10/08/2022
HOW I BALANCED SPIRITUALITY AND SKILL IN MY MUSIC MINISTRYâ
â PASTOR NATHANIEL BASSEY
One of the scriptures that opened me up is John 4:22 â âYe worship what ye know not: we know what we worshipâŠâ this means, knowledge drives worship. Worship is the response to revelational knowledge.
When people say to me, âcome and minister to usâ, they are indirectly saying, âcome and tell us what is going on between you and God in music formâ. Thatâs where the concept or idea of the song should come from â your love and relationship with God.
You canât be in the presence of God and not get a release from Him to you. Our songs are revelations (Ps 119:54) and the revelations you have of God impacts upon the quality of work that you do. During my training, I had a pastor who was fiercely excellent.
So we would do trainings choir practice for four hours and then he would open his door and when he comes back he would say, ânow letâs start choir practiceâ. So we would begin all over again.
We would pray with him all through the night into the Service in tongues. We had a programme called âLazarus come forthâ and during the last seven days of the thirty days we were on dry fast and back-to-back vigils into the healing service. We were also hearing the word during that time. So that is the spiritual preparation.
Then when it came to the music, he (my pastor) would ask me âNathaniel, now that you have decided to just focus on God, what are the instruments you need?â He would travel and buy me seven trumpets â expensive ones.
On the one hand I had spiritual inheritance and then, the words of prophecy I had over me was global. Thatâs why I say to people âif God has called you to minister globally, you canât do things like a local person. If you want to play globally, some people donât have patience to want to listen out for your voice. So engage excellence so that while they are appreciating the quality of the music, the anointing hits them.
The anointing can be present in your song but your quality can ruin it. I tell people that God looks at your heart but men listen to the quality of your voice. God loves you too much to embarrass you, so he wonât open some doors to you. So you will be powerful in your local assembly. You will be anointed in your vicinity because God loves you too much to open a global door to you.
I have always have this mantra for my music ministry â Spirit, skill, character, modelled after David in 1Samuel 16. It wasnât prayer that took David to the palace, it was skill that opened the door. Skill has a way of opening doors.
I was reading some comments on Twitter about Dunsin Oyekan, and some people were like, âI donât know where this sound is coming from (in marvel)âŠâ Itâs the anointing but it is years of practice and diligence. Skill does not come by prayer and fasting. Skill is simple repetitive task over time that becomes your nature.
When I play the trumpet, people say I am so anointed but it took me five hours of practice before the meeting. I believe our ministries will blossom when we begin to deliver our gifts in a more excellent manner. When I say excellence, I also mean excellence in character.
I believe excellence is a tool for dominion. So I tell believers, when they are sacking people in the office, they shouldnât mention your name. When they mention your name, it should be, âif we loose this guy we are goneâ. It takes a level of competence to achieve this.
â Pastor Nathaniel Bassey
