should we be charging for our music?

dogwhisperer

Ok, i know i'm reallllly sticking my foot out on this one, but i like to keep good topic's going otherwise it gets kinda slow...lets see if this one goes to 5 pages LOL Very Happy

There is an argument out there that we shouldn't charge for our music...it's a ministry to the Lord and Paul was a tentmaker and tried in all ways possible not to charge for his ministry, but to support himself in other ways, however i realize there is also the 'workman worthy of his hire'. I also have to wonder if the christian music industry has take on the secular stand with charging just sooooo much for their stuff, the everyday person finds it hard to fork out all that money...and then theres the music sheets, concerts etc etc....its big money, but is it greedy, or nesesary? I know that it doesn't have to work that way...Keith Green proved that, and he had a biig family to.
Missy

Crucified_With_Christ · Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 4:07 pm Post subject:

Wow! Good topic idea there, dogwhispere! I've never even thought of that before. And to tell you the truth, I don't rightly know. I've always assumed that singing/playing was their job and I've never even considered otherwise. I think that there's definitely a way that a small-time band could be "free of charge", but huge bands need to worry about airplne tickets and just general travel charge, because they're always moving to concerts and performances and interviews all over the country (world even for some). Good question.
- Tim

jeff_osu · Tiger Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 838 Location: Oklahoma

Seems like it's kind of like supporting your church. Your minister doesn't do anything but preach, but you still pay him/her through tithes. A band doesn't do anything but play music, and if you like their message you shouldn't feel bad buying their CD and going to see a live show. It's just a much a living for a band as it is a preacher.

PunkStar · Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 10:44 pm Post subject:

Yes, a good question. I think it's justified for a band to charge a bit of money to cover themselves financially. For instance, they'd have to charge for cds because they can just be so expensive to produce. And if they're playing a concert, it is skilled labour after all. And if that's how they make their living, then I think it's ok. Just as long as they don't go ripping people off.

But if a band wants to play for free, then I think they should be able to do that. That's probably what happens for church bands (at least that what happens at my church anyway)

dogwhisperer · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 12:23 am Post subject:

well i dunno, i mean, wasn't paul like a preacher as well, and he didn't ask for tithes or even say it was scriptural, they gave as their hearts would with a cheerful heart, but i mean, tithing isn't really even in the new testament. sometimes i think if God wants someone not to have to work, and be in full time ministry, he can also lay it on people's hearts to give to them...Keith Green was pretty big in his time, and he was able to do it, and people gave into his ministry just as the Lord layed it on their hearts.

Crucified_With_Christ · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 3:51 am Post subject:

Paul did do everything "for free", but he was still fed, housed, and well-kept by random families of believers in his travels. Perhaps he didn't "make" any money, however, his pay was the food and hospitality that he recieved from fellow Christians along the road. He touched on his right to have pay in 1 Corinthians 9. How he has the right, as an apostle, for food and drink, a believing wife, and pay, but he willingly waived those rights. He says, "But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast." He knew that many of the apostles accepted pay of various sorts, but for him, it was his "boast" that he allow God alone to provide. That was Pauls way. It may have been different for Peter, or Aristarchus, or Timothy, you know what I mean?
So on the issue of music, I think you could go either way. It's not wrong to charge - I think God's given them the right to charge. But if they feel as Paul did, and they wish to offer their talents free of charge, then good for them!!! God will definitely provide.
So, yeah. That's just my second dose of 2 cents! Very Happy

Steve · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 5:30 am Post subject:

An excellent topic!

But one I'm not sure of myself. I should defer to Meridian's wisdom on this, but here's my thought process as of now:

I have played plenty of paid jobs (non-Christian) for Union scale, or even double scale, and I know paid church musicians.
I have never been paid for being a side man in a Christian context. Never expected it, and don't know anyone who is paid for say, concerts.

I didn't mind paying $20 to see Sonic Flood, Building 429, and Hungry, together at a concert lately, and I buy lots of Christian CD's. I have no problem with it.

Our economic system is now based on John Locke's philosophy, who was Christian. These bands are on the road, and have normal expenses too.

Part of me (the working musician part) resents when people suppose musicians shouldn't be paid because it's fun. The training and education (if they are trained at all) is just as expensive as any other vocation, and the time spent doing it precludes making money in other ways if you're doing it full time.

Uh, that's all I can come up with right now. I'll wait for Mer to check in on this.
I don't think Sonic Flood or any of the others is liable to make the money say, Aerosmith has!

dogwhisperer · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 10:09 pm Post subject:

that all makes sense you know...it's always good to get everyone elses opinion other than just one persons's Smile

i don't like the opionion that it's 'fun' and so you shouldn't get paid for it, because it is a VERY expensive thing (well, it can be for some people really going for it anyway) coming to think about it, i mean, sometimes working your normal job is your ministry to others (like listening to people and sharing about the Lord as you can etc) so yeah, but sometimes it does cross the line where so called ministers do really SELL the gospel, like it just goes waaay over the top.

Missy.

P.s...thanks for keeping me in your prayers
things are getting HEAPS worse round here
but i'm going ok right now.

ACfixer · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 10:29 pm Post subject:

PunkStar · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 10:42 pm Post subject:

Our pastor doesn't get paid. Mostly because we don't have one. The elders of the church take it in turns to bring messages. Although we usually pay them a small amount anyway.

dogwhisperer · Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 1:33 pm Post subject:

sounds like your church is really small punk...is it a particular denomination? i like small churches best...we have one here that we go to occasionally and they're really nice.

PunkStar · Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 6:25 pm Post subject:

Very small. Under 50 people on an average Sunday would be a fair estimate. It's mostly full of older people (we breed 'em for longevenity at my church). We have very few young people. We'll probably die out in about two generations at this rate. So that's not good, but yeah. We're a really small church. Nice place though. And we've got some awesome musicians up front and many good singers in the congregation. No denomination, just Bible followers.

We've got plenty of big churches around us though.