especially if they can to the musicians. Lack of resources can really change a situation for someone.
I agree Jamal, great message !
It all comes down to the intention of your heart. God put on my heart not to ever accept money or offering... To me God is my reward just to know that he uses me to touch lives it's all I need. I don't condemn the ones who do it but I'm scared to one day when I meet the Lord he tells me to stay away because he doesn't know me... Heaven is real also is hell. God's presence is all I need... God knows everyone's hearts and intentions... we can't deceive him..... He transformed my life, I praise him because I'm thankful for what he did... God bless y'all...
So you believe there will be no entry to heaven if you've accepted payment?
Exactly. Preach it Jamal GospelMusicians.
Preach it brother! Amen!
Listen brother, being a musician is an occupation! You must practice many hours to perform on a high level. That will take study and sweat equity. You are a professional when you can earn a living at what you do, or at a minimum supplement your other income. That said, you should be paid for your services. I am a pastor and a musician. I make certain that all of our musicians are paid weekly. I make certain that they are paid first. They are professionals and they have human needs like all of us. Finally, when our musicians receive sufficient pay, they should become settled and not have to run from church to church to make ends meet. May God bless you mightily!
If ministers and musicians are the only one to receive something ; it only speaks to the sad state of people who waste their time going to churches every Saturday and Sunday.!! What about the elderly, widows, fatherless etc?????? READING is fundamental y!!! A must!!!
Asking if a musician should get paid it's just like asking should a pastor get paid as well?
I think if your knowledgeable in something needed for the common good having the means of course you or anyone else should get paid.
and we grew up from different culture. maybe u grew up and u have seen church musician are paid. and i grew up knowing that serving the Lord through playing the instrument is like an offering, because this talents that we have is a gift from above.
That's wonderful and all but I cant eat talent and I still need to pay hundreds a year on instrument and sound equipment maintenance so it would be nice for the church to help support the music they enjoy so much.
Doesn't change what the bible states
@@testline9459 The bible got it wrong too.
Should the praise team singers be paid as well then?
couldn't agree more here- the "you're getting an opportunity to serve the Lord" argument gets old when you realize how many paid staff are at a church (and with larger churches, how much money is flowing through the building)...when i ask, "if you're serving the Lord, why do you draw a salary?"...their response is usually, "because i have to provide for myself and my family", to which i usually reply, "so do I..." (because being a musician is my only job)...obviously, you want to encourage "servanthood" in a church...but there's a fine line between this, and just trying to take advantage of people because you need their skills on Sunday mornings...
Love your videos. You've pushed my musicianship an discipline. QUICK QUESTION: what if the church isn't so big and there is barely enough to cover the bills? I'd rather do it for free to have the pastor obtain what's left.
Of course...that was my previous video.
Great explanation, you are absolutely right
My personal OPINION is that I don't have a problem with a church paying or not paying and I don't place any condition of pay upon my participation in musical worship.
The only thing I ask is that if you treat me like an employee, then you should pay me like an employee. If you pay me like a volunteer, then treat me like a volunteer.
I think a lot of volunteer burnout comes when volunteers are given the pay of volunteers (i.e. nothing) but have expectations of employees put upon them (e.g. you must be at church 2 hrs early and on stage every single week).
I agree with you Jamal. Musicians shouldn't get pay like What the Heck are there getting payed for just being a musician. That is stupid for people to get freckin payed for being a musician! !
awesome word.....people don't understand our struggle as musicians.
I don’t do church services for free and any pastor that gives me that old punchline do it for free God’s going to bless you I’ve told many preachers in the past to bad you don’t tell yourself that when you in the back room with them trustees collecting a paycheck every week i’ve gotten so many preachers mad with that
Why should pastors get paid for the Lord's work? Is in iit all the same ministry?
Doctors and nurses who works at the hospitals are doing it because its their job and its their work. But if they extend their profession inside the church like doing medical mission or any help inside the church, they call it service. Medical field can also be a spiritual gift. Musicians who plays outside the church is considered a job or work but when they play inside the church its called service. Playing instruments either it's acquired or its a talent if you used it inside the church its a spiritual gift. when i play on different churches Like Catholic church, pentecostal, Baptist and ETC. they pay me and its like a job/work when i play to them. But when i play inside my church i play for free its my service. So it depends upon the musician if he wants to be a fulltime gospel musician as a job then he should be paid. But some musicians do it for service. i respect all musicians coz we have all different personalities, perspective and goals. God bless us all.🙏✌🏽
Awesome analogy.