Worship... to whom does it really belong?
5-05-06
Kenny Metcalf
From this title you might think I will be talking about who our worship belongs to, and of course that would be God and only him, but I am going to focus on the music side of our worship in this blog.
Being a musician all my life, and coming to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ changed my perspective on music, worship, and their power when applied together before God, and even greater when they are tools in His hand used to accomplish HIS plan.
Worship should be first defined:
It is our personal abandonment before our God.
It is giving everything we have to the one we serve.
Single mindedness in HIS vision.
Giving all we are, our daily lifestyle, our fullness, reflecting toward the one we desire to be like in honor/reverence unto Him, and even our _expression in songs or music.
Music:
Music is a vehicle in which we are able to express our worship, emotions, feelings, passions, thoughts, attitudes, ideals, and even convince others to do the same by.
Music is a form of worship, but it is not worship complete.
Never go to church on Sunday and sing a few songs and say you worshipped God, what about the other 6 days and 23 hours of your life?
Now with that said, lets talk about the music side of worship and the commercialization of Christian worship music... all for the sake of a buck.
That is what Christianity has done. They have capitalized on it!
A songwriter owns the rights to a song when he or she writes a song. That writer is entitled to compensation when ever someone uses that writers song for personal gain (eg. Radio air play, movie score, public venues, or when placed on a CD for sale). You'll notice I didnt add in what is now very common in Christian mainstream "sung in churches during their services".
Thats right; Churches are now paying for the right to sing someones song during the service.
With these rules in place many churches still do not pay a single penny and follow the Napster approach and steal the songs they offer up to God during their services.
Wow, what a statement, sad and true. Yet, we have no problem singing the old FREE from royalty songs Amazing Grace, etc.
This blog is beginning to sound like I am blasting the church for stealing what they have no right singing service after service, yet I need to go a completely different direction for this blog.
It is true that many churches do this and are in SIN for not paying the artist who owns the very song they are singing, but this artist (me) struggles with charging a church for the right to sing a song the Holy Spirit entrusted him (me) with. Wow, now theres a whole different angle.
Christian music has become so cookie cut for a lack of original words, and has moved from worship to what sells. The mainstream Christian market Music media MACHINE has for the lack of softer words WHORED our music for the almighty dollar.
They really arent looking for anointing, depth of the artists commitment to their savior, with songs born out of experience, or even life changing songs to release those tormented. No, they dont want the over 40 crowd who have experienced the depth of relationship only age and lifes experiences can bring with time spent with their Father.
NO, they want the next Christian version of Johnny come lately and that is ALL they offer to the eager awaiting masses. That leaves much to be desired. Sadly, those musicians and singers with much to offer are cast aside by the money machine, and most of what we hear on the radio has little or no anointing or depth, and has been "crafted" by the machine to present it to us, made to be desired by us and not the one, true worship is meant for.
Follow the money trail and you will always find the real motive.
This artist has for years given away his music, but only because that is the vision that the Father has put into the heart of THIS man.
I was speaking to 2 different artists this past week. Each artist asked me what my opinion was on selling worship music.
NOTE: Each artist asked me the same question 2 days apart.
Each one said they had been struggling with selling the worship songs they had written that the Holy Spirit had given to them. Each of these artists was over 40. Each invested their money into recording their music, and yet each was willing to allow the music to be given away because they each had stated.. Freely you have received, freely give. It has nothing to do with them being unable to sell their product. They are highly qualified artist in their own right. They asked me what I thought on the matter.
I can only speak for me when I say this, My songs are inspired by the Holy Spirit. They were gifts entrusted to me by Him. Words or messages from the throne to touch his people. To reach those who the Spirit draws daily to the church. Written for such a time as this, engrafted into Gods perfect plan by God for HIS divine purpose. How can I charge people for something HE ENTRUSTED ME WITH that is part of HIS eternal plan?
If money becomes the motive behind recording the project and getting it out into the hands of the masses, my motive has changed and is NOT pure. I have then whored out what was born in purity for the sake of the flesh.
(This next part in quotes is taken from my blog.. The New Sound)...
"Intimacy Anointing" flows through those who walk in the ways of their Father, the same way that Jesus did. Intimacy anointing is only on those who God the Father chooses and trusts.
He will not give His Intimacy anointing to those who will sell it. It is not for sale.
"Freely you have received, freely give".
Now, when I record a song and it is used by another artist, radio station, or movie, for personal gain, I do have a right for compensation. But to charge a church to sing what was born in praise and adoration unto my Father in intimacy, to help people enter into his presence, and then charge money for it is just plain SICK!
Picture Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers!
