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You often find them in church in well-ironed outfits, decent hairstyles and their melodious voices are something to marvel at. In fact, if you are one of those people who get to church nice and early to tap on the top layer of blessings, you have probably seen them adjust their mics, cables, and tune their respective instruments before the service starts.
They are an integral part of the church and serve to create the perfect ambiance before the souls of Christians are nourished by the word.
In most ‘trendy’ Nairobi churches, praise and worship is a big deal. You got to have the necessary skills to make the cut. You have to be good at what you do.
This is justified because even God demands a proper sacrifice, one without blemish. Truth be told, after a strenuous week at work, the last thing you want is to go to church and have to endure a session of bad music and horrible sound.
Proper music and well-thought-out prayer points help even the not-so prayerful to utter something to the Maker.
It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice to be a praise and worship team member. Hours of practice and dedication, just to get the notes right. It is not a walk in the park. You probably know that already if you have tried to sing along to songs by gospel artistes like Kim Walker and Fill me up singer Tasha Cobbs.
Well, at the end of the day, praise and worship members, ideally, should be spirit-filled but should their pockets remain empty?
This is a debate that has cropped up several times in Christian circles. Should they be paid for their services?
It is one of the most dreaded topics in Christian circles due to its sensitivity, well, perhaps because money is the root of all evil, or is it?
Ecclesiastes 5:10: Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
Many verses in the Bible condemn excessive love for money. In fact, a relevant one to this debate is Mathew 6:24: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Ministry
Serving in church requires discipline and dedication. The motivation should never be money but in the modern church, the services of professionals are sought to ensure ‘WOW worship’. By professionals, I mean people who have actually gone to school to master their craft and have spent hours on end to perfect their skills.
Stacy, not her real name, believes members of the praise and worship team should be given some form of incentive because of what they bring to the table.
Having studied music to Master's level, she admits that it is often difficult for musicians to volunteer their time and resources only to sleep on an empty stomach in the name of ministry.
Brian, a guitarist in one of the popular city churches in Nairobi, echoes a similar opinion saying he has invested in his craft for years and a small payment would go a long way in motivating him.
“I started playing the guitar when I was 16 and it has taken me a long time to get to where I am. I bought my guitar at Sh17,000 and the effect box cost me an arm and a leg.
“I do not want to be paid an exorbitant figure, a small token of appreciation would suffice,” he says, confirming that he gets ‘something small’ from his church.
Steve, who also studied music in campus, says he lives off music and it is the only hustle he knows. He narrates to us that his gift has taken him places but Covid led to the cancellation of most of his gigs, church included.
“Ever since Covid struck life has been tough for us musicians. Before we would hardly have time to rest due to the numerous concerts in different parts of the country.
“I would play at my local church on Sunday and I would use the proceeds to top up my savings and pay my rent. I have had to look for alternative ways to survive,” he states.
Amani Baya, who is one of the best drummers around, having worked with top artistes from all over the world, believes the conversation is broader than just the money bit.
“So many men of God have put a price tag on musicians and although it is okay to offer a token of appreciation since it is almost impossible to quantify the work they do.
“It should be about taking care of the musicians in church since, just like all of us, they have bills to pay and if we opt to settle on a particular figure it probably won’t be enough,” he said.
Adding: “The church should probably go a step further and check on these musicians…have they paid rent, have they eaten are they in good health, are their parents okay? That is what ministry is about. That goes beyond money. Yes, they should be given something, but we should also put an arm around their shoulders.”
According to Pastor Milton Jumba, the lead pastor Mavuno Mashariki Campus, this conversation is a double-edged sword that needs to be handled carefully.
“Most creatives have honed their skills over time outside the church and what they bring to church is a culmination of their efforts and sacrifice.
“In this regard, they deserve some form of payment, although oftentimes it will not be up to market standards,” said Pastor Milton.
He, however, states that from the ministry perspective, what creatives bring to church is looked at as a gift- which is an act of worship and not labour.
“The Bible says, freely you have received, freely give. In this aspect, creatives are stewards and they form part of the body of Christ by bringing their skills to the church.
“You might argue that since pastors get paid, so should creatives but it is important to note that most pastors work full-time in ministry,” he added.
Empowering creatives
Pastor Milton added that it is also important for the church to empower creatives especially in cases where they solely depend on their skills.
“The church is mandated to support creatives by helping them build their brands and gifts by providing platforms and using their networks to transform their lives.
“Once the creatives can get a decent income outside church, they will offer their skills and gifts on Sunday without demanding payment because the act of service will have come from within,” he said.
He further called on creatives and the clergy to have a sit-down and address their differences on the issue because in the long run it taints the image of the church and goes against what God intended it for, a community of believers.
