Worship Leaders Network | Worship Leader Forum | Worship Leader Resources & Jobs
Giving vs. Gaining
My church is going through a rough time and the end may be a church-split. No one, of course wants to see this happen.
However, it has brought to my attention that in my 7+ years of being on the worship team, I have learned little to increase my musical ability.
Now, since the theology and doctrine of the church has started going down hill, do I have a reason to stay?
I feel like I have a responsibility to my church; they are my family, but is my responsibility to God in developing my gift greater?
However, it has brought to my attention that in my 7+ years of being on the worship team, I have learned little to increase my musical ability.
Now, since the theology and doctrine of the church has started going down hill, do I have a reason to stay?
I feel like I have a responsibility to my church; they are my family, but is my responsibility to God in developing my gift greater?
Tags: doctrine, growth, learning, responsibility, theology
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Al Hilgendorf on
-
Sorry, Rachel, that your church is going through this. I'm not sure, though, how your question relates to the problems at your church. Maybe you can elaborate a little more?
al
www.everydaypraise.com
-
Permalink Reply by Rachel Ward on -
The music at my church really needs help everywhere from the song selection to the musicians (myself and a few others excluded), but I have "put up" with it because of the great fellowship and the great sermons. I even joined the worship team because that where I felt like I ought to be; serving through music.
But the music has gotten progressively worse, the sermons are getting worse, and because of these two things many of my friends and their families are leaving/have left.
So all of that coupled with the fact that I have learned so little (musically speaking) in my 7 years of being there, I am beginning to wonder why I am still going to this church.
Poor music, poor sermons, waning fellowship, and no increase in musical knowledge.
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Letus on -
Rachel,
Wow--that's a lot of stuff going on. I hope you don't mind a few more questions. Have the sermons/music gotten worse because there are new people preaching/playing due to people leaving or are the same people doing it, possibly with less enthusiasm? Does the theology/doctrine going downhill mean that stuff is being added to the Gospel of Christ being the way, truth, and life or is it just a case of a more boring message? Lies and half-truths from the pulpit appears to be a legitimate reason to leave a church, but far too many people think that we have a right to what we want and can leave a church for any reason we wish. My understanding of 1Cor12:12-31 says that if God put the church together as a body we don't have a right to leave it without at least seeking God's will in prayer. Our lives have been paid for at a great cost and Christ, the one who paid the price, 'owns' us in a way.
You state that you thought you ought to be in the music ministry and that you and a few others (how big is the team?) don't need help. Could you have been put on the team to help the musicians that need it? Have any of the national type seminars for Christian musicians been available to attend to aid in increasing your knowledge? Has there been any new music in the past that challenged you or is the same stuff being played that's been played for years? If no new music is coming along it would tend to help the doldrums set in both for the team and the congregation. I apologize if I'm asking too many questions. You, of course, don't need to answer them. I'm just putting them out to aid you in thinking this thing through before making a quick decision. My church is going through similar things now and I'm going through the same type of questioning myself. We both need to pray long and ask God what His desire for us is. God bless you.
-
Permalink Reply by Rachel Ward on
-
The sermons have grown worse over the past 3 years or so; I am not sure why. The same group of people are involved, and the same woman picks our music week to week. I just do not like the hip hoppy type music, and the congregation does not either.
The team is made up of 8 members at any one time. We rotate singers each week. Total members is about 15. I am the youngest constant member on the team, so I am the "pipsqueak" so to speak. I have made suggestions about songs, timing, etc, but they are greeted with a cool smile and a "maybe we'll try that sometime." So I doubt they brought me on the team to "help" them.
We have just recently added songs like Chris Tomlin's "Indescribable" and "I could Sing of Your Love Forever." thought we rarely sing these. For the most part, we sing the same songs we have done for years.
As for my musical knowledge, perhaps I am just looking for advancement in the wrong spot.
I want to serve and I have an obligation to use my gift and advance it.
I certainly don't want to leave, but I am struggling to find reasons to stay.
Prayers are most appreciated!!
-
Permalink Reply by Junjie on -
If you are looking for ways to develop yourself musically, you need two things:
1) input - lessons, pointers, tips and advice
2) output - a platform for you to USE what you've learned.
