Comments on: The music minister that gives his wife all the solos.

By: Finny

Finny — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:26:19 +0000

Our church music minister was the wife of the pair, so that worked out well for her. I unfortunately remember that strident, trained, loud, but completely ungifted with any natural talent voice. Finally, a woman who had probably never taken a lesson in her life was given an opportunity to perform a solo and her voice was sweet, clear and beautiful and had us TEENAGERS in awe, as well as everybody else and she was just so lovely to talk to when us adolescents broke our generational barrier and told her how much we enjoyed her singing. Exit the Wackadoos not long thereafter. Just because your voice can bend steel does not mean you have to demonstrate this at every self-created opportunity.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:06:51 +0000

We haven't had this specific problem, fortunately, no musical wives out there, but our previous pastor had a daughter in her 20s who plays violin/fiddle with a band, they tour and are pretty big, there's one song where they all (including the daughter) yell out the F-bomb, it is NOT christian… anyway sometimes when she was in town she'd play a solo in church (her mother would accompany her) and yes, they were talented… but a) I couldn't mentally get over her primary music association and b) she would tend to wear tight pants and a shirt that would ride up and show a little bit of skin around the waist when her arm was raised in the air playing, and this at a church where girls pretty much always wear skirts on Sunday. So it was SUPER distracting on so many different levels. Didn't remotely minister to me at ALL but maybe I just have a bad attitude.

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:46:00 +0000

I just left amusic ministry I had been very involved in for 5 years over this kind of stuff. We got a new music minister about 6 months ago – according to my calculations she has sang between 130-160 “leads”; essentially not a single, solotary adult has been allowed to sing a true solo, as she always volunteers herself to sing backup. SHe brought along a husband who has taken over as sound man and a step-son who fills in when dad isn’t avaiable…you guessed it, nobody can hear the other singer at all. I had the temerity to ask for a solo slot(before she came I did one about every 6-8 weeks, as service to the congregation) and she sent me the nastiest email I have received from a church member. Askled me if I think I “minister” with my playing, asked if I think I am getting ministered too(what!?), told me “there is no room for prima donas on the platform. Hello – I’ve been backing you with my playing for all those songs, was I a prima dona on my bass, on the piano or guitar? Our music ministry was fractured when she arrived and she has made it worse(IMO) by having little house parties and such that only include the current music minstry members. No effort to draw back in the people who got disillusioned with the previous “worship leader”(that title scares me big time now) – I think she is afraid of losing the spotlight. SOme of those sitting it out are our best singers and musicians….people in their upper 20s to late 40s, stable, devout but hurting. Well, I’;ve vented…I’ve been praying onthis every day for a week, feeling crushed over the events. And our PAstor is of no help – he’s too enthralled with the relitively new contemporary music program to say boo. He think it will be the magic bullet to increasing attendance. Arggh! Satan is having a victory lap at our church for sure.

By: rashae

rashae — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:30:00 +0000

This happens to be a petpeeve of mine. I went to a church in Texas where the wife picked the worship songs, color cordinated the worship team and her husband, and sang all the solos. Sometimes just the worship leader gets the solos and that annoys me, too! Thanks for letting me laugh at it a little instead of always grinding my teeth!

By: Music Director's Wife

Music Director's Wife — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:57:00 +0000

What’s the difference between ministry and performance? Generally, ministry is from the heart and seeks to exalt Jesus, not self.

That’s what I heard my husband say. I don’t get any solo parts….I only sing in the choir. My voice isn’t as strong as it should be. We should be focusing on our ministry, not seeking out the spotlight at church.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:42:00 +0000

I am a worship leader, and my wife sings a million times better than me, but I couldn’t pay her to sing anymore. She used to sing, but not anymore.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:36:00 +0000

My former worship pastors were a couple so they both had all of the solos. I really liked them and wasn’t convinced that anyone else could comfortably lead besides them so I didn’t make a big deal of them being the only ones with solos. But truthfully, I feel like had I mentioned the idea of someone else leading to them I would have been put on their “does not respect spiritual authority” list.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:34:00 +0000

the phrase hebrew homework killed me

By: Skerrib

Skerrib — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:36:00 +0000

You know, the Lord wasn't jokin' when He kicked 'em out of Eden. It wasn't for no reason that He shed His blood. His return is very close & so you'd better be believin'.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:50:00 +0000

I just saw the "Putting on the Ritz" video for the first time today. It frightened me.

And every time I get out my old recorder to play "Hot Cross Buns", I inhale dust.

So to solve the problem of someone getting solos every time, switch off every year. That's what we did.