Spiritual Gifts

Music ministry is marked by apparent giftedness. That is (generally, hopefully, ideally) musical gifts are employed in the public leadership and expression of musical praise, prayer and proclamation. These gifts may be extraordinary; they may be modest. They may take us to the heights of transcendence; they may simply coach us along in the "duty and delight" which is our public worship. Music ministry presents itself through apparent giftedness.

But music ministry must be driven by spritual giftedness. By the exercise of gifts that are not generally "on display" when musicians play or sing in public. These are the gifts given freely by Jesus, through the Spirit, to build his church. Every local church - and every ministry within any local church - has been given the gifts to undertake the ministries God intends that church - and ministry within it - to do. Music is the public expression of the music ministry, but our work together to get there is accomplished in large part through the use of our gifts. St. Peter calls it the stewardship "of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10)

We have looked briefly at the music ministry as "pastoral care" - in worship and among musicians outside of the sanctuary. This may be practiced through the exercise of gifts of mercy, helps, faith, prophecy, service, exhortation. It is more than just being nice to one another, though of course love will mark and drive the exercise of all our gifts.

In due time, our morning sermons will reach 1 Corinthians 12, a key passage regarding the gifts and our use of them. We'll explore that this winter, long before Pastor Moody gets there in the pulpit. Then that will be a good "check" on how we're doing! But for today, I just want to go to the same theme as Paul writes it to the Romans:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.(Romans 12:1-8)

As you serve one another,

Sing on!
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