For those who think that gospel music has gone too far…this is just the start. There’s a new wave and dimension unseen before, that God is calling ministers to operate at.
For this to happen, we need to go back to the roots. Thank God for so many that have stood in the gap today. It is not easy, many of them will tell you.
This does not come as a surprise, I must say. I believe we all have to acknowledge that times change – this has been the challenge for most ministers. As we panic to catch up with trends, we loose the vision. What was formerly driven by standards to God’s word suddenly suffers conformity to the world. Is our music still seasoned with salt; is it rich in God’s word; is it still authored by the Holy spirit?
Some that have been called to full time ministry have ended up juggling the calling with other dreams. How bad is this? Time – this is when we become busy and cut off time with God. We continue to pursue the “Calling” but with next to no time with the “Caller” [God].
Does today’s gospel music make one think of Jesus rather than the artiste? Are we just singing positive music and not Gospel Music?
What happened to the days when if a gospel song was turned on in a bar, a drunkard would rise from his feet, convicted in his mind? Just worship and praise alone can bring the walls of Jericho down and usher in the atmosphere healing.
When you spend more time with someone, you become more like that person. Yielding to the spirit of God – socking our selves in His word should be utter most priority for those that seek to minister to today’s hurting world.
In memory of Andraé Crouch in 2015, worshiper Kirk Franklin insisted that gospel musicians have opted to lowering their goals to sell records.
“Our music doesn’t affect people the way it used to. It doesn’t create movements like it did during Andrae’s time,” Franklin wrote. “Is it because today’s worship leader is too busy trying to get the record deal, the applause, a higher church salary, and that crossover song? [The guilt is all over my hands, people!]”
He added, “Every step we take away from the cross—and the cross alone—every time we focus on sales over souls… the goal gets lower and lower.”
As ministers, we are under Christ’s direction and command. We ought not to go until He sends us. We ought not to speak, until he has said so. We ought to go whenever and wherever His providence and voice calls us.
We derive our commission from Christ (1 Timothy 1:12; Ephesians 4:8-13; Matthew 28:20).
I believe God continues to say to His music ministers:
1. Stay Low: Keep a posture of humility.
2. Draw Near: Stay close to His presence. When we’re permeated by His presence, the hope of glory, Christ Jesus, becomes a part of us, and the power of God in us can work through us.
3. Incline Our Ears to Hear: When that moment comes and the Spirit of Lord speaks, we must obey and move quickly. This will reflect in what we always post on social media too.
Rather than fall into the trap of venting our personal divisive opinions, shouldn’t we be cognizant of the need to unite the church and help bring healing? The world is watching. Even more, the one is watching who called us into the ministry. Be the gospel witness.
What more do we need? Every decision, every direction and every circumstance that we may go through—be it difficult or great, challenging or victorious—the Lord Jesus Christ is the hope of glory in us.
Lift Jesus higher, lift Jesus higher— There’s nothing to fear when we recognize His commission and His anointing upon our lives.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
