Complaining about the music ministry

THERE’S A FINE ART to critiquing the music minister.

In yesterday’s blog, I warned people against having the pastor for lunch – eating the pastor alive by complaining over Sunday lunch about the pastor’s sermon.

A friend of mine who is a music minister said that advice also applies to having the music minister for lunch.

She’s right, of course.

Here’s the problem. We all have pet peeves when it comes to church music, don’t we?

What to do?

Grin and bear it, sitting in painful silence until our eyes go crossed?

Been there.

In a church I once attended, an elderly man did not like the drums.

One particular Sunday the saintly gent walked up to the pastor and asked the question:

“When are we going to get rid of those damned drums?”

Now that’s a legitimate question.

If you don’t like drums in the church, you should probably be able to ask the question.

The devil’s in the details.

Timing for one. Before or after the worship service is probably not a good time to ask a question like that.

Then there’s the technique. Should a soul really swear at the pastor – on the Lord’s Day?

Shouldn’t swearing be limited to church board meetings during the workaday week?

Personally, I like drums in church.

If I were an old saint asking my music minister a question about instruments in the church, it would probably be:

“When are we going to get a damned saxophone?”

But – not being an old saint – I wouldn’t phrase it quite like that, even though my music minister is not an ordained elder.

I certainly would not ask that question – or any version of it – before a worship service. Unless I wanted to rattle her cage for running off and getting engaged, resigning, and preparing to move to San Francisco – just after I finally got used to singing an octave lower.

I’m speaking hypothetically, of course.

It’s okay to ask questions about the music ministry.

Just choose your words carefully.

Pick the place wisely.

Select a good time.

For example:

Question: “Doggone. Is there any way to get the congregation singing loud enough to keep me from hearing my own voice? I kinda stink.” (Self deprecation is always advisable when criticizing others.)

Location: Blog. (Guarantees no blood is shed in the short haul.)

Time: Friday. Yeah, that’s a good day.

If you’re anything like me, whatever you say, wherever you say it, whenever you say it, try to keep it light– and pray that your music minister has a sense of humor.

Of course, another approach is to send an anonymous letter to the pastor.

Which in my case would do no good because she’s moving to Texas.

Seriously, “speak the truth in love,” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT).

That doesn’t mean gut the music minister, and love it.