SUNDAY THOUGHTS: IS IT A GIG?

The “ministry vs. gig” debate rages on. 

Is a person a minister, musician, minstrel, servant, Levite, volunteer, or employee? 

Are the terms ever synonymous?

Wherever they may be--whether in religious or so-called secular spaces--musicians are employing the same skills set, and the same twelve notes. 

Only in religious spaces, however, will mediocrity be praised and accepted, because excellence is viewed as arrogance, and an investment in excellence is considered unnecessary, or too much for the budget. 

There’s a tradition that musicians should work for nothing—and be happy to do it. If they don’t, or aren’t, the opinion is that they’re worldly, and don’t truly love God.

It’s ridiculous. 

I’ve observed that, in one environment, a musician’s skills—as well as the time, effort, energy, and expense necessary to attain and maintain them— is wanted, valued, applauded, appreciated, and respected. 

In the other environment, those skills are often used, overused, abused, minimized, considered dispensable, usurped, expected, or exploited.

In BOTH spaces, everybody wants the best, but in one space, less will be settled for, and viewed as a sign of commitment and humility. 

It is positively mind-boggling that suffering from, struggling through, and enduring week after week of badly performed music, and cacophonous singing, is considered godly or spiritual. Only in religious spaces will people blatantly lie about, prefer, and applaud poor performance.  

In both religious and secular spaces, if anyone is being paid, it ought to be the people doing the work. When it comes to musicians, though, some people clearly think they don’t deserve to be paid at all. Why not?

The conversation about how to refer to one’s assignment, should not push musicians further away from religious spaces, force them to choose how they want to make a living, or question their devotion to, or relationship with God. That’s not fair. 

I’m sure every working musician has had someone tell him or her to get a “real” job. 

That is not only insulting, but supports the notion that music is a hobby, and musicians aren’t professionals who should be fairly or adequately compensated. 

Everybody wants great music, nonetheless. 

The attitudes copped, and complaints hurled when it doesn’t come without cost, prove how entitled people think they are to the skills and gifts of others.

It is discouraging, and problematic, when the organization that boasts that it represents God, has such an abysmal reputation for devaluing people. 

It is tragic when the church employs the worst, under-the-table, questionable business practices, and the least concern for the well-being of those whose skills are utilized the most. 

When it comes to musicians, we conflate “ministry” with volunteerism. 

We praise being broke and struggling as if it’s a sign of integrity and work ethic. 

Why is it that every other professional can openly discuss compensation for the work they do without criticism, but musicians (and singers) should keep quiet, settle for less, not know their worth, or expect a fair AND timely wage for what they do—WHEREVER they do it? 

Is it that most people don’t view what musicians do as legitimate work? 

Is that why people who seek musicians expect something for little or nothing? 

Is the opportunity to work, presented to musicians in such an unprofessional, tacky, underhanded, manipulative, desperate, trivial, or shady way, that the work isn’t taken seriously? 

Is that why musicians pass on certain “opportunities” and eagerly accept others?

Do people assume that musicians are double-minded, hireling, heathens who don’t pray, praise, or worship? 

Is that why we turn up our noses when we see former church musicians making a good living away from sacred spaces?

 

Has “worship” become such a polluted, shallow, hyped, showy, and commercialized thing, that musicians (who have always had a bird’s eye view of leaders, and what’s going on behind the scenes in religious institutions), are simply calling it the way they see it—a gig?

Church culture and mishandling of scripture has caused us to be manipulative, harsh, demanding, unreasonable, judgmental, possessive, and cheap when it comes to the talents of others. 

We want excellence but don’t always invest in it, encourage it, or model it. 

We expect sacrifice from everyone except ourselves. 

We want OUR check in full, and on time for the work WE do, but we want everyone else to sow, sacrifice, and volunteer. 

Godliness isn’t gullibility, nor stupidity. 

Knowing your worth isn’t arrogance. 

Commitment shouldn’t mean being broke, burned out, miserable, and bitter. 

Doing right by people who work shouldn’t be so hard, but it is darn near impossible for those who are misinformed, selfish, controlling, greedy, and entitled. 

Is there a new crop of musicians who have determined that they will not be gaslit or bamboozled into being slaves?

If so, good for them.

Maybe young musicians are tired of seeing older musicians in financial trouble, not being able to take care of their families, in bad health, dying without wills; without insurance, and needing crowd-sourcing campaigns to have a decent funeral. 

Maybe young musicians are smarter than we’d like them to be, and not falling for the “reasonable service” racket. 

Maybe young musicians know that even if they don’t allow themselves to be manipulated into working for free, they’re STILL saved because they confessed Christ. They know that their redemption is not the result of sitting in a pit or loft for hours every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. 

They know that their relationship with God isn’t strong because they kept quiet about all of the short, late, rubber, or postdated checks they received, but because he genuinely loves them, and wants abundant life for them, too. 

It’s amazing how we get mad when someone else appreciates what we take advantage of. Why should we be offended when someone demonstrates their appreciation of excellence in tangible, meaningful ways. 

Who’s more like Christ? 

The principled one who treats people with respect, and handles business with integrity, or the trickster who always has a sob story, or is always trying to get over on people by using religious rhetoric?

 

Lately, some churches are stealing from recording artists by playing and broadcasting recorded, copyrighted music during services, because they don’t want to adequately pay live musicians—whose names are in the credits on the recordings!

We say “a workman is worthy of his hire” but we “pay” musicians with dinner plates, sheet cake, plaques, pizza, and corsages. 

We find money for everything else, except blessing musicians in a such a way that they won’t need, or WANT to do anything else except prepare for, and serve at weekly convocations. 

Maybe if the church wasn’t so fractured; maybe if churches would consolidate, and not divide communities by having a branch on, and in between every corner, there would be local church orchestras. There would be enough resources to maintain committed, resident musicians, who would then be happy to teach and mentor the next generation.

 

I want to see what would happen if every church member—every doctor, lawyer, plumber, clerk, electrician, driver, engineer, accountant, teacher, nurse, mechanic, entrepreneur, etc.—is required to provide their professional services, free of charge, for the same amount of hours that musicians work. 

Things would change, perceptions would change, and maybe musicians wouldn’t need to accept those dreaded “gigs” to make ends meet.