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Main => Ministry, M.O.M, Praise Teams and Choirs => Topic started by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 07:44:54 AM

Title: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 07:44:54 AM
Matthew 25:14-30

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'



Let me tell you all what happened yesterday at my church...

I had a singer that sang in the choir and the praise team for YEARS tell me that her father was sick and she needed some time off so she would step down from the choir and praise team...

I gave her my blessings and she went her merry little way BUT I told her I wasn't releasing her forever. I told her that when things calmed down she needed to get right back to work and she agreed. That was 7 months ago. So about a month later, that same released singer because she has SOOOO much on her mind was singing at a women's program at the church. I thought nothing of it...
About 3 weeks later, this same singer with SOOO much on her mind was singing at a funeral. The last few months I've been blessed with more 100 times more solos from this released singer than what she did when she was in the praise team and choir.

Last Sunday took the cake, our church has a christian school K4-5th grade and they were in charge of the worship service. Boy she was EVERYWHERE!!! She was directing the school youth choir they sounded a mess but they looked really really good and it was apparent they tried...(doesn't offer to help with the church youth choir) the youth choir at the church sound good but don't look that hot since I have to play from the keyboard, I can't really direct... , THEN she was singing with a thrown together let's go sing some old songs hodge podge of singers leading a song with them (they sang FOUR back to back to back to back selections) and just had a HOLEY GHOST time (I spelled it the way it looked) there was something missing... Other than saying hello and goodbye, she says absolutely nothing to me.

In fact, another one of the stars of that thrown together mess (I can tell no lie) is the former pastor's grandson. This joker thought he was Donnie McClurkin but this is his story and he's sticking to it... He WAS in college out of town. He's graduated from FullSail in Orlando and he's doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with ANYTHING with the exception of bit parts in the drama ministry every blue moon. Yesterday was my first time hearing him sing at all... I had no idea he could hold a note. He's no lead singer but he can hold his part...

I'm pondering if I should approach these wicked(Matthew 25:26) and worthless (Matthew 25:30) servants about burying their talent in the ground or letting them THINK they're hurting me or the church...

I'm wondering if I should say something...

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: Mysteryman on February 26, 2007, 09:41:45 AM
What did he do in the parable?
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 10:45:32 AM
He threw them into a place outside into the darkness where there will be gnashing of teeth...

That to me means "Hell"...

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: sjonathan02 on February 26, 2007, 10:50:40 AM
He threw them into a place outside into the darkness where there will be gnashing of teeth...

That to me means "Hell"...

MrSparrow

And, while YOU have no heaven or hell to put them in, I'd suggest you try to let it go.


Now, it DOES bother you. Be honest, it does, or you wouldn't have posted it on LGM. Let it go, bruh. They feel lead in other areas, so be it. If they try to come back, then you can address what needs to occur within the music ministry.  ;)
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 11:05:08 AM
SJon,

I never said I would put them into hell or heaven. I simply answered Mysteryman's question which was "what did He do to them".

It does bother me to see people with their talent hidden in the ground.

When things bother me, I seek counsel of the experienced M.O.M.'s in here. As of right now, I haven't said a word to anyone about this besides you guys and my wife. I feel the Lord is laying them on my heart to say something to them but I'm unsure what to do. I'm sure we've all been in this situation where we see someone protesting or on self-imposed boycotts but I want to know how the best way to challenge/encourage them to get back busy in the ministry...

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: sjonathan02 on February 26, 2007, 11:17:41 AM
SJon,

I never said I would put them into hell or heaven. I simply answered Mysteryman's question which was "what did He do to them".

It does bother me to see people with their talent hidden in the ground.

When things bother me, I seek counsel of the experienced M.O.M.'s in here. As of right now, I haven't said a word to anyone about this besides you guys and my wife. I feel the Lord is laying them on my heart to say something to them but I'm unsure what to do. I'm sure we've all been in this situation where we see someone protesting or on self-imposed boycotts but I want to know how the best way to challenge/encourage them to get back busy in the ministry...

MrSparrow



The best way? Encourage them with what they're doing right now. If you show them the love of Christ, then He, in turn, can change their hearts.  ;)
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: LyricTenor on February 26, 2007, 11:24:37 AM
SJon,

I never said I would put them into hell or heaven. I simply answered Mysteryman's question which was "what did He do to them".

It does bother me to see people with their talent hidden in the ground.

When things bother me, I seek counsel of the experienced M.O.M.'s in here. As of right now, I haven't said a word to anyone about this besides you guys and my wife. I feel the Lord is laying them on my heart to say something to them but I'm unsure what to do. I'm sure we've all been in this situation where we see someone protesting or on self-imposed boycotts but I want to know how the best way to challenge/encourage them to get back busy in the ministry...

