They shall be known by...

How do we want to be known? As music leaders in the church, what do we want to leave folks with when they hear us? Or what do we want to have as the primary characteristic of our music-making?

I think we all want to be known for well-performed music. I’d much rather be known as one who can keep both hands playing in the same key. I would rather be known as the director of a choir which can stay on pitch, which sings correct notes and rhythms. I’d like to be known as a fantastic improviser at the organ. I’d like to be known as one who can work with musicians of all ages. And more than that, I would like to be known as a music leader who helps church musicians sing not only the notes and rhythms, but most importantly the message of the music.

You guys probably want to be known as singers who don’t stick out vocally, but blend harmoniously with the ensemble. Or as instrumentalists that stay on the beat, that help the congregation feel the music inside and in that sense the stirring of the Spirit. I can tell that many of you want to be known as faithful, reliable ministry participants. And for all these things I am extremely grateful.

But is that it? No. We as church musicians, lay and professional, must also be known by our relationships, by the fellowship we keep. Not merely with whom we associate, but the manner in which we relate to one another in the music ministry, and how we relate to our congregation and our community.

This is a plea for us all to remember that music-making in the church is great, but it’s not our end. Our end is the relationships we forge and foster in our communion of music. By this I mean not only the friendships we have in rehearsal with other musicians, but our relationship with the congregation as pastoral worship leaders, and the relationships we foster within the congregation as we model compassion and mutual forbearance, and most importantly, the relationship we foster between an individual listening to our message and the God whom we adore. When we gather to practice, it’s good to be focused, but it’s also good to be sensitive to one another. In the midst of trying to get music ready every week, I know I am not always able to slow rehearsals down enough to allow time for sharing and concern and compassion to take first chair. But I am re-committing myself to do what I can to facilitate that. I would like to ask for your resolve to do the same: to take feel the pulse of your comrades in the music ministry and find out how they are and how they are feeling. Not just your “buds” but the folks you don’t know all that well also. When we sing and play for worship it's good to strive for accuracy and precision. But more importantly it is vital the we communicate so that persons hearing us are drawn not to the music but to the Musician, our Creator, our Redeemer and the abiding presence of the Spirit.

For some reason, as I am writing, this poem springs to mind. I’m not sure I’ve adequately made the connection, but perhaps you can connect the dots for yourself.

'Thou shalt know him when he comes
Not by any din of drums
Nor by the vantage of his airs
Nor by anything he wears
Neither by his crown
Nor his gown.
For his presence known shall be
By the holy harmony
That his coming makes in thee.'

In closing I remind myself and all of us engaged in music-making in the church to continue to strive for musical perfection. Anything less than that striving is not faithful to our calling to an awesome, infinite, creative, extravagant God. But more importantly, and in the midst of our music-making, we ought to keep before us these words from St. John, “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." (13.35, The Message).

Have a good week, my friends!