Music Ministry Core Values

Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise! -Psalm 66:1-2

Identifying core values is critically important for any organization, but especially the Church of Christ Jesus. Eternity is at stake and our business is critically important, even urgent. If we do not identify our core values, we will drift towards uncertainty, indifference, disobedience. If we aim at nothing, that is the very thing we will hit ever single time. The music we sing during corporate worship is not neutral. It actively does something to us as we participate. The things we meditate on are the things that captivate our hearts. They are what we delight it. These are the things that we find worth and value in. As we identify our core values according to Scripture, they will lead us towards certainty, affection, obedience. With that in mind, here are our music ministry team's core values at Lighthouse Baptist Fellowship.

Core Value 1
Congregational Worship over Concert Performance
When we gather together each Lord's Day, we are doing the most important thing we do the entire week. We gather to worship the Most High God. This weekly event points to what we will be doing for all of eternity; worshiping together as the Church of Christ Jesus. One aspect of our worship is singing. Rather than guests and covenant members coming to be passively entertained each week, we resolve to pursue congregational worship.

Practical Application
Congregational worship is biblical in approach as this is what we will be doing for eternity. When we gather we are practicing for what we will be doing forever as the body of Christ. Conversely, consumerism is not biblical but worldly and me-centered. Special music and solos have their place for occasions outside weekly corporate worship on the Lord's Day. The can be worshipful events and God-honoring. Yet, we see a priority in Scripture of gathering together to pray, sing, meditate, actively hear the preaching of God's Word, exhort one another, and fellowship in the Spirit as one body. Our weekly practice greatly affects how we view God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the church, man, the gospel, praise/worship, and many other things. Is there pressure or an expectation to clap when someone in the service were to give a performance? Is it rude not to give applause in such a situation? Performances shift the focus from God to man. Congregational worship moves us from focusing on self to focusing of God. It also practically moves us from being consumers to those who are on mission with God.