So you say you are called to minister through music? Great but do not get ahead of yourself. Music ministry is much more than just holding a microphone, or being in front of people, or copying others and/or just citing verses as a slogan.  If you believe you are called, please allow me to share the following with you.

Music comes from God. He alone is the author of music. Note that Satan never and cannot create. Only God can. Satan perverts and abuses what God has created. That is why today we have secular music. God created the music but Satan abused and perverted it. I am not telling you what to listen to or not but if you are Christian and listening to secular music, I want you to know that it does not glorify God at all. Just ask yourself the question if Jesus came into your room while your listening to it, or can you pray while listening to it? If your answer is no, then that simply means it does not glorify God. It is a question of the spirit behind the music, not if it sounds good or the lyrics seem innocent. What is the spirit behind it? Now God is the creator of all things. Like Psalms 24:1 says: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” Everything you see belongs to God. God created even Satan. Before we move on I hope we agree on the fact that music comes from God and Him alone 

Music started with God meaning when God is, music was. God always had music around Him. The Bible says His voice is like the sound of many waters. (Psalms 29:3) What catches my attention is the word “sound”.  Music has much to do with sound. God’s voice is a beautiful sound. Sound walks on air. In the Garden of Eden, the voice of God walked through the garden with Adam and Eve. This leads us to say that God uses music to communicate. Oh I love this!  He speaks to us through music. Even behind the creation process, there was music in the background. Job 38:4-7 says this: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

What is music? Music is the arrangement of pleasant sounds.

Noise is unpleasant sound. When your music doesn’t please God, it is noise. That is why in Amos 5:23 God says: “Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.” Ministry is the act of serving. In one word we can say “service.” Music ministry is serving through music and not just singing. One needs to be appointed by a higher power in order to receive the authority to serve. You need a covering or else it becomes rebellion. By covering I mean someone such as a pastor, a mentor to lead and direct you. In God’s eye, there is only one church. Though we have many denominations. Don’t think that you can go from church to church causing rebellion and division. The anger of God will come upon you for Jesus is the head of the church. I have received many reports about my fellow Congolese worship leaders, especially in Europe entering into ministry without a covering therefore mixing up their own calling of a music minister and that of a pastor. God is not a God of confusion. We need to do things God’s way instead of quickly entering into ministry and fade away before God’s timing. Better is the end of something than the beginning. Make sure your ending is better than your beginning.

A Minister is one who provides service; one who tends to the need of God’s precious people. So as a minister of music, you need to allow yourself to be used by God in order to meet the needs of His precious people. Notice I say precious. God’s love is extended to all people, nation, tribe and tongue. You do not have the right to hurt or minimize any one of God’s perfect creations. He will be very angry with you and you do not want that.

Ministry is designed to serve God. The music minister needs to have big ears in the spiritual realm. Why? Because he or she needs to discern which sound is from God and which is not for God’s voice is a sound of many waters. This person needs to hear and understand the vision God has given the pastor. You need discernment to listen to God’s voice.

Now that we laid the foundation, I invite you to join us next time on congoboston as we look into the subject “Preparing for music ministry”

Until then, love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

God bless you!

M. David Kasonga