I made MULTIPLE 6-Figures when I made THIS decision! | Why I QUIT Playing in church Pt 1! |

I was a church musician for over 25 years of my life! I quit for a very specific reason...and I tell the HARSH truth in this video!

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[Johnmike]

BEFORE you leave a LONG comment PLEASE READ 👇🏾👇🏾

1. PLEASE WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO

2. I HAVE NOT left God! I am a Christian a believer attend church every Sunday…I have a wife and 6 beautiful children all by her…I don’t drink I don’t smoke(never have ) alll our children were in the confines of our marriage and we dated for 3 years and never had sex before marriage I’ve never cheated and cause I LOVE GOD and my family too much to do so!

3. I served as a church musician for over 30 years of my life (I’m only 40) most of those years were unpaid only maybe 10 were paid…and not that much(as stated in the video)

4. What IM NOT saying is that church musicians should leave their posts or stop serving because of money. If that’s what your call and contentment is IM NOT TALKING TO YOU

5. What I AM SAYING is that musicians SHOULD NOT depend on the church to make a full time living. I don’t think it’s a viable source and I didn’t depend on it holistically as MY ONLY SOURCE(as stated in the video)

6. What I AM SAYING is that you SHOULD have multiple streams of income, life insurance and health insurance so we don’t have to do a go fund me to bury you

7. IF YOU HAVE ALL those things in place IM NOT Talking to you

8. If you are happy serving God with your gift without pay there is NOTHING wrong with that at all and you SHOULD continue to do that. But YOU NEED OTHER INCOME SOURCES and YOU NEED insurance

9. If YOU DONT have any health or life insurance or don’t have an inheritance to leave to your family when you die then THIS VIDEO is for you.

10. PLEASE WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO BEFORE YOU LEAVE A COMMENT!

[jp]

I play in church and I don't make anywhere near $500 a week, however, I have a regular full-time job and I'm retired military. Unless you're an MD for a mega church, I don't see how anyone could make a living "only" as a church musician. Having a regular job takes a lot of pressure off of being a church musician and it frees you up to bless the Lord and others with the talent He's given you.

[KirklandWilliamsWorkout]

I started playing as a Church Saxophonist around 2003 until Covid hit. My pay was $40 a Sunday. We would have Tuesday Rehearsals, Thursday night service, the Choir had 2 albums so we would play at different churches sometimes Fridays and Saturdays and we had night service on Sundays for $40 😂.

However the benefit and blessings I received from that was greater than the $40 . I became better at my craft, I was apart of a ministry that was bringing souls to Jesus through and healing and Deliverance. My 9-5 Job started to give me and increase, I started to get more side gigs for higher pay.

So in conclusion if you are getting paid or not, God will give you an increase for your dedication. Time is money, so the time we invest into a church is our offering! Sometimes God will bless through other means such as favor on our life, money coming from different streams I believe these are all Blessings from God, and I am so happy that he blessed me with this gift and I will continue to Glorify him and use it be blessed Brothers

[Noteworthy]

I play at a church. I don’t get paid. I consider it an offering to God. Playing is my worship. I work full time and do well financially in my job. BUT I DO BELIEVE that church musicians should be paid. The truth is most churches don’t have the money to do so or they don’t value musicians until they’re gone.

[jgyrwa]

I was a church musician since age 17. In one year alone of being around the top musicians in the DMV, I seen the dead end of that path, especially when men were older with responsibilities of a family. Mostly all of them were struggling, with no retirement plan in place. I quit and became a Master Electrician. Best decision I ever made in life, as a young man with no guidance, just a gift of insight from God.

[travisgouge]

Been playing drums in church since 1983, for 40 years. Never got paid for it, but I never considered it a "job" necessarily. I just treat it as serving God and in return, He gives me His blessings on my life with other things: Family, Job, Relationships etc.

[namesake]

I'm 43.... Great video by the way. My suggestions to those that are Church musicians... Keep your day job

[MusicalNotes]

We gotta stop looking at "Church" as a place to make money. If a church is willing to pay you for what you do, don't go out looking for that.

This is why we have so many "carnal" musicians because so many just look at church as a "gig" and not as service unto the Lord.

