Music Matters to Pastors Part 1

Music Matters to Pastors Part 1        

        I know that there are many helps published for pastors but these works often say little or nothing about the responsibilities of a senior pastor when it comes to music in the church.  This is a puzzling phenomenon to me, since music has proven many times during the last half of the twentieth century to be what I call “the war department”.  Those who know much about the dynamics of church music in the late twentieth century know that church music was the cause of mire church splits than theology or lifestyle.  So with this in mind we will consider, in the next few posts, what the responsibilities of senior pastors are.  Those who are new to this philosophical blog should be advised that we are beginning a series of posts and that we make no attempt to bring each post to definite conclusions.  Therefore the reader should read any posts that he or she has missed before continuing with the thoughts presented in the daily posts. 

      Being the senior pastor of a church is an awesome privilege and a wonderful opportunity to personally pastor those who minister through music.  God has placed the senior pastor at the head of the church for many reasons.  As has been thoroughly discussed in this book, preaching Christ crucified is the “main thing”.  Certainly every senior pastor should spend much time preparing to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, I will not be suggesting that senior pastors do the work of the minister of music.  Also, I will in no way suggest that the senior pastor take a controlling approach to the every-day responsibility of church music.