VOLUNTEER OR PAID MUSICIAN?

[rtadrummer]

Hey........ i would like to know how many of us gospel drummers get paid for this job. A great musician showed me in Nehemiah that musicians and singers were paid for doing this. As a matter of fact, I think that that happens in some churches today(praise and worship singers do this full time).

This may depend on your church's congregation, the amount of money coming in of course. So if you are being paid please state that along with the size of your congregation and if this is full time or not.

Don't get me wrong,I enjoy what i do but i just want to know how it's done in other churches around the world

[CJKeyboardPlaya]

i wish i was gettin compensation...but last i was told (by my own pastor) i wasnt gonna enuff to be paid. imma drummer who has some skills to play keys... go figure...

[Vangie D]

A Bit off both... lol.
Most church stuff is volunteer... But when certain branches have Concerts and Call us down to play we get paid....
But its also nice to play and get paid when you don't expect to...

Would be nice to get paid for alot more events seen as we usually have to also transport our equipment from one city the next....

[JFunky]

...do you guys consider yourselves "Levites"?  Do you guys/gals know what a "Levite" is and/or did? 


...I'm not a paid musician/Worship Leader.  At the end of the day, God has never left me without food on the table and has blessed me with new days and evenings.

[dude-on-drums]

...do you guys consider yourselves "Levites"?  Do you guys/gals know what a "Levite" is and/or did? 


...I'm not a paid musician/Worship Leader.  At the end of the day, God has never left me without food on the table and has blessed me with new days and evenings.

I dont know what the first part of your statement has to do with anything...


I'm with you on your second statement though.  Musicians need to stop trying to rape the church of their finances.  The church does'nt owe us anything.  We are volunteers unless they want to hire us.  Its optional for you to play.  Its optional for them to pay.  Plain and simple.  The Levite musicians were full time and they recieved part of the tithe because that was the order of things in the Storehouse.   That was the law of that land.  This is America.  We are not Levites.  Neither God, or any other well respected biblical figure has instructed us to act as if we were Levites.  In a nut shell, musicians need to get jobs and stop trying to use the bible to their monetary advantage.

[b_jizzle20]

I'm with you on your second statement though.  Musicians need to stop trying to rape the church of their finances.  The church does'nt owe us anything.  We are volunteers unless they want to hire us.  Its optional for you to play.  Its optional for them to pay.  Plain and simple.  The Levite musicians were full time and they recieved part of the tithe because that was the order of things in the Storehouse.   That was the law of that land.  This is America.  We are not Levites.  Neither God, or any other well respected biblical figure has instructed us to act as if we were Levites.  In a nut shell, musicians need to get jobs and stop trying to use the bible to their monetary advantage.

Truth!!


I look as this... I have a gift that God gave me free of charge, and I would gladly use it in return for His glory, free of charge.

[E.R.]

Not only do I play for free, I buy the Church the best equipment money can buy. 

[QCdrummer]

I see that everybody left my topic alone!!!

Lol, but naw I don't mind being a blessing to somebody's
 church, as long as I am lead to do so. An Elder I've known for a while just started his Church and I felt led to go there and help him out. Knowing that I would not get anything because they are not in position to do so.

My problem is with the people who I don't know from Adam, blowing my phone up wanting me to come to thier functions/or play at thier church without getting anything. Little 10 year Johnnie can play on the set at his church all day long, but he doesn't want that. He wants to go out seeking SKILLED musicians who can help build the music ministry, which can help a church grow, which in turn, brings in income to the Church.

This is Taking Advantage of somebody's gift.

[Keys410]

...do you guys consider yourselves "Levites"?  Do you guys/gals know what a "Levite" is and/or did? 


...I'm not a paid musician/Worship Leader.  At the end of the day, God has never left me without food on the table and has blessed me with new days and evenings.

Agreed.

My Bishop has come to me and said they want to pay the musicians for putting in the time we do, but I am not pressed about it cause God has given me a good job, car, and his love,so I am good. My church is small maybe 20 heads. So being paid is not something I push. I told him when they are ready to do so then they can. If I want to be paid to play I can always find another side gig or move to NY and play in the subway..LOL

[diligent-hands]

I dont know what the first part of your statement has to do with anything...


I'm with you on your second statement though.  Musicians need to stop trying to rape the church of their finances.  The church does'nt owe us anything.  We are volunteers unless they want to hire us.  Its optional for you to play.  Its optional for them to pay.  Plain and simple.  The Levite musicians were full time and they recieved part of the tithe because that was the order of things in the Storehouse.   That was the law of that land.  This is America.  We are not Levites.  Neither God, or any other well respected biblical figure has instructed us to act as if we were Levites.  In a nut shell, musicians need to get jobs and stop trying to use the bible to their monetary advantage.


i never thought i see the day where i agree with SHEEN....God is sure to come back soon...lol


GodsDruMmr...

[shall176]

I don't get paid to play...and I would be there if they paid me or not, cuz I love my church and believe in my church.  I have no issue with not being paid.....what I do have issue with however, is if they tell you you will be paid, and then  nothing comes of it...or if they tell you, they can't ive you anything right now due to finances, then hire a new organ player and a new something else and give them a truckload of money.  I play in a band of 5...only 1 gets paid.  When we were a band of 4, 3 got paid (myself being the 1 that didn't).  But as they left, and more congregation members joined (which is where I came from as well), they were not paid.  It seems some churches pay for outside musicians to come in, but when established members step in to play, they get nothing.