I personally do not look to church for musical growth because it is not an ideal platform after a certain level of development. You can grow of course, but after sometime diminishing returns set in (in plain English, it takes more effort along the same lines to get results). You'd be better off looking elsewhere for musical growth, such as a secular gig, music lessons, loads of woodshedding, and all that.
My thoughts, for what they're worth... :)
-
-
Thanks, Rachel. I think I understand now. This is a very tough call and one that you should make with lots of prayer. You're right that our church is our family and it's not what we GET from our church that matters as much as what we can GIVE. Junjie is right; we can get musical training anywhere. We can even get spiritual feeding from a lot of different places, but the reason we go to church and not just sit at home and watch it on TV is so that we have an outlet for our gifts within an encouraging group of believers.
So I would say that the responsibilty to develop your gift is yours.
Maybe as you develop your gift it will inspire others in your church to develop theirs.
As for your church, you need to pray for it and refrain from criticizing and do whatever YOU can to make the situation better - and God will bless your efforts miraculously!
al
www.everydaypraise.com
-
Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on -
Some good advice here, Rachel. As one who has had to leave a church in the past (was there for over 16 years), it's not an easy thing to do. You really have to watch your motives and your heart. Al is right about advising you to avoid criticism - we need to be peacemakers.
But I do believe there are times when we should move on. In the aforementioned church, in retrospect I'd wish I'd moved on sooner. Not only to avoid some of the conflicts that arose over music et al, but because they never really had good programs for my kids and in some ways I believe they suffered silently for that.
I know a family that recently changed churches and endured being misunderstood for it, because their granddaughter (whom they take to church) wanted to learn more about God, and not just have a playtime. From the mouth of babes...
-
Permalink Reply by bet nich on -
If you sing, vocal class or lessons might help. If you are a guitarist, drummer or keyboard player, upgrading your skills is up to you. There are DVD's and online resources available, as well as CD's and sheet music.
But you may need to separate the musical from the spiritual issues. If you do not agree with the leadership's direction in theology and doctrine (and I don't mean side issues such as to tithe or not) , that is a big red flag.
And if you and yours feel in any way oppressed or manipulated by their teaching, your church may be turning cultic, and in that case I say:
GET OUT NOW!!!
Do it quietly, but if asked try to give your reasons calmly and reasonably.
The way they react to this will show you whether they are controlling/abusive/cultic...
-
Permalink Reply by Rachel Ward on
-
Great thoughts, CS.
I teach music lessons and I love doing that. For a long time, I really wanted to be the music director of sorts at my church. The keyboardist at my church is not the worship leader in title, but she's the one who really calls the shots I love leading worship for the Youth Group and the College and Career group, but I don't know how I would feel leading worship for the whole church.
There is a woman I know up in GA who is quite a gifted pianist/musician, and I'd like to go spend some time with her to see what I can learn from her. Her husband is the pastor and she plays keyboard for the worship team as well.
-
Permalink Reply by Wayne Pau on -
Rachel, I read your thread the other day and it hit me. I know you are going to get posts about where to get more 'help' and instructions. However, I wanted to let you know that I have been in your position before. I've been frustrated with a ministry that wasn't doing what it should doing, with musicians that weren't growing and leaders who were doing anything to disciple or build up the department/ministry.
Yet when I met with a mentor of mine and vented out my frustrations, he actually gave me some advice I didn't expect. He challenged me to be an instrument of change. So we formulated a plan to start with one team and try to show the church and the congregation what we thought was true, authentic worship. So I humbly went back into the ministry, and lead a team that rotated leading worship once every four weeks.
So I spent hours upon hours with a team made of mostly 1st time worship leaders and we practiced like mad. I had the sermon outline and the songs selected 3 weeks prior and book multiple practices in the sanctuary. Poured over constructing thoughtful and moving worship sets and came up with interesting composition. I even went so far as to lend instruments and learning materials to team members and multi-track recorded each part (instrument and vocals) so all the team members could practice the weeks leading up to the Sunday we lead.
It took a while, and the change was small, but we started to see small glimpses of hope. The work that our worship team put was seen by other worship teams and the congregation on the whole. Change doesn't happen overnight, but we started to see other ministry members rededicate themselves to working harder and taking the worship ministry more seriously.
I want to paint a wonderful picture that overnight everything was great. However, it was tough. We met a lot of resistance and being a subtle role model is tough. There were many times I wanted to express my convictions, but I bit my tongue and just continued on.
