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Pastor, Prophetess Ruth Johnson,
I am a church baby and as long as I can remember musicians have been on salary along with the Senior Pastor and the Administrator of the church. For whatever reason we never questioned it or thought we should receive any payments and I have always been a part of leadership. The Office workers were hired full time in order that the church could be open almost 24 hours a day and because the Pastor gave up his job and time away from his or her family to be at the church or wherever he was needed for the members. The First Family were to always be taken care of, like Jesus and His Disciples were. They all gave up their every day jobs to follow Christ and Christ gave up His Carpentry to do the work of the Father. However, the way things are now the church is ran like a every day business and that is not right, I think we have gotten carried away with the money in the church. No one wants to be a Servant and volunteer their services in the church and allow the Lord to make room for their careers outside of the church on their jobs.
But that's what the Lord gave me.
I enjoyed reading the responses, especially Leslie Gardner. No, we don't mind volunteering our time playing our instruments in church, but musicians have to work outside the church to make money for a living just like the other volunteers. We also need to work outside church just to keep up with the required maintenance of the instrument.
The only musician that usually gets paid is the organ/piano player who is usually the music director. Drummers, bassists, guitar players, and woodwind, string & brass, etc. players don't usually get paid. Not only did we spend countless hours ( or years ) practicing and studying music with or without a degree, we have spent $1000's of dollars on each instrument. A good quality horn can range from about $3000 to $10,000+, and most, if not all, require ongoing expenses like reeds, oil, cork grease, strings, etc. A reed averages about $3.00 per reed & many times out of of box of 10, about 1/2 of them are good. We also have to take our instruments back on a montly basis for "tuning up", as the springs & pads wear down. So just like any volunteer in the church who works "in the world" during week, so do musicians.
The jazz clubs, coffeehouses, festivals, weddings, etc. see the value of the skilled musician or see that the musician(s) can add something of value to the establishment or ceremony, so they are willing to pay. The church may see the value of paying a skilled air conditioner repair person, if the AC is stops working in 100 degree heat or a plumber if a pipe is broken, but can function without the "extra" musicians. So we basically go to work where people see the value and benefit of our skills and happily volunteer at church. Even after I recorded a CD to help support or make a living, maybe 10% of the people at my church purchased one. For all the writing, composing, hours in the studio & the $1000's spent, I only asked $10.00 for the CD.
Now, there are venues I will not play, just like there are some companies or offices I would not work or jobs I would not do. Obviously strip joints, drug parties, etc are off limits. But, I also know that even pastors are working regular jobs outside the church, too, and our music director also works a regular job.
So true, but I do know that not all "jazz houses" have more money than churches---it's a matter of what is more important to them. For example: People will pay money to musicians for weddings & private parties because "they can't imagine the celebration w/out it". As Leslie indicated, they recognize the skill required for this & know they can't just ask anybody to just play an instrument like they can ask someone to be a bridesmaid for example. Some churches have more money than "jazz houses" and vice versa. And, may I add, if we need prayer & Godly counsel, can we go to Wal Mart, 7-11, Chase Bank, etc.? No, but many church volunteers work there (including pastors) but for some reason, it is never questioned.
When I worked in corporate America & retail stores, I experienced more "evil" than I ever experienced in any jazz restaurant, cafe, or festival, etc. If you note the first thing I stated was I & other musicians really don't mind volunteering our time in the church just like everybody else, but there is an expense involved in maintaining the instruments & just like some pastors & other ministers & volunteers, etc., we can't wait until the congregation "gets it" in terms of tithes, offerings, etc. They work jobs to support their families, & so do musicians.
Remember, tithes & offerings come from salaries church members earn working "in the world", not volunteering in the church. If volunteers don't work jobs outside the church, not only do they not eat, but they have no tithes & offerings to give to the church.
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