I need help PLEASE

[darmin]

Ok I am a 17 year old musician. I am currently a musician at St. John Baptist Church in Tulsa Oklahoma. I have a problem with a situations from a standpoint that I am the only young person there. My choir is 50
years and up. The music that we play is old style and not alot of newer
style gospel. My main problem is the pianist is the main musician and she only plays in 4 keys and everything sounds the same. I have tried to resign twice because i do not feal that i am included in this church. I don't mean to tell all my churchs problems but hear lately we have gone without a pastor for about a year now. The congregation voted for a 22 year old whom i felt comfertable playing and expressing my problems to.
The fired him on the fact that he preached the word out of season giving them something the did not want to hear. I am in desperate need of advice and prayers. Please tell me what should i do. :?

 thanks and God bless you

[bigtrell]

first of all God bless you. I would like to say the only thing you need is to turn all your problems over to the lord. I know whatever you are going threw it might seem hard but just remember that God said that he will never leave you nor forsake you, so just ask God to give you strength to endure all the traiols and tribulations. have a blessed time and keep the faith.

[proctor]

Older choirs can be a hard to work with but not impossible. If you are more skilled than the head musician you may not have much room to grow musically at that church.

I'll lift you up in prayer. God may want to use your gifts to bring about a change in that church.

If I were you I'd be careful with how I dealt with the head musician. Try not to offend her. God knows you don't need those headaches. Who knows you may be able to learn something from beyond musical style. After all there is more to being a Musician/Choir Director than just knowing music.

[ReddGirl]

Be encouraged! Keep your eyes on God and not on man. It will be okay. This is a learning experience.

[ThePreacher]

I just want to encourage you to keep on keeping on. Remember, this too will pass.  Learn all you can and Can all you Learn.  If there are any young people around the church, then maybe some type of youth or young adult ensemble can be created to bring new sounds of praise to the church.  Just a thought.  God bless you and do not give up!!!!

[Chairman777]

Hi darmin and all,

It is scriptural and important for you to have fellowship.  Pray about it and seek God.  It may be that you'll find you're right were you should be...or that God will lead you to serve in another church.  

Another possibility is to find the fellowship, with people you can relate to, in another way...and still stay and serve in your current church.  Are there other Bible based churches near you that have youth groups that you can join that won't conflict with your own church's activities?  They can be a lot of fun even if you're not making music...and they MAY provide another way for you to use your talents.  Be sure and ask, talk it over and explain to anyone you answer to, like a parent etc, before you do.
 
If they are inflexible about it remember that very soon you'll be able to start making those decisions for yourself.  

Feeling isolated in a church isn't healthy for your faith.  And in my opinion, God doesn't expect believers to dry up and blow away in a dead church.

The one thing I'm sure of though is that I don't know the answer...but God does.  Pray and trust Him to bring you into deep, supportive (fun!) fellowship somewhere!!!  : )

God Bless!

[Betann]

Hello Darmin,

Chalk this up to an experience learned. You do have to come out with the victory before making your next move. Be patient. I've seen many fantastic musicians who were unable to accompany someone singing a hymn. I had an experience where our organist of many years left. I was the keyboardist and had to become organist real quick. I had the main choir, little voices, seniors, youth and men. They all had a different style. Turn it over to Jesus, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. (Take it from a SENIOR).

[alliekan]

you mention that your leader plays only 4 keys and everything sounds the same, that's monotonous for sure. but i'm not sure how much potential you have in influencing her style.

i have a coleague had the same matter whereby he would transpose all songs so as to play in the same keys, always.

during practice we discussed a number of times on the matter and how differentiating the keys would give variety and can deepen the sound of a song. now he has improved, i guess it was fear of trying new things but that attitude was bringing difficulties in the group.

we thank God our situation has improved and i pray the same for you.

stay in the blessings

alliekan

[Chairman777]

Hi again,

When I was young I was brought up in a church that had NO young males my age.  There where a few young males, either years younger and several 20 to 30 something men there.  So I sympathize with you darmin.  For me this lack of fellowship led me to try and find fellowship elsewhere...and I DID, but in all the wrong ways.  So when darmin says:

I am a 17 year old musician. ...I am the only young person there. My choir is 50 years and up. ...i do not feal that i am included in this church. ...we have gone without a pastor for about a year now.

Some of you here are certainly more mature in your faith than I am.  But I wonder about the role of the church in our lives:  It should be a place where we can minister...but also be ministered to.  A place to feed others...but also a place to be fed.

darmin needs Christian fellowship...with believers he feels "comfortable playing and expressing my problems to."  I know that God puts us in situations to help us grow and that running from problems is not what we should routinely do.  

But I also know that a young man needs to be mentored, groomed, loved and surrounded by a body of believers who will help him grow into a man of God.  In my opinion, being planted in a church that's meeting those needs, where he can grow and learn, find support and love, (and still use his talents/play music) is more important at his age...than being somewhere that he can where he can minister.

I am open to correction if I am in error in anyway about this.

May God Bless you darmin where ever He leads!!!  Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!!  Multiply your talents!!!

[braineyone]

Darmin,

Although your writing indicates a degree of intelligence, there is much you have not learned at 17.  It appears that you may be oppositional to the choir and lead musician because of age.  Perhaps?  And, you may not be aware of the real reason for the dismissal of the young pastor.  Focus on the type of music ministry God would have you deliver, and not church politics, or the limitations of the other musician.  What can you do to improve the situation?  Win the hearts of the older saints.  They may be stiff oaks, but their roots are deep.  Peace-out!

[Anointed1_3]

Praise the Lord...
      I say you turn it all over into the hands of the Lord, for He knows what is best. He knew that this was going to happen and all He wants is for you to accept that He is God and is able to do all things. So take it to the Lord and leave it there in Jesus name.Im praying for you my friend.
Anointed1_3
with Love