MUSIC MINISTRY - DOES THE CHURCH NEED A CHOIR? (PT 3)

The Purpose of a Choir

In the last part, we saw that music ministry is a form of service to the Lord — one that carries great responsibility. The goal of a church choir is not applause, fame, or recognition. The goal is to point everyone in the room to the greatness of God, creating a space where He is the only focus.

The choir members are not performers; they are enablers of the priestly ministry of the church, much like the Levites of old who were singers and musicians. They minister to the Lord and lead His people to do the same. At the heart of true worship is not performance, but service – leading the people of God into His presence through Spirit-led worship.

Our Practice

In our church group, we don’t operate a traditional choir as seen in many churches. By this, I mean, there is no choir that has a time when they present a song for the audience to appreciate. Rather, we have music ministers — individuals called and anointed not to showcase their vocal abilities, but to lead the congregation in worship. The focus is not on the singers or their musical skill, but on God, the One who is worthy of all praise and adoration. They may be skilled or gifted musically, but they recognize that the gifting is a tool for service, just like any other spiritual gift is meant to be used to edify (build up, not entertain) the entire body (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 12).

READ ALSO: THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

Music is for Worship

The essence of any choir or music ministry in the church is not to entertain or simply render songs. It is to guide the church into the presence of God, to help hearts align with heaven, and to teach the people how to worship. This means that after a true ministration, people are not clapping for the singers; they are worshipping God. The atmosphere should be one where God is magnified and every heart is drawn to Him.

Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23–24 (NKJV)

The Difference Between a Singer and a Worship Leader

So, the difference between a singer and a worship leader lies in intention and direction. A singer may perform a song beautifully and receive applause. But a true worship leader will lead the church to a place where God is worshipped, and no man takes the glory.

This is the standard for every music minister — not just to sing songs, but to usher the church into spiritual worship that exalts the Father. Anything less is falling short of the sacred duty.

In the next part, we shall consider music as a way to teach and edify the church.