Establishing a Music Department for New Ministry....

[Pretty_Brit]

Hello everyone,

I have been asked to work with a new ministry. How do you develop a new ministry's music department. I have no clue. The ministry I've played for the last ten years was already established and I just came in and played, later I starting teaching.

I need ideas for nice praise songs, songs that could be sung in place of a choir (until one is developed). The church I'm leaving was kind of stiff as to creativity and the pastor of teh church I'm moving to wants lively praise and everything. I need help. I know you guys will have amazing ideas!

Thanks in Advance

[Pretty_Brit]

Hello everyone,

I have been asked to work with a new ministry. How do you develop a new ministry's music department. I have no clue. The ministry I've played for the last ten years was already established and I just came in and played, later I starting teaching.

I need ideas for nice praise songs, songs that could be sung in place of a choir (until one is developed). The church I'm leaving was kind of stiff as to creativity and the pastor of the church I'm moving to wants lively praise and everything. I need help. I know you guys will have amazing ideas!

Thanks in Advance

[sjonathan02]

Go here:www.earnestandroline.com

[giftedone88]

Developing a new ministry's music department can be easy to some and harder for others. Firstly, within all things pray and seek God to lead you to make the right moves for your ministry. What works with others may not necessarily work for yours.

First step is meeting with the pastor to know what his vision is for the church overall and then what he wants to see done in the music ministry.

Lay out a personal Minister of Music plan both long term and short of what you are trying to accomplish for the music ministry yourself (goal you want to meet, choirs, musicians, praise teams that you want to add). This way you can track your progress in the next few months.

Make a guideline for the music department overall. The best way is start with rules and regulations, don't bring them after your choir is established. This way everyone will know what to expect upon joining the music ministry.

Everything else will in fall place. Also, Fellowship outings does help increase the ease and relation of your music ministry as well to get along with each other and use everyone's individual personality as an advantage.

Starter Praise team Songs:  Lord I Lift your name on High, Our God is An Awesome God, How Great is Our God, It is To You-Byron Cage, High and Lifted Up-Joe Pace, Rise Among Us-Stephen Hurd (i think he sings that), Hymn-O How I love Jesus, Because of Who Your Are...just to name a few

[Mysteryman]

Sounds like he took some of what I wanted to say. Definitely follow the pastor's vision. You have to find out where the people are then work from there. Trying out different songs will let you know. What kind of church is it?

[lorenz_j]

Do as much prayer and study as you can in the Bible regarding how God uses music for his glory. 

Definitely encourage those who you lead to be students of the word and active servants for God, ie. attending Bible Study, prayer meetings, being active disciples in and out of church. etc.  Its important to LIVE what we sing about and LIVE like Christ -- who we sing about.

As musicians and choir members its extremely important for those who are singing and playing to know more about the God who they sing about.  It's often sad that choir memebers attend church year after year and sing songs about God, but know little about the Bible and make little effort to learn more about him, so make it a priority to encourage those who you lead to have a strong prayer life and a good command of the Bible.   Also, I would encourage you to utilize the choir ministry as an avenue to posssibly start a prayer group, for you will need a ton of prayer in learning how to lead people and learning how to follow Gods will.

Also, always stay focused on seeking and saving souls for Christ.  Stay focused on uplifting the kingdom.  Stay focused on Christ, for its easy for choirs to focus too much on how they sound and getting a reaction from people they sing to and not the things that I just listened.  And be patient, for building a music ministy will take time.

Best of luck.

[Pretty_Brit]

Sounds like he took some of what I wanted to say. Definitely follow the pastor's vision. You have to find out where the people are then work from there. Trying out different songs will let you know. What kind of church is it?

Church of God in Christ

[Pretty_Brit]

thanks, that had a lot of info. I've always used that site for chords but never read any info. I enjoyed it.

[betnich]

Ask the pastor, deacons and members what songs they are doing and learn them; then introduce other praise songs along those lines...

[Mysteryman]

Church of God in Christ

COGIC. You got it easy. lol What is the layout of the service?
For example we have praise/worship or testimony/devotional service 15mins prior to sunday morning service. Then we have:
March in worship song. "We have come into this house. "
Hymn
Prayer Song
1 Selection Choir
Meditational Solo
2 Selection Choir
Welcome Song
Offering Song. "My faith looks up to thee"
Musicians play during offering
Solo of the Morning

We base the actual songs we sing off the vision the pastor has for the church music ministry although this does not always happen. The meditational solo is supposed to be something meditational. Solo of the morning should be somethings that will stir up the people. He would rather it be a skilled singer. The second choir selection should be faster than the first. The first selection can be slow to moderate tempo. My pastor likes hymns, anthems, spiritual songs, gospel, and praise/worship songs. He likes songs that are wordy and meaningful. He does not really like quartet style where you just keep repeating over an over for "worship service."

We somewhat conform to these standards.  I did when I was over one of the choirs. I think he likes this style because that's what they did back in the day. Some directors don't like what he likes because they feel it's boring. Although some will not admitt it outright. Many times they find songs that are hot on the radio. I think my pastor has kinda given up on that vision somewhat because we never fully conformed to it and he is old.     
 

[demusicman]

I have had a bit of experience with this the current ministry I work with is a fairly young ministry. It just celebrated its 6th Church Anniversary. If at all possible, I say form a praise team and from a praise team you can grow a choir (as we did). We went from a three member praise team to a 40+member choir.

I'm sure there are a few talented voices in the midst that you will be able to work with. I know as i said before we started off with a three member praise team that carried on the praise and worship and sermonic selections. Over time the department grew and we had a Youth Choir, then the Mass Choir, and now a Young Adult Choir.

I say use what you got. I'm kinda rushing cause i spotted this just before I'm leaving for Bible Study. But if you need more information, I would gladly be of help to you hbmmusicmin@gmail.com.