Philosophy of Music Ministry – Edward Barham

• The goal of corporate worship is to come together in unity to the foot of the throne of God through the cross of Christ, and, once there, to show God how much we love and trust Him, how awed we are of His glory and grandeur, and also to have Him respond to our adoration and awe. This interaction should always result in a closer walk with Christ and a renewed desire to honor and serve Him. This does not refer to music alone, but to every aspect of our lives. According to Romans 12:1-2, everything we do should be done to honor and glorify God and should reflect a spirit of worship.
• Everything in the music ministry should bring glory to God. No part of our efforts should have the intent of bringing glory to anyone else but God.
• Active pursuit of a closer relationship with Jesus should be the goal and passion of every participant in ministry, as it should be for every child of God. Only through a vital and personal walk with God can we achieve (or even know!) the goals and expectations that He has set for us.
• Everything done in ministry should be consistent with Scripture, although not necessarily with tradition. Everything we do should agree completely with God’s Word. If it does not, then it has no place in worship. Although tradition is very important and should be considered in many decisions of the ministry, we should not be afraid to let God do what He wills, even if it has never been done in the church before.
• Excellence in music should be an important goal of the ministry. Although perfection is not a goal, since it is impossible to achieve (and God does not expect it), I believe that God expects us to give Him the best that we have to offer in ministry. This means that music must be adequately rehearsed, services must be well-planned and organized, and participants should be rehearsed and ready to perform. This does not, however, mean that God cannot alter services, or that His Spirit will not be allowed to move in our service. God is sovereign, and His will is paramount.
• Ministry is a group effort.
  1. Goal setting – Goals and expectations should be clearly stated and agreed upon by all involved in the music ministry.
  1. Stewardship – All resources of the ministry, money, music, props, drama materials, teaching materials, etc., belong to God and should be treated as such. This means that we should use our resources as efficiently and effectively as possible. This can only be achieved through a group effort.
  1. Accountability – All aspects of the music ministry should be open to inspection and evaluation at any time by those who are in authority over the music ministry.
• Authority, especially authority exercised within the Church body, is a privilege given by God, not a right given by man, and should be exercised in the fear and admonition of the Lord.