“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
-Joshua 24:15
There was a woman at the church where I worked who had been a leader in music ministry, as a volunteer, for nearly three decades. A few weeks after I started in my new position as parish music director, she let me know that she would be glad to serve in any way that I thought would be helpful. The humility in this communication provided insight into her approach to music ministry.
After two years of working with this woman, I realized that I had only heard her use one verb, time after time, to describe what she did as a music minister.
Serve.
Not sing. Not participate. Certainly not perform.
Serve.
This is what Jesus wants us to do in every aspect of our lives, especially in ministry. Having a service-oriented mindset is particularly important in music ministry, where skills and abilities are made evident to the entire community in a noticeable way. Since we are playing or singing in front of others, there is a very real risk of slipping into a performance-oriented mindset. We must always remember that what we do as music ministers is not the same as what we do as performers. We are not highlighting a piece of music, or a composer. And we are certainly not showcasing our own talent, or ourselves in general.
This is the second rule of music ministry: It’s not performing; it’s serving.
This second rule is connected to the first rule: It’s not about us; it’s about Him. Yes, there are undeniable similarities between performing and serving at Mass. We use many of the same skills for both activities, including musically, physically, and mentally. But we use these skills for a different purpose at Mass: to serve the Lord. He is the entire reason for what we do, and the Person who blessed us with musical ability in the first place. If we ever find ourselves thinking that what we do at Mass is performing, we need to ask ourselves, and God, whether music ministry is the best environment for sharing our musical gifts.
I personally believe that music ministry is an incredibly elevated form of music-making. It has nothing to do with the level of difficulty of the music, the importance of the composition, or the fame of the person who is singing or playing. And that’s why I love it.
It’s all about Him.
Lord, I know that without you, I would not have any of the gifts and abilities that I consider important in my life. Thank you for making me a musician, and thank you for inviting me to use my musical ability to serve the Church. Please allow the music I make to communicate my gratitude and love for you; not just because of what you have given me, but because of who you are. Please help me to share your goodness, your beauty, and your truth with others for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.
“I will choose Christ, I will choose love, I choose to serve.”
-I Will Choose Christ (Tom Booth)
