Should Church Musicians Get Paid For Their Talent?

Should Church Musicians Get Paid For Their Talent?

As a daughter of a church musician, I've heard this topic too many times. My father, (the church musician) has played for several churches and gotten compensated for doing so every week. Do I agree with my father getting paid for his talent? No. I think it is disrespectful to God and a disservice to the body of Christ for someone to receive funds just to render up praise and worship in song. 

Yeah, I know some of you are saying something like, "My musical abilities haven’t come to me freely, quickly, or easily, and it’s nice to have that fact recognized and valued."  That maybe true, but if it takes for you to attend church just to get paid for your musical talent, then your heart needs to be searched.

  Just so you know that I understand, let's shed a little light on the realities of being a musician in the church... 

It’s practical to point out that not all church musicians are the same. They have different perspectives toward their craft and invest their time into it accordingly. For most, music is simply a hobby; for a few, however, it is an avocation and even a vocation. For many, music is one small facet of a multifaceted life; but for a handful, it’s a lifestyle and a livelihood. Most church musicians develop enough skill to do a good job meeting the needs of their praise team; but a small percentage practice daily for hours, year after year, to develop abilities that can transform how a praise team sounds.

Now that we have gotten that out the way, SHOULD CHURCH MUSICIANS GET PAID FOR THEIR TALENT...

Church is not a place where vendors can set-up tent and sell their items. The same goes for church musicians, praise and worship is not a commercial venture. Remember Jesus and the temple? Matthew 21:12-13: “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.”  Do you remember when David played for King Saul? I Samuel 16:13:  "Whenever the evil spirit from God bothered Saul, David would play his harp. Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit would go away."   David was doing a service for King Saul, and it pleased the Lord."   The same goes for church musicians today; perform a free service of praise and worship to the King of Kings.

As a musician, your gift is not for sell in the church. If you want to get paid for your talent, travel with Tyler Perry and his plays; or work hard and play for a gospel music artist. Your musically gift is for the up-building of the Kingdom!