As Dolores ascended the stairs of Chelton Baptist Church, located in the northern Philadelphia suburbs, the audience smiled with excitement and anticipation. Dolores, by far, was everyone’s favorite, largely because when she sang it truly seemed like an act of worship, not a show. And because her heart was there for the Lord, because her intentions were true and her voice powerful and beautiful, the people’s hearts were eager to join in.
Except, according to her family, when she sang at home.
“She’s awful,” her husband would share. “It sounds so bad when she practices at home that we have to leave the house.” Their children agreed.
Explore a Christian Ministry Degree – Request More Info Today!
Featured Programs: Sponsored School(s)“But,” he continued, “When she stands on that stage on Sunday, when she commits her time to the Lord and sings her worship to Him, everything changes and she sounds amazing.”
In much the same way, being a worship leader requires that you lead the people towards Christ and His glory, rather than yourself. And although there may be many stories such as Dolores’, where Christ shows up and makes something beautiful, more often than not, it is the diligent commitment to musical excellence and a relationship with the Lord that inspires true and authentic worship.
In today’s Christian culture, music ministry means a lot of things and can look very different, depending on location, the needs of the people, and the skillsets and passions you possess. What is constant, however, is the purpose of music ministry: to bring worship and praise to God.
If you have a heart to guide people towards a better understanding of and relationship with Christ, if you love music and believe it an avenue to glorify your Lord and Savior, pursuing music ministry might just be the perfect path for you.
What Is Music Ministry?
Simply put, music ministry is a service to God that supports the sermon by leading the congregation through song and worship. But it’s more than that.
Music ministry is a vessel from which the church can “teach and admonish one another with wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,” according to Colossians 3:16. It is also an avenue from which the church can express their hearts of gratitude toward God, through song, and which allows the believer to share their otherwise inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8).
“The word praise,” according to The Tree of Life Christine Ministries, “is derived from a Latin word meaning value or price.” To give praise, then, is to “proclaim His merit and worth in the life of the individual who praises Him.”
Music ministry, therefore, is the guiding and leading of believers in praise and worship towards God in such a way that both celebrates and glorifies Him, as well as encourages and admonishes those who follow Him.
And this can be done in a number of ways. From leading praise and worship at a church to traveling through your local, greater, and even global communities, music ministry is as diverse and unique as the men and women whom the gospel is hoping to reach and encourage.
The most common, however, is joining a church and becoming a worship leader.