MrSparrow

So about a month later, that same released singer because she has SOOOO much on her mind was singing at a women's program at the church. I thought nothing of it...
About 3 weeks later, this same singer with SOOO much on her mind was singing at a funeral. The last few months I've been blessed with more 100 times more solos from this released singer than what she did when she was in the praise team and choir.

Last Sunday took the cake, our church has a christian school K4-5th grade and they were in charge of the worship service. Boy she was EVERYWHERE!!! She was directing the school youth choir they sounded a mess but they looked really really good and it was apparent they tried...(doesn't offer to help with the church youth choir) the youth choir at the church sound good but don't look that hot since I have to play from the keyboard, I can't really direct... , THEN she was singing with a thrown together let's go sing some old songs hodge podge of singers leading a song with them (they sang FOUR back to back to back to back selections) and just had a HOLEY GHOST time (I spelled it the way it looked) there was something missing... Other than saying hello and goodbye, she says absolutely nothing to me.

In fact, another one of the stars of that thrown together mess (I can tell no lie) is the former pastor's grandson. This joker thought he was Donnie McClurkin but this is his story and he's sticking to it... He WAS in college out of town. He's graduated from FullSail in Orlando and he's doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with ANYTHING with the exception of bit parts in the drama ministry every blue moon. Yesterday was my first time hearing him sing at all... I had no idea he could hold a note. He's no lead singer but he can hold his part...


I'm wondering if I should say something...

MrSparrow
Let it go, bruh. They feel lead in other areas, so be it. If they try to come back, then you can address what needs to occur within the music ministry.  ;)

From what I've read, it seems they are STILL IN the music ministry, just not under your tutelage.  I'm w/Overseer on this one.  If it's to bke...
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 12:54:50 PM
There is a big difference Lyric,

One singer resigned because she had situations going on that kept her from ministering effectly. Now that same person is singing all over the place. Obviously things are going better for her but she hasn't kept her word that she would return when things got back to normal.

The other singer only sang because it was a Founder's Day celebration honoring his deceased grandfather and former pastor of the church. He had the nerve to come up to me a few days before the service telling me that the program committee (his family) had some requests (YES REQUESTS like we're 106 and Park or THE BEAT) for the praise team... I told him WE DON'T DO REQUESTS... with the exception of our Pastor... even he respectfully makes suggestions... At that point, I told the other singer that my youth choir was scheduled to sing. Had they (the family) come to me at the beginning of the month, I could have switched my youth choir to a different Sunday and accomodated them.Then that singer told me that a group of former choir members were going to sing some selections after the offering. I asked him who was going to play for them because I obviously wasn't going to go out of my way and schedule another rehearsal. He told me that a musician that used to go to my church was coming back to play for the renegade choir. Mind you that musician has just flat out, out of the blue stopped playing at another church. Just stopped coming, don't return phone calls NADA... and he has a reputation for pulling no shows EVEN after he get's paid... and they were depending on him to show up. I have mixed feelings about letting stuff like that happen ESPECIALLY when that musician is in rebellion and is playing at my church instead of his own... but that's another totally different subject...

MrSparrow

Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 26, 2007, 01:48:16 PM

The best way? Encourage them with what they're doing right now. If you show them the love of Christ, then He, in turn, can change their hearts.  ;)

The problem is I'm VERY sarcastic...

When I compliment them on their work they are IMMEADIATELY going to be convicted... and will give me a bunch of excuses why they can't do the same in the music ministry... at that point I'm not sure if I'm going to be strong enough not to laugh at them or roll my eyes or call them out... I guess I'm just going to have to build up my nerve...

I can't let it go SJon, that's the easy way out. I just want to know why the only reason why somebody can give his gift to God is when it's at a program for his dead Granddaddy... it looks like we've got our priorities straight right??? ?/?

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: nessalynn77 on February 26, 2007, 04:01:19 PM
MrSparrow, if I can be honest, from what you posted here, it seems like you have some ill feelings toward these individuals.  When sjon said let it go, I would agree.  If you sincerely care about restoring them, at the very least, you have to let go of your personal feelings about the situation and do what is right because it is right, and for no other reason.
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: sjonathan02 on February 26, 2007, 04:15:15 PM
The problem is I'm VERY sarcastic...

When I compliment them on their work they are IMMEADIATELY going to be convicted... and will give me a bunch of excuses why they can't do the same in the music ministry... at that point I'm not sure if I'm going to be strong enough not to laugh at them or roll my eyes or call them out... I guess I'm just going to have to build up my nerve...

I can't let it go SJon, that's the easy way out. I just want to know why the only reason why somebody can give his gift to God is when it's at a program for his dead Granddaddy... it looks like we've got our priorities straight right??? ?/?

