Over the years, I have observed four levels of effectiveness among those who are involved with music in churches. These include praise team members, choir and orchestra members, and production people.

1. The lowest level is what I call the song leader level. These are the people who do no more than show up and help with a few songs. They put no forethought into planning or an event's purpose. If the person's job is to play an instrument, for instance, they often arrive just in time to throw their music pages together. They allow little or no time for rehearsing. They prefer to simply play and then leave. The same is true if they're in the choir or ensemble. They avoid rehearsals or planning sessions at all cost. They just want to "show up" and sing or play – nothing more. I frankly believe God has little use for people content to stay at this level. This is at best "mediocrity." That is a gentler way of saying they are "lukewarm." (And you know what Jesus said he would do with those who are lukewarm.)

2. The next level up is the music director level. These are people who want to have input in making the music the best it can be. They are not content with "just showing up." They like to be prepared, and they want to know that the music is planned ahead. Their focus on excellence and organization is commendable. They struggle at times, however, with seeing past the music and getting everything "just right." They know what to sing and play and how to do it, but they tend to forget why they should do it. Ministry to people and God often takes a back seat to being excellent and "appropriate."

3. The third level is the minister of music. Folks at this effectiveness level can be used greatly of God because they understand that music brings praise to him and ministers to others. Like the soothing effect David's harp had on Saul (see 1 Samuel 16:23), they want their music to affect, even change those who are listening. While they appreciate and even strive for excellence – and often achieve it – they are also committed to using their music to please and bless their God when they lead or play before others.

I saw firsthand the difference in the Level 2 and Level 3 approaches to music in a service while I was still in college. A student was asked to lead the music at one of our campus services. He was beaming as he told me how he'd prayed and "felt led" to do some familiar hymns like "Victory In Jesus" and "The Solid Rock." He was certain those songs would encourage and excite the students who attended (Level 3 thinking). I'll never forget how badly I felt for him when he came back to me a couple days later. He said the professor in charge told him he could not do those songs (apparently despite how he'd felt led). Instead, he could only do "British" hymns that were more "suitable" for the British speaker who would be there (definitely a Level 2 mentality).

So, does Level 3 sum up our purpose as church musicians? When our music blesses the Lord and other people, is that all that is required of us? The answer is no. As strong as Level 3 is, we should not be content at this limited level. We must press on to Level 4.

4. The fourth and highest level of effectiveness for church musicians (and technical assistants) is to be a minister through music. People on Level 4 still desire the excellence of Level 2. Like those on Level 3, they see the great blessing musical praise can be to God and other people. However, Level 4 folks realize that the music is not the minister; we are the ministers. To put this a different way, God didn't ordain the music to bless him and others. He ordained us to serve him. And we are responsible to serve whether we're making music or not. Ministry is more about who we are than about something we do.

Church staff music leaders are often called "Ministers of Music." I would not suggest that anyone change their title. But for me, I much prefer this description: "Minister through music." That subtle change of preposition quickly and clearly reminds me of my role as God's minister. Peter said, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." (1 Peter 4:10a NIV) Level 4 ministers not only view themselves as ministers, they also understand that their ministry extends far beyond the music they assist with during weekend worship services. They desire to get involved in people's lives as God gives them the opportunity. When someone in the audience or congregation makes a public commitment, they are willing to pray for them and follow up with them in any way possible. Ministers with the greatest effectiveness in God's Kingdom will seek to help people grow in their faith. They even look for ways to bear each others' burdens. (See Galatians 6:2) "Tall order to fill," you say? Absolutely. But then again, slaves of the King should expect to have some challenging tasks.

Let me explain it like this: If we believed that our music does the ministering, once the songs stop so would our responsibilities to those listening. We would not be obligated to minister to them beyond the "show" from the platform. An approach like that could foster a "personality driven" ministry. Think about it: Musicians who see themselves primarily as personalities tend to view their ministries as mostly what they do on stage. But true ministers are available and want to be used of God even when they're off the stage.

The singers that Jehoshaphat appointed in 2 Chronicles 20:21 to lead the army toward their enemies certainly qualified as Level 4 ministers. They were Levites, so their "job" was to sing in the Temple. Yet they willingly went way beyond the "call of duty" as they marched in the opposite direction from the Ark and the Temple. They weren't just ministering before the Lord; they were now waging war! Talk about stretching themselves. They were pegging Level 4.

In a word, a minister through music is first and foremost a servant.

Excerpt from the Praise More Powerful worship study (c)2006 by Dwayne Moore