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Ques: Our Music Ministry has grown as well as our prayer group in the last year.   We have gone from a few to over 10 members in the music ministry.  We are not sure how to invite or welcome new members.  What criteria should be used?   Besides having a God given talent and committment, should new members be Baptized in the Spirit?  Should we invite new members who are interested in music with the hope that if they are invited to play in the Music Ministry, then they will want to become Baptized in the Spirit?  What about current members in a music ministry who don't have musical talent, but love to sing.......what should we do with these members?

Can you help us?

Ans:  Praise the Lord you have this problem!  It is great isn't it!  Most music leaders are wearing sack cloth and ashes tarrying the Lord to send more musicians, but you have the opposite problem.  Be sure to thank Him for this challenge.  One thing for sure....you are doing something right to cause others to want to join the music ministry.  God is blessing you.  We just need some guidance on how to discern those who the Lord has sent and those who have sent themselves in the name of the Lord.

    I need to make some assumptions before answering so here they are:

1. Your music ministry serves a charismatic prayer group as opposed to a parish liturgy or non-charismatic prayer group.
2. You have been asked by a leader or leaders team (core or pastoral team) to lead the music ministry.
3. The prayer meeting leadership has no guidelines for membership in prayer group ministries.

At the Body of Christ Prayer Group where Refuge ministers, we do have guidelines that have been in effect for over 25 years.  They are guidelines put together by the pastoral team early in our prayer group formation.  I usually follow the guidelines, but I have strayed from time to time as situations arose.

Life in the Spirit Required?
One guideline is that all members of any ministry in the prayer group must go through a Life in the Spirit (LITS) Seminar given by the prayer group, even if they have been baptized in the Spirit elsewhere.  When LITS were being held 4 times a year at the prayer group, this was easy.  We are not down to 2 a year and once we had one in a years time.  Therefore, if someone has expressed interest in the music ministry and was baptized somewhere else, I allowed them to minister with us but always let them know that they were expected to attend a future LITS.  Sometimes this took as long as a year or more but I was confident their heart was with the Lord and they sought to walk in the Spirit. 

Musical Talent Required?
I may be alone with this one but listen carefully. You don't have to be an outstandingly gifted musician to join a music ministry, but no music minister should subtract from the ministry when they join.  Some examples:  If you can't sing or play on/in key, we have a problem.  If you can't sing or play on/in time, we have a problem.  If you can't control your volume singing or playing, we have a problem but teaching may help with this one. 

I have had all of the above happen to Refuge.  Today I require interested people to sing me a song or play guitar for me before I say yes.  I ask interested people why they want to join.  I sometimes ask them to wait a few weeks or even months while they continue to attend the prayer meeting to be sure the interest does not leave. I sometimes ask them to join me at mass (before the prayer meeting) for weeks or months prior to letting them join us at the prayer meeting.

When I joined the music ministry I did not play guitar and sang minimally in a high school choir. I was not a trained musician but just someone who wanted to join the music ministry because I heard an announcement made one night that they needed help.

One thing for sure!!!!!!!!  MUSICAL TALENT ALONE DOES NOT QUALIFY SOMEONE TO BE A MEMBER IN A PRAYER GROUP MUSIC MINISTRY. It is very important that all members of the music ministry share in the purpose and vision of the prayer group.  They must understand that the music ministry is all about Jesus and the prayer group is all about Jesus and our songs are worship to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our first priority is heartfelt worship and not a good sound. The good sound is the blessing that follows once we have turned our hearts and minds to the Creator of all music and Lord of the dance. When we meet Jesus, He will thank us for a heart of worship.  I cannot image Him congratulating me for having the best guitar money can buy and the latest sound effects or keeping up with the latest worship music. These things are good but secondary at best to a worshipping heart and mind.

Whatever you decide to do, be sure to inform the prayer group leader or leader team so they can agree and pray for you as you go about serving the members of the music ministry.  Hope this helps. 

Your Brother,  Pete  for Refuge

Ans:  Thanks for visiting our site!  It is great to hear of a fellow music minister struggling with what music to use at a worship event.  There is no greater worship event than mass!  Praise be God!

I have been a Catholic all my life and involved in the Charismatic Renewal for 25+ years.  The one thing I have come to know is that any worship music can be Charismatic music and effectively used at both normal Sunday liturgy and at a Catholic Charismatic liturgy.  What makes it charismatic is the way we choose to sing (with emotion and conviction), what we do during the song (lift our hands, close our eyes, clap for joy, dance), and how we end the song (with spontaneous praise, clapping and continued strumming as the Spirit leads).   Our music ministry, Refuge, likes to combine both traditional Charismatic music (Integrity, Vineyard, Songs of Praise, Holy is the Lord) with traditional Catholic music (Glory and Praise, Gather, Music Issue, Ritual Song, Missalette). This way people feel at home (by hearing songs they know sung in a new way) and have an opportunity to hear some songs they may have never heard.  As St. Paul said, he was all things to all people.

A few other suggestions:

1. Make sure you are of one mind with the leaders coordinating the liturgy and the celebrant.  They should support the music ministry in leading praise during and after a song.  If the music ministry is the only one joining in exuberant worship then it could be misinterpreted by those attending Mass.  The congregation should see a united effort to praise the Lord! 