MrSparrow


Dude, you are talking to the King of Sarcasm. just ask some folks on THIS site.   :D


So, trust me when I say that you've got to let this go and LET GOD handle it. If you don't, it can't change, it WON'T change.

Allow God to be God.  :D

Be Blessed!!  ;)
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: Mysteryman on February 26, 2007, 04:45:39 PM
I will say somethings you have to change by force. When I say force I mean standing your ground and yet staying in God's will. If you have no control over the situation then you have no choice but to let it go. What I mean is if the pastor is still letting her sing you cant go over his head all you can do is pray. Things have change so much in the church world. We let many things slide that people used to not do. You have to be up on the times and you have to be compassionate in the same breath.

Like I said you are the MOM at your church and controls who do what if you can control it because the pastor sees different. Its best to leave it alone or you are really going to be bound up after a while.

The reason I said what happened in the parable was to make you think. I have recently be more leaning to looking for answers to questions in the bible. Not that I have not been before but sometimes we miss alot of answers to simple and complex questions that are right there.

There could be other factors two the equation also. Maybe the singer didnt like the way you handle things. Or maybe she could have been sick and gotten off track. All in all she is still using her gift so it is not being buried.

I stopped playing keys at my church for maybe 6-7 months. People said why you couldnt do this or that here? They knew I couldnt but just didnt want to admitt it. Im back playing at my church. Some of the things I wanted implemented long ago are being implemented now. I did a few things to help contribute to that. Whether they worked or not Im not sure God knows. Now Ive just got to get over past hurt and move on. I couldnt get some people to admitt to doing me wrong but I still had to forgive them and move on.
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 27, 2007, 07:43:05 AM
You're right my issue shouldn't be with the people who seek the spotlight for themselves my issue should be why my pastor casts a blind eye to that... I'll talk with him about that tonight. I remember a few weeks ago, the women's ministry had a weekend get-together at the church and instead of contacting me concerning Praise and Worship for the Saturday event to see if I had some women who could serve as Worship Leader, they (the organizers) picked a lady who I heard can sing but quit the choir years before I got there.

The more I think about this and discuss it with you, I'm really going to have to look at what I'm doing right, wrong and alright but could do better.

Just to give you a little history about this church, this church used to be a TRADITIONAL BAPTIST EVERYBODY IS KIN OR BORN AND RAISED IN THAT CHURCH kind of church. A few years ago (about 8) the church dropped it's Baptist ties and became a Non-denominational church. Our pastor became an Apostle and of course where there was no OFFICIAL falling away during the transition, there is a real heavy press to return to the things of old.

In fact, the guy who preached Sunday said after they church FAMILY CHOIR sung some old traditional "I'm On My Way" songs came up there yelling "YEAH! Now THAT's the "(insert name of church) that "I" know! I don't really care for that other conservative stuff..."  :o ?/? ::)The guy that preached Sunday was picked by the FAMILY and obviously doesn't care who or how he offended people.

Just keep me in your prayers,

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: sjonathan02 on February 27, 2007, 08:30:36 AM
You're right my issue shouldn't be with the people who seek the spotlight for themselves my issue should be why my pastor casts a blind eye to that... I'll talk with him about that tonight. I remember a few weeks ago, the women's ministry had a weekend get-together at the church and instead of contacting me concerning Praise and Worship for the Saturday event to see if I had some women who could serve as Worship Leader, they (the organizers) picked a lady who I heard can sing but quit the choir years before I got there.

The more I think about this and discuss it with you, I'm really going to have to look at what I'm doing right, wrong and alright but could do better.

Just to give you a little history about this church, this church used to be a TRADITIONAL BAPTIST EVERYBODY IS KIN OR BORN AND RAISED IN THAT CHURCH kind of church. A few years ago (about 8) the church dropped it's Baptist ties and became a Non-denominational church. Our pastor became an Apostle and of course where there was no OFFICIAL falling away during the transition, there is a real heavy press to return to the things of old.

In fact, the guy who preached Sunday said after they church FAMILY CHOIR sung some old traditional "I'm On My Way" songs came up there yelling "YEAH! Now THAT's the "(insert name of church) that "I" know! I don't really care for that other conservative stuff..."  :o ?/? ::)The guy that preached Sunday was picked by the FAMILY and obviously doesn't care who or how he offended people.

Just keep me in your prayers,

MrSparrow


Man, I feel for ya, bruh. Trying to update the music ministry in a church steeped in tradition is sooo difficult.


You're in my prayers.  ;)
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 27, 2007, 09:48:56 AM
The thing is there's a HUGE split going on and the traditional crowd is upping their chatter. Not to me directly and honestly they made the switch from Traditional Baptist with Devotion and a choir stand 8 years ago... you would think we just got started.

