Worship Music Ministers

Q. Should the music ministers at church be paid?

Please keep to the question. The question is not whether or not there ought to be a worship leader or band. Neither is the question whether or not their ought to be music. Nor is the question what type or kind of music.

Thank you

If there is no scriptural mandate either old or new covenants, any pay would be entirely free-will and up to the leadership.

I’ve heard some preachers refer to David appointing singers to praise the Lord everyday in the Temple for this position and explain the need for a music ministry position.

Thanks for the responses thus far.

I have not seen any mention of particular verses of Scripture yet though. Might that be because there are none.

If any know of NT verses that touch on the subject, please bring them forward.

We have a number of places in the NT giving instruction and example of the believers meetings. I'm not aware of anywhere that it's written in regard to these worship ministers. Therefore, determining whether or not they're to be paid or not with a "thus saith the Scripture" or "it is written" type of clarity is not possible.

Similarly, there's no mention of a youth pastor or a youth group. So we've got no instruction of any sort in regard to to those.

The absence of all of these shows either their insignificance, or that they are the invention of men who have introduced them into the meeting of the family of God.

I see the Word, fellowship, prayer, breaking of bread mentioned. All unto edification of the body of Christ to the Glory of God. And for the equipping of each member.

But these others (worship ministers and youth ministers) I see nowhere mentioned.

On another note, I cannot find any reason that anyone of us would be paid to worship God, as we come together for this purpose.

Are we at liberty to introduce into our Father's house any fancy of our own without any warrant by Him?

This subject was being addressed by some of us brothers this past Sunday. This is why I posed the question to you all. Hoping to get some Scriptural answers. But thus far I have none.

One of the men who was part of the discussion has a younger brother who is presently being paid each Sunday to be a worship leader for not one, but three worship services.

I can think of a couple places in the NT where money is mentioned in association with ministry. I am not referring those passages where compensation for those who proclaim the Word, namely the elder or evangelist. Or we could use the more common word of missionary.

If anyone is interested in further discussion from a biblical perspective on this, please comment.

Marvin, to conclude as you have, that "If there is no scriptural mandate either old or new covenants, any pay would be entirely free-will and up to the leadership", is not a "one size fits all" answer. It's too vague, and it leaves too much open to men to introduce a whole lot into the worship of God. There's much, not mandated nor mentioned which would be inappropriate for such a sacred practice as our worship of God.

I realize that our life is to be lived to the Glory of God, and that we worship Him daily as we live, move and have our being. And the familiar verse states this plainly, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."Romans 12:1.

But I'm specifically speaking of when we believers come together to meet with God and worship Him.

Again, thank you for corresponding on this, as all would agree, this subject of music on a whole is no small matter.

Hi Savannah: I didnt quote any texts because I couldnt think of one either old or new that mandated pay to music ministers.

It's true my response is vague, but I think you have explained it well enough to defer my response to yours.

Hi Savannah,
To stay on question,I guess the answer for me is whether it is beneficial to the Church whether they get paid.If the Worship leader has to work in a secular Job and in working in the secular job has to neglect the leading of the Church in worship then it may be beneficial to the Church if the worship leader gets paid so the Church may be edified.This may not happen much of the time however.
To go off question,
Their is a good point by SI that worship is not a "show" its not a "performance" its the worship team and the congregation interacting with God and although the Team will want to be perfessional sounding and hit the right notes its for the glory of God ,not adulation of the crowd.urs staff

1 Chronicles 25 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Number and Services of Musicians
25 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of [a]those who performed their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and [b]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the [c]direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the [d]direction of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [e]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [f]Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the [g]direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [h]Uzziel, [i]Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to [j]exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. 6 All these were under the [k]direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the [l]direction of the king. 7 Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their [m]relatives, all who were skillful, was 288.

If any know of NT verses that touch on the subject, please bring them forward

I will take that one step further. Worship music itself, apart from mentions of singing in heaven in Revelation, is not mentioned at all in the New Testament. Singing is only mentioned once to my knowledge. "and when they had sung an hymn..."

This lack of mention does not mean that singing in worship to the Lord is not to be done in the church. We understand that it is an important part of our gatherings because it turns our focus on adoration of Him for who He is. It is, if you want, a corporate expression of, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

I think our real problem is when we take any aspect of our walk with God or of our corporate meetings and exalt it inordinately. We can be so focused on expository preaching that we totally ignore corporate worship. The result will be intellectual understanding and no life of the Spirit. We will be straight as a gun barrel and just as empty. We can focus on worship and ignore good teaching and get really weird and off with our doctrine. We love God intimately, but we are unstable as water. Extend this to any area of our corporate life, and we get off.

I have been part of growing fellowships for much of my life. I have seen many pastors work 40 hours a week and do the work of pastoring at the same time, and then i have seen the churches grow so that the pastor really needs to be supported full time by the church in order to be effective.

