He was brilliant. Clearly a child prodigy . . . the pride of Salzburg . . . a performer par excellence. At age five, he wrote an advanced concerto for the harpsichord. Before he turned ten, he had composed and published several violin sonatas and was playing from memory the best of Bach and Handel. Soon
Soon after twelfth birthday he composed and conducted his own opera . . . and was awarded an honorary appointment as concertmaster with the Salzburg Symphony Orchestra. Before his brief life ended, he had written numerous operettas, cantatas, hymns, and oratorios, as well as forty-five symphonies, forty-seven arias, duets, and quartets with orchestral accompaniment, and over a dozen operas. Some 600 works!
His official name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Amadeus Theophilas Mozart. With a handle like that, he had to be famous!
He was only thirty-five when he passed on. He was living in poverty and died in obscurity. His sick widow seemed indifferent to his burial. A few friends went as far as the church for his funeral but were deterred by a storm from going to the gravesite.
By the time anyone bothered to inquire, the location of his grave was impossible to identify. The unmarked grave of Mozart—perhaps the most gifted composer of all time—became lost forever![i]
The tragedy of Mozart. A brief and empty life. A life of great potential that went unrealized, unfulfilled. Why? We always ask “why?” in the face of tragedy and we rarely find an answer. This time, however, there’s a theory to consider: Mozart’s life ended in tragedy because it was never lived in accordance with God’s purpose. Because Mozart didn’t know God as Lord of his life, he didn’t what business he was in. He therefore limited his life and the development of his talents when he rejected God’s rule and reign, and his premature and tragic death was a great loss to all mankind.
In some ways, many Christians in music and the arts experience something similar. Like Mozart, most of us fail to ask ourselves, “What business am I really in?” and so, like Mozart, we may fail to live out our potential.
Think for a moment. What business are you in? Are you an “artist” or are you a servant communicator?” Whereas one answer will limit you, the other will set you free. And the business of communication—especially servant communications—is always the way of freedom.
Performance or Communication?
The railroad industry is struggling today because through the years it has seen itself as being in the railroad business rather than in the transportation business. Had the powers-that-be regarded themselves as being in the transportation business, today they would own the airlines and not be on government subsidy.
Similarly, many churches are struggling today because they are in the “sheep tending” business rather than in the “community penetration” business. You can tend 40 sheep for 40 years and never penetrate your community, but you can’t penetrate your community unless you begin to get really good attending sheep.
Likewise, Christian artists may be missing the focus of their activities. Specifically, many artists are unhappy because they are in the performance business rather than the communication business. This perspective leads them to think that they must have a certain kind of sound system or a certain kind of audience or a certain amount of money or a certain amount of respect as they perform their music. As a result, they find their abilities and their opportunities very limited.
When artists see their abilities as gifts from a gracious God, however, and use those abilities to communicate the truth and life of Jesus whenever the opportunity arises, they will discover new ways to use their talents for God.
Consider, too, that if an artist’s vision is focused on the performance, the product may even appear dishonest. The faith that is shared may seem simply an act despite any good and godly intentions. If the focus, however, is on communication, whatever is done—be it a concert or a cartwheel—will be seen as more legitimate, more genuine.
Developing a Strategic Vision
But how does an artist share his faith in a genuine way? How can a singer use her talent as a communicator rather than a performer? Two key elements are a strategic vision and a servant’s heart. First, a strategic vision develops from the artist’s clear idea of the goal that he or she wants to achieve, an idea which then organizes and informs every step toward that goal.
The Bible offers a clear statement of the purpose or goal of every child of God: “As we are going, we are to be making disciples within all different groups of people” [ii] Another way of saying it? “As one who goes in and out of the world every day, you are to be communicating the Good News to all Creation.”[iii]
Furthermore, the Bible describes Christians as ambassadors for, or representatives of, Christ.[iv] The Bible also instructs believers to have a sincere faith, a faith without pretense. Nowhere, however, does the Bible say that we are to perform our faith, and it certainly does not limit communication of our faith to only a few narrow categories of music or art. “Performance oriented preachers” who attempt to sanctify the performance mode in the name of oratory are no more correct than those attempting to sanctify any other performance mode.
Know this: A Christian’s business—a Christian artist’s business—is communication. Once this understanding is accepted as the basis for ministry and once the self-concept of “performer” is released, the wider the options for ministry will become.
Second, a servant heart is essential to genuine communication of the Gospel. Jesus said, “The greatest among you should be like the youngest and the one who rules like the one who serves . . . I am among you as one who serves.”[v] A servant heart is the essential ingredient for success—but what is “success?”
Society’s definition of success is based on an accumulation of wealth, power and prestige. In the world of art, for instance, “success” can mean (a) doing music / art all the time; (b) making a living from musical / artistic pursuits; and (c) gaining a reputation (an album, an art show, and a name within the field) from musical or artistic accomplishments.
A Biblical View of Success
There is, however, a biblical alternative that stands in sharp contrast to the world’s point of view. Specifically, the Bible teaches that success comes to a person who (a) identifies himself as a servant; (b) gets a job—any job (even Paul, whose God-given assignment was to be the apostle to the Gentiles, got a job making tents. The job undoubtedly enabled him to communicate the Gospel while it allowed him to eat regularly.); and (c) gains a reputation for Christian integrity as he/she exercises various gifts and talents in serving and encouraging others.
Please understand. The message is not that artists who are presently making their full-time living from music should get another job, but too often people decide what they want to do, label it “ministry,” and then spend the rest of their life trying to justify it. In the meantime, several things can happen, especially if they can’t make a decent living in the area of music and the arts. These people tend to get bitter toward the church for failing to support them on the terms they themselves have set. Consequently, they withdraw their music/art from the family of God and often even end up shelving their potential musical/artistic contributions and nursing all kinds of bitterness and resentment. A servant’s heart that guides one to the goal of communicating rather than merely performing can help you avoid this wasteful consequence.
Remember, however, that although you can perform without communicating, it’s difficult to communicate without giving a good performance. Know, too, that you can entertain without communicating, but it’s very difficult to communicate without being entertaining. Focus on being a servant communicator and God will honor your performance.
Paul Sandberg, a wonderful tenor and a leader of the Haven of Rest radio ministry has long shared with his children the following bit of advice; “Get a normal job and let music fill your life with happiness.” While no piece of advice is for everyone, this counsel may mean for many a new freedom in art and in ministry.
If we release our terms and our demands of God, we will better be able to serve him and others with our music. God will be able to work in our hearts to turn us into servant communicators. Along the way, we will be available for God to use us even more in accomplishing Hid plans for spreading the Good News of the Gospel.
[i] Quoted from Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, by Charles Swindoll, Multnomah Press, 1983,
p. 177.
[ii] Matthew 28:19—my paraphrase.
[iii] Mark 16:15—my paraphrase.
[iv] II Corinthians 5:20.
[v] Luke 22:26-27.