If you never sell a record or perform before crowds would you still worship?

In today’s church world self worth is being measured in tangible forms. Things like the most album sales, things like the most you tube views, things like the type of crowd that a minister can commandeer. How many awards have you won? This is how we measure those who are great or not.

You hear people say so and so is a great minister because their music is played on radio, because they are making a lot of sales, because they are rich. Actually that’s the spiritual measuring stick for most of today’s Christianity. And now for ministers/musicians who are just entering the “gospel market” there can be this disillusionment.

Ministry is not about sales! Ministry is not about crowds or sold out concerts! That’s more a business aspect and in the business world the above mentioned things are very important because everyone wants to invest into something that is profitable.

To God the most important thing is not the crowds, its not your album sales, its not your concerts, its not your awards! Shocking is’nt it but its so true. Unto God what is important is to worship him in spirit and in truth!

You know something is wrong when a gospel artist no longer wants to perform before a small crowd. I was shocked one time, a minister was supposed to minister and then they saw the number of people who had come to their event and they got really angry. They said they would not be singing for such a pathetic number of people as they were a world class artist. Long story short they didn’t perform. And it makes sense because they came for a performance and not worship. A lot of so called worshipers today’s are nothing but just church performers and church celebrities. God is not in it. God is just a ticket for them to use their talent and showcase their voice.

I once went for an outreach in the rural areas. And i was just speaking to one of the missionaries who had come from America and i was sharing with her the challenges i was facing in my gospel career. I was telling her how people where not buying my music. I was basically complaining about how Zimbabwe was such a hard market and with all our financial difficulties how i was so discouraged. She stopped me in my tracks and said something that at that point offended me but after much deliberation i learnt what she said was the truth. She said my brother if you never sell a single record, if you never perform before crowds, if you never become famous would you still worship him?

I can tell you that this conversation changed my life. First and foremost i am a worshiper. That is the paramount thing. I worship God, i write my songs unto God, i sing for my God. Yes i do minister unto people but if i minister unto people for my gain and not for the furthering of the gospel then i have got my reward on this earth.

I have had conversations with other gospel ministers who were discouraged and i have been able to help them because i have come to understand the truth of what exactly it is we do. Listen my brother or my sister: Even if you don’t win an award, even if you don’t break iTunes sales records or any other platform sales records, even if you don’t perform before crowds, your worth is not in these worldly things. Your worth is in God and learn to worship God, learn to be in the secret place. Learn to be a true minister not today’s version of a church entertainer.