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The young should learn
from the masters |
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Apart from Adam, who had no predecessor, every man has the advantage of not having to pass through the problems and mistakes that others before him have made. You are not the first to pass through that field which God has called you. So adapt the experiences of others before you to your own unique situation.
And the only way you can know their experiences is to go to them. You can read their experiences. You can read their books and you can listen to their records. From these books and records, you can learn. You need to humble yourself and be wise to make available unto yourself all the wisdom and experiences of people who have passed the way you want to pass.
There is no vocation that does not have its own peculiarities. With gospel music, the peculiarities are those of one of the oldest and most divine professions in the world.
The choir in your Church is the primary formal training
school you can attend. Every choir should have a competent choirmaster, not just anybody who needs to be honoured. It is a position for somebody who is skilled enough to teach others. Somebody who is full of the Holy Spirit and so can lead others and teach them on spiritual matters. He must be a teacher of the Word and music. When you join a choir with such a choirmaster, you will receive primary training in rudiments of music. Every choir should have instruments and instrumentalists who can teach others to play music.
They should be competent before being employed. And two factors should be taken into consideration, theirspirituality and skill. Because of their skill, a salary may have to be paid to them on a weekly or monthly basis.
This, however, depends on each Church. But they should not be given a lesser treatment than other Church workers, like pastors, evangelists and teachers. No Church should relegate music because she does not want to pay instrumentalists and singers. We should do enough to make our music good enough for our God. It is the food of God. He dwells in our praises.
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Every Church must have a choir |
Every Church must not only have a choir, but must have a choir made up of skilful and holy and sanctified members. They must be men and women (of course, boys and girls) who have made up their minds to be sanctified (separated for God's use). They must be ready to acquire the necessary skill to do this service, which will make God pay attention to them and the members of their congregation.
Call it by whatever name, every service should start with the ministration of these skilled members. You can find a brother or sister who is so gifted and consecrated. When you do this, the choir becomes the primary centre of learning for those who want to acquire the necessary training to become effective for God as gospel music ministers. |
Some Churches do not call their own singing group "The Choir", but they have a set of people who minister in songs to them. Call it whatever you like, it is still a choir, because "The Choir" is any group of people who have dedicated themselves to praising and thanking God in the presence of a congregation.
They "lead" the congregation in congregational singing unto God. They have dedicated themselves to making the praise of God more and more desirable and they practice to acquire all the necessary skills to make this possible. It is this group you must join.
That is why the Pastor of any Church must pay particular attention to this "Training School" Young men and women who want to be effective for God in gospel music are looking up to that Choirmaster to teach them both the skill of gospel music and the way of life gospel musicians should live. So teach their leader, who will teach others what he has learnt. 
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Join an amateur or professional gospel group |
The next step in your career is to join an amateur or a professional gospel music group. If finance would not debar you (and you must pray and meditate on this decision carefully) you can skip joining an amateur group and join a professional group straight away. In such groups, you will learn not just skill, but the way of life of a gospel music minister who is like an itinerant preacher.
You will have to face many challenges that a choir member does not face. A chorister only has to go for choir practices and choir meetings arranged by the Church. He then comes to Church during services to minister. But a group member, apart from going to meetings in his Church, has the added responsibilities of attending the practices and meetings of his group.
It is therefore advisable that, if you have to work for your daily bread in any job other than music (you are an amateur), you should not continue as a chorister of your Church. This is because the two responsibilities would clash. But if you want to reach the highest level of effectiveness as a gospel musician, you must take the further step of joining group music.
Every other vocation must be regarded as secondary and therefore a part-time employment. Now let me remind you who a gospel minister is. He is a singer, or instrumentalist or anyone who works to make gospel music effective. He could be a producer, public-relations manager, engineer or general manager of a group. Such professionals derive their livelihood from gospel music Ministration. The issue of professionalism needs further clarification.
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Professionalism in Gospel Music Ministry |
Professionalism is the acquisition of the qualities or mark of a profession, this time the music profession. There are trainings and education associated with music, which every professional must have acquired. To become a professional musician, therefore, you must acquire all the necessary skill and etiquette associated with professional music.
You may also depend on it presently or at a time in the past, to be described as a professional musician. You may have to acquire your education, formally, in a school or informally like an apprentice, from senior professional.
That is why the joining of a professional group is an imperative training for the professionally minded gospel musician. Examples of professional gospel musicians abound in the Bible. A whole family in Israel was dedicated to this office in the Bible, the Levites.
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