Is it right for a church to have a paid minister of music?
Question:
Hello,
I am a member of a Church of Christ that currently doesn't have elders. The congregation is "run" by the minister and a few hand-picked men who basically say yes to whatever the minister wants to do. This has bothered me since this minister arrived at our congregation several years back, but now things have gone too far.
The minister and his "leaders" have decided to hire a "minister of music" and pay him a salary. Not only that but the minister of music has been relocated from another city to fulfill this role. It's a part-time position, as he will lead songs on Sunday mornings and evenings for worship, train the song leaders that were already a part of the congregation on how to lead songs "properly" and will work with choral groups that typically sing at funerals.
My conflict comes because I believe this is wrong. I cannot read anywhere in my Bible about a minister of music and certainly not to be using God's money to pay him to serve in this capacity. The other issue is the congregation has been misled to believe that this individual just happened to move to the area when in actuality he was recruited with the promise of money. He's not the first song leader to be recruited by the minister to fulfill this role; he's just the first to accept. I'm now faced with possibly leaving a congregation that I've been a part of for several decades because I fear more unscriptural practices are on the horizon.
I'm pretty sure that there isn't, but am open to an outside perspective, but is there any type of scriptural backing for having a minister of music and paying him? And is it best to Ieave the congregation or is there a respectable way to go about getting this issue resolved considering that we don't have Biblical leadership in place?
Thanks for your time.
Answer:
There are only duties that are spoken of as paid positions in the church: the preacher (I Corinthians 9:14) and the elders (I Timothy 5:17-18).
There is no passage that authorizes a church to supply choral groups to sing at events. There is no "minister of music" in the New Testament.
I would suggest being vocal and insisting that the congregation returns to following God. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17). Likely you will find a few who agree with you, several more who agree but don't want to make waves, a large number who don't see what the problem is, and a few who oppose having to have authority for their actions. The result will either be the preacher is asked to leave, or the congregation will tell you to live and let live. If the congregation wants to operate without authority, then staying won't help. As you noted, it will get progressively worse. Most likely there is a sound congregation in your area, so you probably will have to move because the church you are at has lost its first love.
