Music Ministry Questionnaire

Prior to completing this form, please take a moment to read the following excerpt from the book, Song Of The Lord, written by Dr. David K. Blomgren (p. 37 and 38).

Responsibility of Singers/Musicians in the House Of The Lord

Faithfulness to one's ministry

The Singers were always in their place in the Temple to function in their ministry. They were "appointed" to their ministry to music (1 Chronicles 15:16-24). This strong Hebrew term was used in Hebrew to impose a law upon someone.

The Singers were "separated" unto their ministry (1 Chronicles 25:1). The Hebrew word was used of "separating two places by a fence or a wall". They were considered as completely set aside unto this ministry. This did not exclude any other functions but emphasized the seriousness of their commitment to their responsibility.

Purity of heart

Those who stand in the "Holy Place" (Psalm 24:3) must be spiritually clean in the sight of the Lord to minister unto Him. This emphasis became so strong that this Psalm (24) was sung the first day of every week by singers in Herod's Temple.

Waiting upon one's ministry of music

The Singers were set aside "to the service" (1 Chronicles 25:1). This word in the Hebrew had the idea to serve in the sense of acting as a slave for the owner. The emphasis in the word was not so much on the servile status as on the function to carry out the will of his lord. The word suggested a relationship out of which one carefully discharged the work given to him. Therefore, the ministry of the musician is "to the service", meaning that his calling is to a faithful and willing service of music, coming out of a spiritual relationship with their God.

The singers "waited" on their ministry of music (2 Chronicles 7:6, 13:10). The Hebrew word for "wait" means literally "to stand" (Hebrew, 'math) in the sense of standing to wait for orders and directions so that one might serve a king. The idea is similar to a waiter who "waits" on a table, waiting for directions as to the menu. Musicians must "wait" on the Lord, standing in His presence before a service to know the direction from the Lord of spiritual ministry in music.

Practising in order to be skillful

Those in the Temple Levitical choir had to be skillful. They were not qualified to be Temple musicians until they were "skillful in song" (1 Chronicles 25:7, s.v., "cunning").

A humble spirit

God blesses those who are of a humble spirit (Matthew 5:3). Temple music became endangered with fleshly tendencies of the singers towards virtuosity. Glory is to be given only to the Lord.