I've never charged anyone for my gift because it was freely given

[Eiliyah]

Been playing since the age of 9 and am 62 now. Love doing what I do and live well. I saw a lot that was discouraging, but learned to do what I've been gifted to do and not become engaged in the politics of the church. You use the money that you get paid to purchase your health, life and medical insurance. If you don't get paid enough to afford it, then go to corporate America and get a job. The key is not to live above your means. As a single Mom, my gift for years afforded me to raise two Sons and now take care of myself. The biggest benefit, is being my own boss. And yes, I have life and health insurance and 13 grands that I look out for. To each his own. As for me, my gift makes room for me and has brought me before great men.

[whittymusic]

I make 6 figures scoring movies, but I find no more joy than serving Jesus regardless of money, because at the end of the day there are hurting people that gift God gave you he uses to bring healing. The closer I get to Jesus, the more I don't care about the money, because at the end of the day youre going to live here 65-100 years maybe and the rewards you reap from serving God will last for eternity. That said it isn't for everyone, and I think the most important thing is are you walking daily, closely, and offering your life as a living sacrifice to Jesus. Of course we need to feed our families, but for me I can earn plenty outside of church. Blessings to you and I hope we all find and stay in our first love for our our creator.

[leftverture]

I’ve played in church for 20+ years. I get a stipend every once in a great while, but it’s rare, small and I don’t expect it. If you’re trying to make your primary living at music, especially in church, you have an uphill climb. Everybody’s different so you have to chart your own course - for me, this is for the glory of God.

[drenalintherapy]

The money standpoint is super relevant. I clicked from the mental aspect. Being there every rehearsal 3, 4 hours, coming to church every Sunday super early to brain dump all the music you just learned for one week then do it all over again. I just feel mentally drained and tired but I love every second

[Anthony_Collier]

I’m not even half way through the video yet but you’ve brought up too many good points and things for us (ME) to think about. Thank you for opening up this discussion for us bro!

[LyndaStarr]

This video was SO timely and I’m glad it popped up on my feed. I was hired to perform last year for an anniversary service at a church and after the amazing feedback of the performance they reached out to me to be part of their praise team and join the church community. I prayed on it, received confirmation and led the praise & worship team doing it all for the glory of God. But y’all, after about 6 months I was BURNED OUT. The pastors (nor the other members of the team) weren’t pleased at all or supportive about me taking a break but I had to obey the instruction of rest. 7 months later they were in dire need of my singing since one of the singers took a 3 month sabbatical so I had to start that following Sunday getting back into the rhythm. I’m now in my second week back of leading worship singing mainly solo. While I’m grateful that I’m now getting paid to lead and share my gifts to honor God, it’s still not enough to be sustainable ($400 a month) ESPECIALLY in NYC. This video (and the comments) helped put so many things into perspective and made me realize I’m not alone.

[danielledaniq]

I've been playing for 20 years, I'm 38, and I'm ready to give it up. I live in a city where there is a church musician shortage. Some of us have 3 or 4 churches if the circumstances work.

[claykingmuzik]

Back in the day, it was an upside to being a church musician because blessings came with the gift that was given from God.. Today, it's nothing like it was because the church is NOTHING like it use to be... Remember how choir days & revivals were in the 90s- early 2000s?? There's not a church today rocking like that being authentic... Really think about it.... Today's church don't even have mothers of the church anymore nor elders..

[edwarddanville]

Sir, this blessed me! I am a retired school teacher! I could not have retired if all I had were my church organist job! YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!! Thanks for sharing this!

[iengineer_]

Hmmmm I'm a sound guy feeling some of this pain...

I stopped doing Live Sound for church. I set up gear time to time (x32😂😂😂😂😂) and sometimes I may fill in for a sound guy. I saw a lot of things that I didn't want to see. Politics was involved. People ask you to do things then wanting others to interrupt it I mean the list goes on. I am a man of God just been saved for 26 years. I feel like some things have became entertaining more than ministry. Some people don't want to grow in and with ministry as well. Thanks for sharing this. Many people may have their views about being a musician or a sound tech but man it's crazy.

[franklinden]

I serve as church drummer for 4 years. The Lord wanted me to serve and there is no money and it's about making Him happy and facilitating a crucial need. I want to pass the sticks onto someone else to give the opportunity for serving in God's glory. I'm glad money had Nothing to do with it.

[eagle]

i've been working in churches as a pianist or organist since high school, i'm in my early 20s now. it's supported me well through college where expenses are pretty minimal (i lived on my own for two years as well), but i feel your point. i've many other talents and ideas i want to share with the world, so this job has been more of a "stepping stone" onto other things that hopefully serve God's greater purpose for me. i couldn't imagine doing this for another 5, 10, or 20 years. it is fantastic to serve, but it doesn't financially support our basic needs