Who's Getting the Glory?

I just had a conversation with a friend of mine who is an incredibly gifted music producer, rapper, dancer, musician, promoter, and more. Recently, he made the decision to give his life to Christ and called me to tell me that he was thinking about leaving all that he knew to totally commit himself to God. In a nutshell, he equated totally living for God with leaving the music scene. However, his struggle is that he was recently given an opportunity to do some production work for and perform with some very notable people in the secular music industry. Pretty convenient, huh?

My response to him came in the form of a question: “If there was one message that you would want to give to people right now, what would it be?” After a few moments of dialogue to bring clarity to my question he responded “That we’re being lead astray.” My next question was, “If you had a chance to relay that message via the talents you have, what do you think God would NOT want you to do in relaying that message?” His response was “…glorify myself.”

With that said, I told him to take the opportunity that he had been given to work with these secular artists and present to them the message that God has given him. If they don’t like was he presents, then oh well. He can only offer them what he has.

Now for many, I know that’s not the answer or direction you expected me to give him. Many would have said, “Leave the music industry; turn away from that life, and follow Jesus!” And that’s fine, but why throw the baby out with the bath water? James 1:17 declares “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (NASB) From this verse I conclude that the gifts and talents he has are from God.

The other option many would have given him would have been to produce Gospel music. The problem here is that we’ve relegated Christ to “Christian” or “Gospel” music. Newsflash: God is not confined by the limitations we set on Him. As a matter of fact, God so transcends the comfortable limits we place on Him that provide us with a sense of superiority as it relates to our walk with Him. Furthermore, I know secular artist who have more integrity and character than most gospel artists I know!

My final instruction to him was to write down everything that God has gifted him to do. Then, next to those things write “How can God get glory out of this gift?” Next, answer that question for each. Does this mean he has to become a “Gospel” artist? No it doesn’t! Does it mean that he has to become a “Church musician?” No, it doesn’t! It just means that God has to get glory out of what he does.

All in all, the determination of whether or not God is getting glory out of what we do is not where we do it at. Besides, the people in church are not the ones that need to hear his gift anyhow! (Our band pits and praise teams are already overcrowded as it is…shoot, most churches are already out of microphones!) If he chooses to write love songs, God can get glory out of that. Lord knows we need some more great love songs. (I love Fred Hammond, but that’s not what my wife and I are trying to listen to when we’re about to “do the dawg-on thang!”)

All in all, the question is “Who’s getting the glory?” If you are a Christian minister and you’re getting more glory in your ministry than God, you have no place to judge a secular artist. If your website has more pictures of you than it does of actual ministry taking place (and I don’t mean that picture of you with your infamous deep/ugly face on; head back, hands lifted, sweating, and singing in the microphone during praise and worship) it may be a little more about you than it is about Him. Wait, I just got a Tweet from heaven: “#CanIPleaseGetMyGloryBack? I think somebody in church stole it.” -@JesusChrist