2. Unfortunately, church structures have an effect on worship and it usually makes those within the building more solemn and pious.  We have been taught since childhood to be quiet and sit still when we are in God's house and even after being born again in the Spirit we continue to live these instructions from our past.    This also has positive effects since during communion it enables the music ministry to minister in special, intimate ways while the Eucharist is being consumed.  I have no solution for the effect of church buildings on God's  people.  Liturgy held in gyms, auditoriums, houses, etc. are more lively but I know He is present wherever His faithful gather and especially in Eucharistic presence.

3. Don't lose heart!  I sense a disappointment in your words.  Know that God is God and you are His servant.  Be obedient to Him and continue to serve Him in a Church that we love and respect.  I have decided to be a music missionary whenever I sing.  Focus on the true audience which is the Lord Jesus Himself, the saints and angels!  Praise God!  Cast out that "cold feeling" and cover yourself with the fragrance of the Father's great love!  He has great faith in you! You must have great faith in Him as well!  Be bold and live the scriptures as you "sing a new song".

About our situation in India, we have one very good Music Ministry active in the state of Kerala and one in Bombay. In Chennai, where I am, our latest Music Ministry is very blessed with talented musicians. Till now, we have been organizing a few Youth Conventions and regularly a whole Night Vigil once every month. For all these programs, apart from a group of five singers and two main voices, we had a keyboard PSR 520, a Bass guitar and occasionally a rhythm guitar and a drum set. For the PA system we have been hiring the entire system, mixer, column speakers and the rest. For this we have been spending our own money.

Here is the Challenge? We want to organize a weekly open Prayer meeting/celebration for the entire city.  A Central place of worship. In the light of this hiring equipment every week would be crazy and we would not be able to afford it. That is why I am seeking help by way of guidance and if possible material. This will all go to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

We are looking at giving quality worship music and having a sound PA system. PA systems are available here but will never match the quality available professionally. (I will try to send you details of what is available). The idea is of an open air meeting catering to about 4000 people. The venue will not be a stadium but a games field of a  school or college.

I would like advice on what kind of PA system we must use and instruments for a normal praise and worship team.  I know I haven't given you enough info but I will. Secondly, on instruments while the guitars or keyboards are mostly personal equipment - nobody owns a drum set. And of course we are still dreaming about using guitar processors (ZOOM) and the like - available but we cannot afford them.

The music we play is mostly Praise & Worship Hossana Music, Vineyard, Don Moyen, Ron Kenolly. We try our best. Our instrumentalists are good, most of them play by ear and not by reading music.  Yes, if you have spare good Catholic Music or Christian music we would love to have some stuff especially for Youth.

I guess I have briefed you enough about our situation and needs.  Do feel free to clarify on anything. and let's keep sharing in the Lord

Your bro in Christ

Ans:

Dear Brother in Christ,

I forwarded this to our sound engineer and I will get suggestions from him as well.  Your work in the Lord sounds like a great opportunity to evangelize with music. Be humbled that he has chosen you to be his voice and hands in this situation.   Here are some of my thoughts and ways God has worked through REFUGE.

1. Initially our biggest obstacle to equipment expansion was money.  Our prayer group and members of REFUGE funded our first recording project.  It was recorded on a  low budget.  From start to finish, we had 500 copies of cassette tapes for a total cost of about $3,700 (US Dollars).  People were willing to fund the tape knowing that the recording would be used as a means to evangelize friends and family.  We would give the tape out and tell people if they wanted to hear more then come to a prayer meeting.  It was also a way for people to bring the music of a prayer meeting into their homes and cars.  Fund from donations for our tape have enabled us to acquire equipment and set up for large gatherings with a state of the art sound system.  These tape donations also freed us from the concern for money so we can focus on praise and worship.  Consider a recording and dedicate all of it to Jesus!

2. With instruments, there is no standard but for a full sound the absolute minimum is a guitar, bass and drums.  Great additions are a lead guitar and a keyboard.  Pray that the Lord send willing  musicians and ask for their commitment for at least one year.  Insist on commitment as a requirement and understand that some cannot give it.  If they can't give it then they should seek another ministry in which they can be committed.  However, do not reject them as brothers and sisters in the Lord  because conflicts prevent them from joining.  Our drummer has an electronic (digital) drum set.  It is great!  Offers great control of volume and easy set up.  Highly recommend an electronic or digital set!

3. Sounds like you have enough singers.  That is a real blessing! Encourage them and seek God's unity among them.

4. On sound needs.  An open air gathering would be difficult and rarely occurs here for live worship.  Weather is too unpredictable. You will need lots of power (amps/watts).  You will also need to  distribute speakers throughout the crowd or down the sides of the worship area.   I will let our sound engineer talk about equipment.  Give us more detail on what you have today.

5.  I can mail you a cassette tape with music we have found useful.  I can also mail you our two recordings.  What is your address?

6.  Lastly on music choices.  Integrity, Vineyard, Hosanna, Marantha music is all great and we use it as well.  However, I have found one of the best ways to attract everyday Catholics to our music is to always make sure we include music a Sunday Catholic would recognize along with the other music. We choose Sunday Mass, liturgical music and redo it in a new and uplifting way.  Ask the Lord to show you Sunday Mass hymns that can be used by your group in a new style.

Your Brother in Jesus,
Pete 

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