“Why should there be music ministry in the church?” (A Reflection for Music Minister - Forming A Philosophy of Music Ministry)

“Why should there be music ministry in the church?” This question might be asked by the pastor, the deacon, the worship leader or even by the musician in the church to the students who just graduated with Church music degree. What and how will the students or music ministers answer and explain about this? This question is also addressed for the pastors of the church as a reflection to see the importance and the need of having music ministry in the church.

This question sounds simple but yet it is difficult to answer because firstly it needs profound explanation, strong philosophy, and strong foundation of music ministry. These philosophy and foundations are important firstly to help the church or pastors to realize the need and the importance of music ministry in the church.

Secondly, a music minister need to develop a comprehensive, integrated, and consistent knowledge and application of music in Christian ministry in order to approach the issues and practice of church music.[1]


Part 1: Forming a Philosophy of Music Ministry

Philosophy of music ministry is a rational inquiry into the fundamental facts and principles of church music and its ministry in order to develop a comprehensive, integrated, and consistent knowledge and application of music in Christian ministry.[2]

God has created the whole human being perfectly with his totality in five different aspects which are mental or intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, and social. In the understanding of the philosophy of music ministry, the approach comes from the intellectual. It needs our rational thinking in our philosophy. Philosophy is not about emotional, what we like or what we do not like but it is something which is absolute.

In our rational, we also use our thinking process. It is a process when we inquire many questions regarding music ministry. It takes analytical thinking to process our questions and to reason about our questions.

Three reasons why forming a philosophy of music ministry is very important. Firstly, forming a philosophy of music ministry enables the music minister not to be based on the feeling but to use the rational thinking consistently in every decision-making they need to make. Philosophy is not about emotional but it is about thinking and rational. Secondly, forming a philosophy of music ministry helps to strengthen the understanding on church music and its ministry.[3] The music minister has a basic ground to step-on which is the fundamental facts and the principles in church music and its ministry. Thirdly, forming a philosophy of music ministry creates standard for integrity in the use of music.[4] This is where the knowledge integrates in the application. A music minister applies what he or she has leant in the seminary or school of church music and apply it in the music ministry.

Music ministry should have integrity which relates to the truth of music ministry itself and the truth of the life of a music minister because it is not only the music ministry which should have the integrity but a music minister should have integrity before God as a whole person in his or her personal life and in the ministry.


[1] Myrleene Grace Yap, “Foundation and Issues in Music Ministry” [lecture notes, Singapore Bible College, July 2008].
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.