Need help growing music ministry

[Matt2008]

As the minister of music we are to oversee the operations of and within the music ministry.  However at the present time I have no keyboardist or organist!! I have a bass player and a drummer, both are wonderful. I play a little bit of the organ but not enough, our pastor plays the keyboard for now. HOw do I appeal and encourage musicians to come check out our ministry?  We are thriving, growing, small in numbers  but extremely effective in the community, how do I grow my staff? WithOUT THROWING MONEY AT THEM!!!

[momuzik]

...how do I grow my staff? ...

In my area (southeast VA), you'll often hear annoucements for job positions  for church musicians on the local gospel radio station.

Also, some folks would contact music schools trying to snatch up their recent graduates.

...WithOUT THROWING MONEY AT THEM!!!...

My advice is: IF you can, take care of your musicians; it's only right. There are plenty of posts on LGM about musicians getting paid/ not getting paid. It's not always about greed. It's a good thing for people to show their appreciation for what you do. And it may cause the musicians to go that extra mile.

"A workman is worthy of his hire"

[allonesound]

Pray and ask God

and if its truely a need which i can see where it is... then pray and God will give you the desires of your heart!

you dont have to go out to the streets and stressin over it... Just Pray and believe trust me in due time God will answer

[giftedone88]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to checkout the local colleges and try to work out something with the music department in which they can send a music student as an intern.

[under13]

WithOUT THROWING MONEY AT THEM!!!

Remember, you usually get what you pay for. Do you want a beginner or an intermediate or advanced musician? Even if its a begginer, give em at least $50 a week


If I were searching for a musician, I would contact other musicians in the area to see if they know anyone. Many times the big time musicians will have students that are ready to start plying for churches

[kodacolor]

As the minister of music we are to oversee the operations of and within the music ministry.  However at the present time I have no keyboardist or organist!! I have a bass player and a drummer, both are wonderful. I play a little bit of the organ but not enough, our pastor plays the keyboard for now. HOw do I appeal and encourage musicians to come check out our ministry?  We are thriving, growing, small in numbers  but extremely effective in the community, how do I grow my staff? WithOUT THROWING MONEY AT THEM!!!

Pray on it.  It just might take a while.  I've been the Music Admin over the ministry at the church I attend for about 5 months or so.  I was also one of the first musicians to come into the ministry at the church I attend (it's been about a year).  For a while it was just me and another guitarist and a drummer.  The drummer and guitarist went on sabbatical so that left me, the novice, by herself for a while.  Then we got a new drummer.  That went on for about 1.5 months and the guitarist came back as a bassist.  For while it was us three holding it down.  Then we got a lead guitarist.  In June we got a keyboard player.  No one is being paid.  Everyone is volunteering. 

In the mean time make sure that it's in the announcements that the ministry is looking for musicians.  Maybe that will prompt someone who's wrestling with whether they should come to the minisry or not to finally make the choice.  There may be musicians in the congregation at the church you attend who have been hurt by their former churches and aren't ready yet.  If they see that ya'll have your stuff together maybe they'll give it a shot. 

  That's the best advice I can give based on what I've seen and been through as of now.

[johz77]

well you can get musicians to hire bcos to get them is a bit expensive, but i can help you get some, you can pm me on my yahoo

[sjonathan02]

As the minister of music we are to oversee the operations of and within the music ministry.  However at the present time I have no keyboardist or organist!! I have a bass player and a drummer, both are wonderful. I play a little bit of the organ but not enough, our pastor plays the keyboard for now. HOw do I appeal and encourage musicians to come check out our ministry?  We are thriving, growing, small in numbers  but extremely effective in the community, how do I grow my staff? WithOUT THROWING MONEY AT THEM!!!

Use performance tracks until someone comes along. I swear, it'll work for your ministry because it works for ours while I get my weight up (at least, in terms of playing the keyboard).


I'd say, your pastor'll have to keep makin' it do what it do until then. There's NO shame in that.

[betnich]

Pray on it.  It just might take a while.  I've been the Music Admin over the ministry at the church I attend for about 5 months or so.  I was also one of the first musicians to come into the ministry at the church I attend (it's been about a year).  For a while it was just me and another guitarist and a drummer.  The drummer and guitarist went on sabbatical so that left me, the novice, by herself for a while.  Then we got a new drummer.  That went on for about 1.5 months and the guitarist came back as a bassist.  For while it was us three holding it down.  Then we got a lead guitarist.  In June we got a keyboard player.  No one is being paid.  Everyone is volunteering. 

In the mean time make sure that it's in the announcements that the ministry is looking for musicians.  Maybe that will prompt someone who's wrestling with whether they should come to the minisry or not to finally make the choice.  There may be musicians in the congregation at the church you attend who have been hurt by their former churches and aren't ready yet.  If they see that ya'll have your stuff together maybe they'll give it a shot. 

  That's the best advice I can give based on what I've seen and been through as of now.

Good advice - try ads in local community boards, Craigslist, etc...

[under13]

Good advice - try ads in local community boards, Craigslist, etc...

I dont know if I would respond to church add on craigslist ever again.

[momuzik]

I dont know if I would respond to church add on craigslist ever again.

So what happened?

[betnich]

I dont know if I would respond to church add on craigslist ever again.

Yes, be careful - but I found my current church thru a Craigslist posting...checked them out and went to a service before responding...

[musiclover14]

I believe by praying and asking God for direction would definately be your first step.  After that, being happy with what you already have is #2.  People are usually drawn to a church or referred there by other members and visitors.  If they feel the spirit of GOd, even with the lack of musicians, they will also be drawn to come there....
Reaching out to other ministries to inquire about free agents is also good!!! You will be surprised how it turns out for you!!!

[under13]

So what happened?

I called the lady, she set up an apointment with the Pastor.
Its a hot summer evening in jamaica queens, I follow the direction and arrive at a small church building. The Pastor is there, along with his out of tune piano and tiny vintage Hammond Organ with no drawbars and built in leslie. So we up in this HOT lil church,  He has me play a bunch of songs, then plays some of the cd's that they sing along with. At this point I'm finna fall asleep, He had me up in there for like 2 hours.
       I agree come on sunday morning. On sunday there was a total of 11 people (including me)I had brought my Casio with me . There was no praise team or any other musicians. so he sings a few songs, I play along......Then he starts preaching. He set up his camcorder for his Public access TV ministry (they let anybody on), and starts giving what I guess is suposed to be an inspirational message, which wasnt all that inspiring at all.
     So in the end he pays me $30, which I felt kinda bad taking, seeing as there were so few people there. I think he just gave me that much so I would come back again (which I didnt, I wasnt that hungry to play). I just went back to my home church and continued being a bench warmer.