Blackberrys and the Power of Perspective
President-elect Obama is “clinging to his BlackBerry,” saying “they are gong to have to rip it from my hands.” President Bush awaits his January-20th-reunion with his BlackBerry. Upon leaving her post, Condoleezza Rice plans to buy an iphone! It is bizarre to image that great world leaders live out their “calling” in such an insulated way.Living an insulated life
Then I consider my own life calling. I am a music pastor. Let’s face it… I live an insulated life too. Like many music leaders at Apostolic churches I “do ministry” with the so-called-spiritual-elite. Those who fall into my ministry team are those who have already traveled the path beyond spiritual infancy, through the gates of modesty, and into the realm of “approved for the platform.”
Let me be honest. This bugs me. Some days I feel like I’ve been forced to surrender my Blackberry. Sometimes I crave the raw perspective of a new convert. Or the passionate worship of a newbie. I sometimes wonder if the insulation hurts my effectiveness more than it helps.
Do Apostolic Musicians Impact the World?
As I see it, this is one reason that Apostolic musicians are not carrying the battle-cry for Justice. Israel Houghton and Donnie McClurkin are singing to 400,000 in Africa. (Thanks, Ann, for the inspiration for my thoughts!) But the majority of us are not challenged to reach the world because our job descriptions are to lead the sanctified.
How can we begin to comprehend mercy and justice when we are solely rubbing shoulders with saints who allegedly have it all together? How many Apostolic music leaders and musicians visit the prison? How many feed the homeless? How many ever mentor a new convert? How many visit impoverished nations of the world? Or minister to orphans? Are we pre-occupied with consulting our own inner-circle and managing the occasional “administrative scandals” that rise up? Does our only glimpse of the “real world” come through carefully staged tours?
What about Isaiah 61?
What if our next choir rehearsal was filled with inner city kids? Or we were asked to minister to orphans in Guatemala? Or our band was entirely filled with new converts? I don’t know where to begin, but I pray that Apostolic musicians begin to impact the world as it really is. It is tragic to think that non-apostolic musicians are leading the way in fulfilling Isaiah 61:1:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”
Can I have my BlackBerry back? I need to gain some perspective.
posted by Laura Payne at
Saturday, January 17, 2009
3 Comments:
Thanks for realigning our perspective and focus as musicians. Great analogy...
Laura,
This is the exact way that I feel - like my heart is about to burst inside of me. When I first listened to the CompassionArt project and read the promo sheet my only question was, "where are the Apostolics?" Aren't we uniquely equiped to administer social justice because we can address the breakdown of relationship with God which is the ROOT of social injustice?
My heart burns within me! We are NOT called to minister to each other (exclusively). Much like a pastor isn't just called to preach. Thanks for elaborating on this - I think you've hit it square on the nose.
AA
So ... why don't some of you "music ministers" get up a tour to Africa or India or Ceylon, e.g.? If Dony and Reba can do it (and they're church is not very large up there in Nashville), why don't some of you? Take Tim Spell and/or IBC choir and head out. Would somebody fund it? Would anybody in those countries want to hear us? Just a thought.
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