While I won't call it idolatry, they REALLY REALLY ADORE their former deceased Pastor. They even have a reserved parking space for the former Pastor's wife. Last week's service was really a memorial service masked to look like a Founder's Day Program.

Next year, I will suggest that they have a Founder's Day program that Sunday afternoon instead of hijacking a worship experience to talk about YESTERYEAR and the way things USED TO BE...

MrSparrow

Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: LyricTenor on February 27, 2007, 11:11:15 AM
There is a big difference Lyric,

One singer resigned because she had situations going on that kept her from ministering effectly. Now that same person is singing all over the place. Obviously things are going better for her but she hasn't kept her word that she would return when things got back to normal.

The other singer only sang because it was a Founder's Day celebration honoring his deceased grandfather and former pastor of the church. He had the nerve to come up to me a few days before the service telling me that the program committee (his family) had some requests (YES REQUESTS like we're 106 and Park or THE BEAT) for the praise team... I told him WE DON'T DO REQUESTS... with the exception of our Pastor... even he respectfully makes suggestions... At that point, I told the other singer that my youth choir was scheduled to sing. Had they (the family) come to me at the beginning of the month, I could have switched my youth choir to a different Sunday and accomodated them.Then that singer told me that a group of former choir members were going to sing some selections after the offering. I asked him who was going to play for them because I obviously wasn't going to go out of my way and schedule another rehearsal. He told me that a musician that used to go to my church was coming back to play for the renegade choir. Mind you that musician has just flat out, out of the blue stopped playing at another church. Just stopped coming, don't return phone calls NADA... and he has a reputation for pulling no shows EVEN after he get's paid... and they were depending on him to show up. I have mixed feelings about letting stuff like that happen ESPECIALLY when that musician is in rebellion and is playing at my church instead of his own... but that's another totally different subject...

MrSparrow



Ok.  I'm seeing that they want a contortionist w/no baccbone (I know it LOOKS like I said the same thing twice, but I'm sure you get what I'm saying).
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 27, 2007, 12:02:27 PM
Ok.  I'm seeing that they want a contortionist w/no baccbone (I know it LOOKS like I said the same thing twice, but I'm sure you get what I'm saying).

BINGO!!!!!!!

That's probably the reason they stay away... I guess I should count my blessings...

MrSparrow

BTW tell all of my Tye MB2 peeps I miss them... (FIREWALL AT SCHOOL WON'T LET ME EVEN LOOK AT THE PAGE...)

Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: LyricTenor on February 27, 2007, 01:17:12 PM
BINGO!!!!!!!

That's probably the reason they stay away... I guess I should count my blessings...

MrSparrow

BTW tell all of my Tye MB2 peeps I miss them... (FIREWALL AT SCHOOL WON'T LET ME EVEN LOOK AT THE PAGE...)



Ok, I was with you until THIS.  ?/?
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on February 27, 2007, 01:42:21 PM
my bad...

There's a guy up in there with the same name LyricTenor. I thought you and he were one and the same...

 :D

MrSparrow
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: LyricTenor on February 27, 2007, 02:38:24 PM
my bad...

There's a guy up in there with the same name LyricTenor. I thought you and he were one and the same...

 :D

MrSparrow

Honest mistake.  I thought I was the only one.  Ya learn something new everyday.
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: pianofingers21 on March 04, 2007, 10:17:35 PM
From my experiences I'd say let it go. For most folks, excuses are the only way they know how to deal with certain issues. Sitting down with you and telling you their 100% honest true motives may be too hard for them. I would just try to accept that maybe their heart isn't in that particular ministry anymore, and move on. You seem to have plenty of other talent to work with, and calling down hail, fire, and brimstone isn't going to do you any good... just a thought but maybe you're too critical of the situation sometimes?  Everyone needs a break once in a while.. Just sit back and watch what happens. I bet you'll be surprised :)
Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: MrSparrow on March 05, 2007, 07:41:42 AM
Pianofingers,

I wouldn't say I'm too critical I just call stuff as I see it. There is a need and they aren't really interested in serving unless it's on their terms (not being subject to authority). I think I'm going to sit this one out and see what happens... They still have a heart for the ministry but unless they're singing the solo they aren't interested...

MrSparrow

Title: Re: What to do with wicked, lazy and worthless servants?
Post by: sjonathan02 on March 05, 2007, 08:54:58 AM
Pianofingers,

I wouldn't say I'm too critical I just call stuff as I see it. There is a need and they aren't really interested in serving unless it's on their terms (not being subject to authority). I think I'm going to sit this one out and see what happens... They still have a heart for the ministry but unless they're singing the solo they aren't interested...
MrSparrow




Then, they don't have the heart.  ;)But, you KNEW that already. 8)