I was recently asked a question. Should a music minstrel be paid for playing and leading worship? In many churches the one leading worship is a volunteer. In some cases they play like a volunteer. I know, I was one.
Yet we admire the level of worship some anointed saints that can bring a congregation to higher levels. They have a truly God given gift. They are tapped into a place many others are not. They spend time in worship and prayer on a personal level that is significant. They practice. They wrestle to find that sweet spot in worship.
The list of anointed worship leaders who have emerged from the local church and gained national prominence is long. What if Israel Houghton agreed to become a full time partner in your worship leadership. Is he worthy of honor in the spoils? Money?
Do we have (in many places) insipid worship because we don't value it? Yes that means money.
I know this is an issue. I hear it discussed all the time. I have watched many become frustrated; Worship leaders and Senior Leaders.
There is a story that has instruction in 1 Samuel if we consider it carefully. Read it here: 1 Samuel 30: 21-25.
Every warrior who went into war took slings and arrows. They risked life and limb. Shed blood. They put it all on the line.
Yet David makes an order. Everyone gets a share of the spoils. The text calls those who would have kept it all for themselves worthless and wicked.
I see a prophetic parallel to the question about minstrels. The warfare is over men's souls is to expand the kingdom. The spoils are the product of the victory. People's prosperity increases and the spoils are shared among the soldiers on the front line and those who take care of the stuff.
IF that principle for instruction and reproof of scripture is applied, it will argue that every worker who works in the work of the King needs to take part of the spoils.
I know that when I got saved, the music Bruce Larson brought was a big part of what caught my attention. Pastor Dan was a great preacher, but my heart was prepared by Pastor Bruce in anointed worship.
That is as it is today. I don't care how great a preacher one is, the trip uphill is much much greater if you don't have anointed worship. It's the ultimate harp and bowl. All harp and no bowl will fail.
Rather than not pay and end up with just OK (as most churches do) you might be better off playing worship CDs on a boom box. They only cost 15 bucks. Cheaper than a musician.
The spoils belong to every one who fought and those who took care of the stuff. If you are a senior leader, make certain that the spoils end up in the right hands. Honor. Sunlight. and YES, money. Money is a spoil.
I won't even talk about any of the five fold. Should an evangelist be part of the spoils in distribution? Should a prophet?
Israel Houghton isn't coming if you aren't sharing the spoils. Ever preacher's favorite verse is: Deuteronomy 25:4 "Don't muzzle the Ox while it is threshing grain". The question is, if grain is being threshed, who should recieve the threshing spoils? Who put the yoke on the ox, who brought the grain to be threshed, who hauled it away when it was done and who made sure it was stored safely. Not the ox.
Let's not be among those God calls wicked and worthless in 1 Samuel.
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