WEDNESDAY THOUGHTS: HOME CHURCH, FIRST?

A Facebook friend asked, "What happened to "HOME CHURCH first"? Wasn't that a rule?"

 
He added an "lol", but something told me he didn't really find anything funny about what prompted the post. 

It seems my friend is now tasked to find a replacement musician for this coming Sunday's services at his church. 

I could almost hear the frustration, but my empathy soon gave way to concern for the musician.

I have often heard "Charity begins at home, then spreads abroad". 

It seems that the absent musician may have looked for the quote in the Bible, didn't find it (because it's not there), and commenced to accepting, with a clear conscience, the other gig he was offered. Maybe it wasn't, but my first thought was that money was a factor in the musician's decision to let his home congregation figure out a way, this weekend, to keep the beat themselves.

I imagine that "Home church first" loses it's effectiveness when one's musical ability is also one's livelihood, and the bills are piling up. 

The absent musician's decision to take another job, may be less about loyalty and love, and more about economics. 

Bill collectors want cash--not corsages, trophies, certificates, chicken drumettes, sheet cake, and red punch--the things many churches sometimes regard as ample compensation for services rendered.

Just picture what the music ministry would be like, in every house of worship, if skilled musicians had nothing else to do except prepare for each weekly convocation, and NOT have to worry about their financial needs being met? 

But no. We want musicians to be at our beck and call for rehearsals and events-- in and out of the church--and then demand that they have traditional employment as well.

We have been known to brand musicians as "lazy" if they don't have other employment--as if perfecting one's musical skill does not take time, sacrifice and effort.

The church shouldn't be competing with the world for the hearts of musicians, but the world has mastered the art of sowing and reaping in a way that the many churches refuse to explore. 

The world "blesses" and ensures that it presents the best. 

The church often takes its best, and makes them feel bad for being skilled. 

In an effort to keep them "humble", lies, yes LIES are told about a church's ability to adequately compensate them. 

The money is there, in so many instances, but we will pay for EVERYTHING else--the hall, the tablecloths, programs, balloons, catering, flowers, the MC, the visiting preacher and artist, but won't pay in-house musicians. 

Then, we wonder where they are when we need them.

What happened to "HOME CHURCH comes first"? 

It has, in some cases, become the manipulative cry of modern day slave masters. 

When the slaves decide they like the benefits of freedom, and want to be paid for working, an attempt is made to make slavery sound like a little slice of Heaven. 

There's nothing heavenly about being broke and exhausted. 

Yes. Being a musician is WORK, and since many churches shouldn't dare pretend another day to be non-profit organizations, it's hard for musicians to see leaders continually prospering, and then graciously accept the words "We can't pay you".
Further, musicians are no longer feeling guilty about having the ability to feed and spend time with their families. 

While we are criticizing them for taking secular gigs, playing for various organizations, and not showing up, they're somewhere making a bank deposit, and their needs are met. 

They now have something to give besides their musical talent.

Perhaps if we would demonstrate to church musicians that we actually appreciate their skill, time and sacrifice, and stop looking at what they do as a really fun hobby that they are SUPPOSED to share with us, then NO church would ever be scrambling to find anyone who plays any instrument. 

If we really respected musicians, the way we respect other professionals, then every church would have a happy orchestra. 

It's amazing how we expect musicians to serve for little or nothing, at a moment's notice, and entertain us for every event. 

People with other professions in the church would NEVER be expected to offer their services at the same rate and frequency as musicians so often are. 

Unfortunately, musicians are among the professionals whose worth is frequently determined by others.

Every doctor, lawyer, plumber and electrician in the church is talented, too, but see what happens if you expect them to turn down an opportunity to increase their income, cut their rate, or offer their services for free. 

When a musician looks at the contents of an envelope, given to him by those who know and love him, then compares it to the envelope given by strangers, he can't help but want to further explore what his real value may be--away from home.

The illustration today is not one of my doodles, but from a painting by one of my favorite artists, the late Varnette P. Honeywood (1950-2010). It's titled "Jesus Loves Me".