How to Select the Songs You Sing

Where to recruit?
Should you go to local schools to recruit? I wouldn’t rule it out as a possible option, but it’s only one option in the net your music team members and ministry should be casting. Once you understand the purpose of your church and the senior pastor’s philosophy of ministry, and then communicate that to the existing team and congregation, ask them all to be on the lookout wherever they are. Musicians are everywhere. There is a lot of undiscovered potential in most churches and communities.

For additional input, I recommend Tony Guerrrero’s Attracting Quality Musicians: A Guidebook & Discussion for Worship Leaders, Music Directors & Pastors, which can be picked up from http://www.tonyguerrero.com

Starting and building a music ministry takes a lot of energy. Don’t get discouraged when you strike out in recruitment. Go back to the plate and keep swinging. You will hit red lights, but there’s always a green light coming up. Pastor Rick Warren used an illustration in the Worship From A to Z series that impacted me. Imagine you are on a plane flight. At takeoff, you stand up in the aisle and start flapping your arms up and down. The flight attendant walks toward you, “Can I help you?” You respond, “I’m fine. I’m just doing my part to make the plane fly.” After a while, your arms get tired. Remember that God is the one really flying the plane. We often look a bit silly standing in the aisle flapping our arms when we forget that, while we are commanded to work hard, it is not our hard work that brings results. God is flying the plane. Proverbs 21:31 says, ”Do your best, prepare for the worst — then trust God to bring victory.” Happy hunting!