That is what I charge. I play at 2 small (under 100 adults) churches. Actually the one I worked at yesterday we'd negotiated down to $175/service and $125/rehearsal because I understand their situation and that's the lowest I'll work for at a church. We understand that as they grow so will my pay. If a church can't afford my services that's OK. There are other people that they, perhaps, can afford. What we as musicians and directors do is valuable and many, if not most, of us do not get nearly what our jobs are worth. (Actually that goes for other non music [day]jobs too.) That's not having "the big head" nor is it "thinking more highly of myself than I ought", it's simply understanding the value of what I do. I don't think I'm "the baddest" or "the hottest" thing around. In fact, though I'm good at what I do, I know there are others that can sing or play "rings around me" as it were. That's not the point. It took me some time to realize this because my whole family is so musical and I deal with so many musicians but, what we do is a highly specialized field. MOST people don't do what we do.
Also, the reason I charge for rehearsals is because that's where most of the work goes. Try this; Suppose you get paid just $10 per hour. You take 2hrs listening to, praying over, and selecting material to do. Take another 5 hrs learning to sing it, learning to play it, learning to do both simultaneously,and learning it well enough to teach it. 2hrs in rehearsal. We're at $90 already. Add writing out charts, copying out lyrics, or making tapes/CDs for people and it goes up. Add a "pain in the neck" tax for the attitudes that you inevitably will have to deal with. Do you see what I mean? Working the service is relatively easy by comparison. Pray, show up on time, organize your personell, listen to the Holy Ghost and the pastor, worship God, and execute what you did in rehearsal.
Is that "using" the church? YES! Is the church "using" me? YES!! That's what the exchange of goods and services is. Is it right. Yes. I'm sure you know the scriptures "Muzzle not the ox that treadeth out the corn" and "The laborer is worthy of his hire". Is it ABuse? No. When you go to work your secular job it's the same exchange. What about "Giving your gift back to God" and all that? Well, firstly "Gifts and callings come without repentance". My undersanding of this is that God does NOT take these things back nor do I know of or recall any such biblical incidences (lifting of the anointing is a different thing). Next, working for the Lord and for a church are two different things. In all we do it is to be "as unto the Lord" but I can lift my voice and play an instrument alone. When I as a musician worship on my instrument or with a mic at church it is of direct benefit to that church.
Miscellaneous Commentary (My 2 cents):Whatever level you are at you had to at some point develop youself. God gives us talent but WE must develop the skills. WE are responsible for our own development NOT God.
:The churches that I work for (and most in general) don't really care much that music is my full time job, that I'm the sole breadwinner in my house, that I have a family, mortgage, 2 cars and payments and everything else that everyone has to deal with. Those things are of great importance to me, however, and therefore my fee cannot be left up to someone else to decide. They want the job done, preferably in excellence, preferably by a saved, Spirit-filled person. I'm there to do a job, which includes worshiping God sincerely before an audience.
: Does anyone negotiate fees with their doctor? Or do we value their xpertise and xperience and just pay them? What we do in church is MORE important. We help bring the presence of the Creator of the universe to people. In that presence lives can be changed for the good forever. Healings, deliverances and something as simple as making people open to hear the Spirit of God through the spoken Word of God.
: How many times have you seen this scenario; A person is brought in to play for a church. Time goes on and they start adding choirs (senior, men's, childern's choir, band rehearsal, extra services, "revivals" etc..) and the pay or lack thereof stays the same while that person is now doing 3 or 4 more jobs.
:I have seen, more often than not in my area, churches taking advantage of and/or abusing musicians. Yes, I'm aware that the primary resource of churches is people and folks can get used up like gasoline working(paid and volunteers) at church. But, I've seen clear abuse. I've also seen churches bring on "heathens" just because they could play/sing. That to me indicates a lack of understanding by the administration or lack of care for the congregation.
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