My good friend Ron Coulson and I were talking about my new CD project "The Ways Of My Father" and how my desire is to give it away.
As an evangelist/worshipper of Jesus, I would rather see lives touched and possibly changed through the songs that the Holy Spirit has given me rather than make a few dollars selling them.
If it comes down to someone not hearing the message written in the songs because they dont pay me for it, how would I answer my Father in heaven when he asks me, What did you do with the talent/songs I gave you?, Will my answer be...? Well, I sold it and reached some people and paid a few bills with it, but I did it for you lord!
Or maybe I could have seen my Fathers vision and given it away and reached so many more for Him.
How is it the Fathers vision?
He is willing that NO man perish and wishes all to come unto repentance.
He gave His only son to redeem fallen man.
He paid the ultimate price for me, and I have the nerve to charge someone for it.
The church has even joined in when it comes to selling the messages preached on Sunday mornings. I see no problem with them asking for the cost of the tape/CDs, but even that is pennies... (Also, most churches do not pay their tape ministry staff to duplicate the messages, so the labor cost is "0" ;).
Also, am I trivializing things too much? If Gods word says He is coming back for a bride who is without spot or wrinkle, who has washed her garments, then these issues are not trivial but need to be dealt with.
As Ron and I talked about this, Ron said: "Picture Jesus on the mount and teaching the crowds the Be Attitudes.
Just as Jesus is completing his sermon/teaching he says to the crowd You'll notice over on my right hand side are my 12 Apostles, and to my left are my 70 Disciples, and each one of them have scrolls in their hands and have been jotting down my every word, and for a nominal fee, you can take one of these scrolls home with you today and read my words over and over again!"
I laughed so hard it hurt, but the TRUTH behind that statement is a slap in the face of the commercialization every church in the nation has become a part of Selling the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit for profit.
Jesus never did that nor would he, so why do we?
God met the Apostles in every need they had as they went out for him, they lacked for nothing. The New Testament church (Back then) testified of how God met their every need.
God has already been doing that for those who walk in the ways of their Father and they lack for nothing. The church today does not walk in the ways of their Father, and they are not dependant upon him for their sole needs.
Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers once. On another occasion He also said, the things I have done, you will do and greater.
Its time to overturn the tables of the money changers again and declare his house to be a house of prayer, and not a den of thieves. Its time to bring the heart of the people back to the Father.
Repentance is a wonderful thing God allows us to do.
The Christian music machine (and radio stations) are not following anything other than the money trail (business in the name of Jesus and only in name) and what they think they can turn for the next years gross in dollar sales.
Oh, and those in the industry who have been there and have become the human discard once the machine can no longer make their money on them, know I speak truth.
Christian (cookie cutter machine) music/praise is not about Gods plan, His vision, and where we fit in, it is about the next famous Johnny come lately and the next years gross. I am not speaking about those genuine worship projects out there that are impacting the world, just the machine and the stuff with little or no substance or anointing in it that seems to dominate our airwaves today.
Remember worship is all about HIM,
Its all about our surrender before Him.
Pure Worship is ONLY for HIM and NOT for you or me.
It is NOT about us, it is about HIM.
It is about His plan and where do we fit in.
Since I own the rights to my songs, I have complete control to do as my Father asks of me, so as my songs for the CD release "The Ways Of My Father" are completed, they will be made available for FREE download here as well as www.KennyMetcalf.com or www.KennyMetcalf.com or www.JustaBand.com
Even now the songs that are here are yours for download and FREE of royalty to use in church. Please burn CDs and GIVE them to someone else, It will cost you the CD you put them on to further the kingdom vision.
If you use it for radio (which is for profit), movies for profit, or for your own CD for profit, then pay a royalty to this songwriter. I will distribute the money as my Father directs me. If you produce the song for FREE give away, you owe no royalty, only a letter of intent to this songwriter.
This is the vision this man carries from his Father. You are not bound by this Vision unless the Holy Spirit deals with you. This is the way I must travel, this is the vision I carry.
One last thought, with CDs going by the wayside in the next few years, the same way Vinyl records Cassettes have gone, downloads will be the thing and no out of pocket money expense will have to be output by artists for tangible product (other than studio time and musician compensation), so.. how much will they charge for their worship songs?
As for secular songs That is a whole other subject and I believe royalties are in order and Napster and the like who steal should be dealt with.
Most people dont know they have been manipulated by the machine.
Why do you listen to what you listen to?
Artists! ...
Anytime you try and sell God's plan for money or change His plan to fit your needs, He lifts his hand from off of it.
Anytime money or fame becomes the vision the vision is dead.
Kenny out
