From what I’ve observed of our families, friends, and in the churches in our uneducated area, it seems that non-performers take the gift of music for granted. It is not valued, and the general consensus seems to be that good music simply. . . happens. I have personally helped to further this view. When a non-musician says to me “Oh, I can’t sing, I sound awful,” I always reply, “the Lord said to make a joyful noise.”
What I do not say, and what pastors and congregations are ignoring to their great peril, is the third verse of this psalm:
1Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy (Psa 33:1-3).
We are commanded to play skillfully because God deserves the best of what we have to offer; we gain skill through dedication, practice, and experience; we demonstrate skill through mastery and humility. Thus a church musician who is truly called to the role endures the refiner’s fire: the road that travels through both mastery and humility is narrow, especially in light of the specific demands of performance. Most of those called to perform for God have some need for or delight in being in front of other people, and also a talent that requires an audience.
God demands that we develop our talent into skill, because he wants the best we can give. Do you understand what this requires? Beyond simply practicing, a dedicated vocalist does not stay up late. She drinks water non-stop all day, every day. She breathes through her nose in the cold. She does not cheer and shout at the ballgame; in fact, she does not ever raise her voice. She holds back the coughing when she is ill. She does not clear her throat. Other types of musicians have their own particular needs, but all of them literally mold their entire lives around their gift.
As a reward, they are tempted: not simply with the temptation to pride that comes with mastery, but — because music is a performance art, which makes the holder a public figure — also with the temptation to pride which comes with praise from others. The opportunities for sin are inherent in the gift, which is why we see so many good musicians with egos that could burst the doors of the largest cathedral.
Despite this danger, we know that God loves music. God loved King David above all others, even allowing His own Son to proceed from David’s line: and David was a musician, with an entire book in the Bible devoted to his songs. God loves joy, and beauty. God loves us. And those who are most free to express this love in music are those who are most highly skilled in that calling. It is only these who can transcend the technical lessons and immerse themselves in the joy of giving back to God what has been given them, worshiping exactly as King David prescribes.
The dangers of this level of skill are part of the musician’s spiritual walk, and circumventing potential issues by placing untalented or unskilled musicians in front of God’s people does not solve any problems. It simply creates a larger one: the congregation stops listening. Because of the way God designed the sense of hearing, music is a physical experience; good music will resonate within the bodies of the listeners, and bad music can literally turn their stomachs—or turn them away.
Yes, we must work with the talents and gifts that God makes available to us. And yes, all musicians have a road to travel; they do not simply wake up one day as masters. But to ignore God’s request for the best of our skill is to deny our heavenly Father his due.