The real miracle happened later when people started to come back to the ministry that really wanted to help. They were convicted and passionate. We had new, young people invigorated and inspired about joining the worship ministry. Other who didn't really have the heart left quietly. Passion, breeds passion. The attitude has I think finally started to change.
You water a crop many times, but only harvest it once.
Paul teaches that we are gifted for the betterment of the church. I was reminded of that recently. If you believe you are gifted, you have a responsibility to use those gifts for the church. Sometimes leaving is just a easy way out... (not meant to condemn anyone, just a reflection question... that only you can answer.)
-
Permalink Reply by Tricia on -
Interesting enough, I too have been in your shoes, more than once! It's either a crazy coincidence that we all relate ... or it's just the human condition. In which case the problem is that you have people at your church!
In the past, I left a church over old music and boring sermons (my opinion at the time). I also sat through sermons while verses were taken out of context and twisted to make a point that was not intended in the original text.
Today, however, I am a pastor's wife and it is interesting how things change when you are suddenly wearing a different set of shoes. If I am fed up with something at my church, leaving is not an option. A pastor in Bosnia told my husband: "In America, if you have a problem with someone in the church, you go down the street and find another church; in Bosnia, there are only two (evangelical Christian) churches. If we have a problem, we stay and work it out. Whether it takes a year or 20 years."
So now I am watching people come and go at my church. I am the one who often fields the questions, "Where's so-and-so? She hasn't been around in a while." And I have to say, "She is going to another church that has a singles group." (That's the most recent one, it had nothing to do with doctrine or passion or the Kingdom) "So-and-so" does not realize that her absence hurts the body of Christ - especially with the global viewpoint of today. Yes, yes, we are part of the universal church, yes, we are part of ONE body, but we are also part of our local body of believers! The body metaphor works on both global and local levels, but our impact on the local body is so much more obvious. You can use family as a metaphor too, which you already did - I have extended family in Kansas and Germany and Poland, most of whom know nothing about me ... it is my immediate family who cares the most and watches out for me and wishes great things for me. We share burdens, we share close bonds of friendship and intimacy, and more. My family would be really hurt if I announced I was leaving the Bowniks to be a Johnson, just as yours would be if you decided to be a Johnson instead of a Ward.
So, enough with the metaphors. I realize someone could read this and say, "Oh yes, I have an obligation to my local church. They would be lost without me, I must stay and be a martyr for God's kingdom!" Lol, well that's not it either. But look at Isaiah. He stood before God himself, aware only of God's greatness and his own failings. But when he was cleansed, his only response was: Here am I! Send me! It was a response of gratitude, not guilt. Isaiah didn't even know what God was calling him to when he volunteered.
So Rachel, let me challenge you with stuff that God has been revealing to me lately. It sounds like you want some excitement and change to happen at your church. Some would use the word revival. Draw a circle around yourself and pray that God brings revival right there in that circle. In fact, tell God you're willing to stay even if the next 20 sermons bore you silly. :) Listen anyway, not critically, but with an attitude that says, "Lord, help me be open to learn from anyone." Then live out your passion for God whole-heartedly and focus on Christ, not on the others around you. See what happens. God might call you on. If so, I would expect Him to be very clear about that. Or he might use you where you're at. He might even use the people you would least expect!
I will pray for you today. These are tough decisions! (BTW I did not talk about false doctrine and other issues b/c they have been covered well by all those who commented before me)
-
Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on
-
Some very good points. There is a big difference between people who change churches because they're looking for a place that has everything they want vs people who change churches because they're looking for a place where they can serve.
I think that as followers of Christ we are called to serve.
If the "family" is holding you back from serving the Lord (ie circumstances beyond your control, and those circumstances aren't going to change), then I think it's better to find a place where you can use your gifts. I've got no problem with people moving to my church who want to bring their gifts and get involved.
It's the church-hopping armchair critics that I'd like to see screened at the front door...
Providing worship leaders with a worship leader social networking community of worship pastors, worship leaders and team members. Worship leader resources on WTR include worship set lists, worship leader forum, worship groups, worship leader jobs, popular worship songs, worship blogs from worship pastors, worship events, festivals and conference listings, a place to chat about all things worship related, videos and photos. WTR aims to resource worship leaders in the best possible way - by providing free worship leader tips and training resources.
© 2010 Created by Phil Williams.
