FredMcKinnon.Com

To me, “career” has always meant your job. “Professional” means you do it in the highest quality. “Professional career” means you get paid to do what you do, and it’s typically your main source of income. Many say that they are a professional this or that, but that doesn’t mean that they do it in a professional style. Slackers!!!

There are other aspects of being “professional” that I consider paramount. Just because you don’t get paid or aren’t considered a professional in your area of expertise doesn’t mean you don’t fit the bill. For instance, I get comments all the time about how “professional” I sounded on a certain gig, and I’ve even been asked at times if I were a “professional.” You can be a professional at just about anything, but relating to a “worship professional”, well, we DO need to remember David, pre-kingship.

I have a part-time home recording studio, and I don’t consider myself a professional engineer or recorist, even though I do make money at it. It’s not my full-time career (yet), but I do consider myself to operate at a high level of professionalism. Though I don’t get paid to lead worship periodically at my church, I try to do it in a professional manner. It’s not my career, nor is it my profession. But should I approach it any differently? Of course not.

Bottom line is this…, we should do all things as unto the Lord. Let others label it as they may. (I’ve never been one for labels anyway!)

Good stuff, man.

If a dwarf wants to play as a line-man in the NFL, does that mean he’s called to do it?

“Many are called. Few are chosen.”

I don’t think so. For instance, I’ve had many desires in my life that were noble and fair, yet as I age and mature, they seem to fade into obscurity by the onset of more important matters & issues, desires and even callings, which sometimes can only be revealed through time, circumstance and maturity.

We in the Christian world – and the world in general – all feel that it is detrimental to our psyche if we are “rejected” or denied the opportunity to do something. Yet some of life’s greatest lessons are learned in what some would deem “insensitive setbacks”.

For instance, if some guy wants to be guitarist on the worship team at my church, but can’t tell a ‘G’ from a ‘C’ chord, and sounds awful at everything he tries, then if he is denied the opportunity to be on the worship team, will it kill his desire to be a guitarist? If it does, then perhaps that “calling” wasn’t really there in the first place, and he was just wanting to “be a part” of something he admired or “thought” he wanted to do / be.

You can deaden a desire, but you can’t kill a calling.

(Hey, can I get credit for that quote???)

great stuff……
you know, i think you don’t need to buy another book, you need to WRITE a book!
blessings!
mandy

I think the competency is important. As you pointed out in your article, the music and worship “team” was the only branch under David’s leadership where skill is mentioned (more than once, I might add). I believe skill is important because a) excellence glorifies God, b) few things are distracting in worship as horribly bad notes.

That said, I completely agree with the equally important idea of “calling.” In fact, from my perspective, competency and calling are critical in any worship capacity (whether leading or “just” playing an instrument). When you take it to the next step – that is, make it your vocation – I think it becomes a matter of undeniability. There is simply no other option. Like Billy Chia commented here above me, he just can’t get it off of his mind and heart. He NEEDS to develop and lead worship. If an individual has the competency, the personal sense of calling, a confirmation of that calling from others and (as Matt above me observes) a maturing gift of leadership (including being, to a certain degree, above reproach)…you’re at least headed in the right direction.

No easy answer, for sure, but I think this is a great discussion to have.

Fred write a book? Hah!!! His wife writes these blogs for him. That Georgia Southern University education that we both got only goes so far!

Being the superb pianist that he is, inevitably he has lost all his abilities to type on a standard Western English keyboard. I hear he’s looking at getting the software that analyzes speech while the program dictates what he says into script. Problem being, I’m not sure if there is a “ham” filter plug-in with the software. It would take an awful lot of CPU processing power and a high buffer rate to convert all of that info! Maybe Waves or Digidesign / Avid can come out with something that can help us out… DARN us wordy-wordy types!!!

Hope ya’ll are havin’ a great day!!!

Did you hear about the worship leader who got the left side of his body cut-off in a terrible car accident yet miraculously survived and found salvation? He’s all right now.

Oh no, Chuck – that was REALLY FUNNY. You should post more responses in the early morning.

Did you hear about the extreme-leftist liberal who got saved? He’s all right now, too.

Good post, Joel!