In my opinion, this also applies to worship leaders or music ministers. I personally have a difficult time imagining a scenario where a worship leader or musician would be putting in a full time work of ministry if music is their only job in the body, unless the church had enough activity that this person needed to be there and prepare full time. But I don't see the Bible speaking to it either way.

Interestingly enough, to the New Testament church it seems, by absence of mention, that organized worship as we do it in our churches simply was non-existent. Then again, if we ever reach the point of persecution where our meetings are driven underground, we might look more like they did and simply sing out as a group praises to God without any of the other trappings.

A good worship band is awesome. But like anything else, we cannot give it inordinate attention or importance. Let it have it's place in each body as God directs the leadership of that body.

I like to think like there is no box. Maybe each individual church should just vote rather they want to pay the music minister/ministers. I would like to think they're are a lot of music minister/ministers that don't care about the money.

If you pay the music ministers then you are obligated to pay the smoke machine and laser light evangelists as well.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. :P

"I find it *very* interesting that New Testament/New Covenant Christianity was not ever meant to continue the forms & traditions of Old Testament temple worship & practices."

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This response from one poster to another is key.

If the chapter in Chronicles is to be used as a model, then there ought to be no women in this ministry. And there's no mention of these men being paid either.

I've not yet read any reply which comes even close to there being any allowance or justification from Scripture for this practice to be defended.

Unless one thinks that the worship we offer to God is a trite matter to Him! Or, unless one thinks that God is neutral insofar as His will goes regarding when we worship Him, whether or not we do it for some amount of profit for ourselves.

I would like to think that we have higher thoughts of God than that.

Over the past 2 weeks I've meditated, searched and researched the Scriptures on this matter. I have sought the LORD in prayer. I have asked numbers of others for their thoughts on this.

Thus far, none have offered anything other than logic and opinion.

Thus far, I am hearing with more and more clarity, the voice of His Spirit speak louder and louder how grievous this seemingly innocent practice is to Him.

I came across these words in the book of the prophet Micah,

Micah 3:5, 9-12

My people are deceived by prophets who promise peace to those who pay them, but threaten war for those who don't. To these prophets the LORD says, Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood
and Jerusalem with iniquity.
Its heads give judgment for a bribe;
its priests teach for a price;
its prophets practice divination for money;
yet they lean on the LORD and say,
"Is not the LORD in the midst of us?
No disaster shall come upon us.”
Therefore because of you
Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

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If the Gospel is to be given without charge nor price but freely, our worship to Him Who has brought us this Gospel is to be freely given, having freely received.

May His Spirit, through Whom our worship proceeds, prick the conscience of any and all who presently see no trangressing, and convict and bring repentance to those who are receiving a profit for themselves, who are grieving His Spirit by partaking and being accepting of this sacrilege.

Be not deceived
God is not mocked
Whatsoever a man sows
That shall he also reap

He seeks worshippers who will worship Him without money and without price, but in spirit and in truth.

Hi Savannah,
I think that you can still worship in spirit and truth and get paid to lead .If the lord is ur centre that should be no problem.The thing thats important is what is beneficial to the church and that will vary from church to church.If it is beneficial to the Church that the leader in order to be able to dedicate his time to service needs to be paid then thats what needs to be done and likewise if the leader has time and resourses and doesnt need payment thats equally valid.Both examples can still love the lord equally and worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, urs staff

staff,

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but after reading your post a few times, my only conclusion is that these thoughts you've written are merely your opinion.

As I wrote in my previous post, both the Spirit and the Word agree. Such a notion is foreign to the spiritually minded, but I can certainly understand how the carnally minded might be inclined to remain neutral, or go so far as promoting and/or defending such a position.

There are as many opinions as there are heads.

As I stated in the OP, and am still waiting for, is any Biblical support, even the slightest hint of some, that this paid worship is acceptable worship. The Scriptures, and The Person of the Holy One Himself , do militate against it.

I'd ask all readers of this thread to seriously re-consider this which has become the accepted norm.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1,2

Hi Savannah,
I think everyones remarks are only their opinion?right?
Their is not a commandment saying
Thou shalt not pay worship leaders ,its not that simple.
Acceptable worship is not whether they are paid or not ,its whether its from the heart or not.In that sense a paid worship leader who's worship is from the heart is better than a non paid worship leader who does it not from the heart.
If a worship leader are full time worship leaders and cannot get secular employment because they are serving the lord then it is beneficial for the Church that they are reimbursed,Its what is beneficial to the serving of Church so that the Church will be built up thats important,staff

Savanah, you’re approaching this with a bias because you can’t even pick up the contextual cues. The singers appointed by King David were of the tribe of Levi. Their responsibilties were to offer praise to the Lord twenty-four hours a day. So, they were fully employed in this position. And they were paid in the same manner as the rest of the Levitical tribe.

If Jesus Christ is the greater David and David established a dedicated group to minister to the Lord in praise, then the modern day Church should follow suit. The issue of ‘ministering unto the Lord’ is the larger issue perhaps because the vast majority of what is done today is to and for flesh.