[shall176]

Oh yeah....we have about 400-500 members that come regularly.  The role is probably around 800-900+ though....but as you know....people may join and you never see them abain

[under13]

I don't get paid to play...and I would be there if they paid me or not, cuz I love my church and believe in my church.  I have no issue with not being paid.....what I do have issue with however, is if they tell you you will be paid, and then  nothing comes of it...or if they tell you, they can't ive you anything right now due to finances, then hire a new organ player and a new something else and give them a truckload of money.  I play in a band of 5...only 1 gets paid.  When we were a band of 4, 3 got paid (myself being the 1 that didn't).  But as they left, and more congregation members joined (which is where I came from as well), they were not paid.  It seems some churches pay for outside musicians to come in, but when established members step in to play, they get nothing.

SO TRUE. Sounds like my home church.

I wonder if those same pastors that refuse to pay musicians, would pastor a church for free???
Right now I'm Strictly volunteer, I'm the only Organist at the church that I play for, so I'm Getting A lot of experience playing in a band. When I  get better, I plan to go somewhere where I wll be compensated and fed. I would never play at a church, where I'm not comfortable or am not being fed with the word of God.

But since I'm Not being paid, I dont feel bad not playing at thier evening services, funerals etc. I'm not gonna let them abuse me.

Agreed.

My Bishop has come to me and said they want to pay the musicians for putting in the time we do, but I am not pressed about it cause God has given me a good job, car, and his love,so I am good. My church is small maybe 20 heads. So being paid is not something I push. I told him when they are ready to do so then they can. If I want to be paid to play I can always find another side gig or move to NY and play in the subway..LOL

A bishop, with only 20 members????

[Keys410]

SO TRUE. Sounds like my home church.

I wonder if those same pastors that refuse to pay musicians, would pastor a church for free???
Right now I'm Strictly volunteer, I'm the only Organist at the church that I play for, so I'm Getting A lot of experience playing in a band. When I  get better, I plan to go somewhere where I wll be compensated and fed. I would never play at a church, where I'm not comfortable or am not being fed with the word of God.

But since I'm Not being paid, I dont feel bad not playing at thier evening services, funerals etc. I'm not gonna let them abuse me.

A bishop, with only 20 members????

It was more than that but now it's back to that size. He oversees other churches as well.

[Steelpulz]

This is from a response I did in this forum about 3 years ago.

"I participate in a few music ministries in the Los Angeles area. As an aside, I noticed that it is not unusual for the drummer to be paid less than the other musicians. I don't understand why. 

However, I have also noticed that churches (pastors, trustees, etc) will sometimes use and abuse the talent God has placed under their direction. They have no problem talking up the upcoming church banquet at the beautiful hotel downtown where they are charging $50.00 per plate and then ask you to bring a band to entertain them for no money (sorry we don't have a budget for music) and for NO FOOD. Even heathens will feed you lol.

God uses people to run his Churches. Sometimes, you have to stand up to those people and insist that they do right. I often volunteer to play for various churches and choirs. However, whether I play for free is my decision. I do resent when I get the "God gave u a gift" speech. True I have been blessed with a gift, but it is unspiritual to always expect me to use that gift and to renege on our financial arramngement.

Think about it....  Jesus was carpenter...that is how he made a living before he started his other work for the Father. I am pretty sure that when he and Jospeh were making those tables and chairs and building those houses that they got paid. They had to eat too didn't they? They had to support Mary and the other children, they had to give at the synagogue, they had to pay taxes. they had to buy animals for sacrifices, clothes, pay to travel, buy raw materials to work their craft. All of that required money. The Bible says that " money answers all things." (Ecclesiastes 10:19)

None of us should be shamed into not getting paid when the funds are really in the budget."

[QCdrummer]

...I'm not a paid musician/Worship Leader.  At the end of the day, God has never left me without food on the table and has blessed me with new days and evenings.

There is nothing wrong with this because you are being led. If the Spirit tells you to be at a Church where there is not enough money to pay the drummer, then by all means do so! Thats your obligation. Just like you were lead to play where you are at, then these Pastors should pray and let the Musicans be led to them, instead of them going out looking for the good ones that they can drag around for free.

The Levite musicians were full time and they recieved part of the tithe because that was the order of things in the Storehouse.   That was the law of that land.  This is America. 

Tithing was apart of that land too......... So does that mean that we shouldn't tithe either?

[under13]

However, I have also noticed that churches (pastors, trustees, etc) will sometimes use and abuse the talent God has placed under their direction. They have no problem talking up the upcoming church banquet at the beautiful hotel downtown where they are charging $50.00 per plate and then ask you to bring a band to entertain them for no money (sorry we don't have a budget for music) and for NO FOOD. Even heathens will feed you lol.

That reminds me, Some church folks were having an event that they wanted my group to sing at. We have no problem ministering for free, but they wanted us to pay $65 for a ticket. I've never heard of musicians paying to perform

[QCdrummer]

This is from a response I did in this forum about 3 years ago.

"I participate in a few music ministries in the Los Angeles area. As an aside, I noticed that it is not unusual for the drummer to be paid less than the other musicians. I don't understand why. 

I couldn't agree with you more on all you said, and "Whether you play for free or not, REALLY IS up to your discretion"

[dude-on-drums]

Tithing was apart of that land too......... So does that mean that we shouldn't tithe either?

You can do whatever you want.  The bible does'nt tell you to tithe.  Your Pastor does.   

[QCdrummer]

You can do whatever you want.  The bible does'nt tell you to tithe.  Your Pastor does.   

LOL, Thats because the Pastor was reading Malachi 3:10.