Music

1. "Music" is not listed in either of the New Testament's lists of the ministry gifts which God has set in the church. Yet today in the church music takes primary place. I wonder whether we'd know what to do in a church service, or in an evangelistic outreach, without music.
2. Musicians could possibly be categorized as "helps", an office which is a long way down the list in importance after apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles and healings. Therefore musicians should facilitate not dominate the other more important manifestations of the Spirit during a meeting. If the song-leader also occupies one of the higher offices, then he or she may be able to express his or her higher gift through music. But if the song-leader is a person who does not hold a higher office in the Spirit, then his or her musicianship is a ministry of "helps" and would do best to take a role in the service that facilitates the other expressions of the Spirit during a meeting rather than featuring in its own right.
3. Very often a greater manifestation of the Spirit will begin to sweep a congregation when the music is suspended, or at least turned-down in volume and given a supportive rather than featuring role.
4. An appropriate time to strike the music up again could be afterwards - after the other manifestations and functions of the Spirit have taken their course - when it can be accompanied with dancing and celebration of the miracles which the congregation has just witnessed and experienced.
5. The "sacrifice of praise" which pleases God is not a work of the law, but rather a spontaneous response to grace - the "fruit of our lips..." ('fruit', contrasted with 'works') "...offering thanks to God."