To get everyone thinking along a different, yet somewhat related train of thought, has anyone ever heard Charlie Daniels speak about his “calling”? It’s rather profound, if potentially argumentative from a theological standpoint. I’ve heard Mr. Daniels say (paraphrasing) that he wasn’t called to be a music minister, or a minister in general, but as a disciple and witness in everyday life. His particular calling happened to be as an entertainer. (Now, I’m sure he was referring to “minister” as our current society dictates – Bishop, Pastor, Prophet, Apostle, Teacher, etc., because we are all ministers!)

Now, I know there’s a lot of you who would like to argue the point that ONLY “holy” music or “worship” music is worth playing, and I’m not trying to debate that issue. (Although I will make the argument that every story we tell or conversation we have – I’m sure – doesn’t always involve Jesus or our Heavenly Father.)

I just find it refreshing that a world-famous Believer and musician would have such a grasp of what he feels is his calling, or “profession”, and his discernment of what it is that he does, without any hang-ups (that we know of).

Often times I feel similarly. Yes, I offer my gifts to my local body. Yes, I operate in realms of leading worship or backing up other worship leaders. Yes, I accept the occasional secular gig – selectively, might I add. So, confessing with perhaps more conviction that most here would relate, my calling seems to be more as a musician than a worship leader, and I am ok with this. I still love to worship, and I still love to lead worship. But mostly, I love the one whom I worship, not matter if I’m leading music in my local church, or doing my job as a hired gun in a local cover band for a community street dance or wedding.

I suppose the Charlie Daniels “calling as an entertainer” could go back to the “career” or “professional” issue. Personally, I would love to be in music ministry or something music related full-time. As it is, this is not an option for me now at this stage in my life. So therefore I accept my current place / calling / situation, and press on towards that which I know to be true, and allow God to place me in those places He wishes, all the while consistently offering my gifts to the local body.

This brings to mind a whole other train of thought, and Shannon touched on this earlier, I believe… Are we to promote ourselves, or wait on the Lord to do this for us? How about this scenario… If we were filling out a resume, would we describe or call ourselves a “professional worship leader”, or would we allow others to call us what we are, or to name the areas in which we are gifted, as references? Laughingly, I would not dare call myself a professional worship leader. Do I have what it takes, the musical abilities, the organizational skills, the love of our Father and the a solid Biblical and theological grounding, to be a “professional worship leader”? I feel I do, but that’s not what I’m getting at. My question, basically, is “who” calls, called, or is calling us “professional”? I’m sure David didn’t call himself a giant killer, or the slayer of ten-thousands. Rather, he was known and called by others in that capacity. Selfishly, in a strange sort of quasi-humble way, I would rather those around me recognize those gifts and callings, and put me in my place, than for me to elevate myself. I’ve heard some teachings by Jack Hayford about the ministry of Jesus, and that “a fame went out before Him.” Should that be the case when we decide to walk in that elevated status of “professional worship leader”?

In closing, I know that often my thought are often philosophical rather than technical or theological. Therefore I’m not trying to be argumentative, but rather thought provoking. Ya’ll let me know if I get too far off base!

What about theology? I think “skillfully should be applied to the theolgy we bring to worship. I’m sure Nadab, and Abihu would agree Lev.10.1-5

Very condescending.

Mr. Fred McKinnon,

My husband and I pastor a church out of Covington Georgia. We are in search for a part-time Worship Leader and muscians
(Paid positions). We’ve been fasting and praying and sending out the word in as many places as possible and haven’t been able to find the right match for our church! Our worship is contempary with music such as Passion/HillSong… One thing that I have learned in pastoring in regards to the music… is keeping the style of music consistant with identity of your church. Please help me with other ideas or ways on finding the right match. It’s like finding the right mate to marry!!!

Blessings

The real question for me is if ‘skillful’ means educated or able. There are differences between a person who is able to functionally lead music and ultimately lead people into the presence of God and a person who is educated in music and can do the same thing. Does being skillful always require the utmost knowledge of the subject? (not that it isn’t helpful – just is it always a requirement?) If it is a requirement what education level should be expected from EVERY speaking pastor – should they be required to be Communications majors & theologians?

just a thought or 12!