Is Excellence Necessary?

I mostly write and teach in areas geared toward the worshipping musician.  I am not trying to reach the world of professional musicians or pop musicians or even necessarily the gospel or CCM artist (or hopeful). My purpose is to help equip the worship musician most of whom are faithful and hardworking lay musicians in their church. So when it comes to singing as a worship musician, is excellence a requirement?

The answer I typically get from this question is a resounding “YES! We want nothing less than excellence for our Lord and Savior!”  However, when it comes down to the reality of pursuing ‘excellence’ it’s quite another story. Would our version of excellence stand up against a worldly standard of excellence? Should it? Is there a biblical mandate for excellence in worship? In singing? Are we called or even required to pursue that call or mandate?

I believe there are clear answers to those questions. Yes! there is a biblical standard of excellence for worship set forth in scripture.

“All of these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the Lord… —all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord…” I Ch 25:6-8

The men that worked in the music ministry of the temple, and the context of this verse references singers, were all highly trained and skilled. They were also full-time paid musicians.

“Those who were musicians… stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.” I Ch 9:33

This is a luxury most of us do not have.  Nonetheless, the precedent has been set here and for good reason.

TO BE CONTINUED….
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