Gospel music sermon with The Master
This week I have decided to share the nuggets of advice to gospel musicians from the multi-award winning musician Reverend Togarepi Chivaviro, which he shared in a social media group for the musicians. I also need to stress to the readers that the views he expressed are his alone. I hope other musicians will learn something out of the advice given by the revered gospel artiste.
Dear gospel musician
1. Check your relationship with God constantly, He is the visionary of your mission. Take instructions from him.
2. Remember gospel means good news and the good news is specific. It’s about God sending Jesus Christ who died, rose, ascended and is coming again. Check every song you write or sing to ensure it’s still within this mission. Let your songs win souls, heal souls and touch souls!
3. Your music becomes more powerful if it’s augmented by a Godly life, in gospel music people will always check if what you sing tallies with how you live. Your character will sing more than your voice. Your gift will take you up there, but it’s your character that will keep you up.
4. Yes, your gift will feed you, but always remember God has more for you in His storehouse if your priority is to serve Him diligently first. Chasing after the reward more than the mission will leave you frustrated, but chasing after the mission first the reward will be more than you can even imagine 5. Hard work has no substitute. Shortcuts, bribing and microwaving your way to the top may give you shortlived results, while hard work and patience will always grant you a lasting legacy.
6. Seek God’s grace through prayer and blessings from your pastors. Have a grounded home of fellowship, don’t move from church to church following numbers and crowds. Have a base church and a shepherd who has pastoral oversight over you. Hard work without grace will leave you a frustrated musician.
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7. Pride comes before a fall, remain humble and grounded and God will surely keep you up there. Remember to relate well with your fans and supporters as well as those who have been always there for you even when you were a nobody. Give yourself time to relate and work well with fellow musicians no matter they seem less popular or less talented, you need each other.
8. Prayerlife for a gospel musician can never be substituted by rehearsals and gigs. The gospel that we sing has a manual, it’s called the Bible! Before you finalise your lyrics, always cross-check with that manual. The best way to do it is not only to read it regularly, but make yourself a part of your church’s activities , services, Bible study groups and cell groups. Dear gospel artiste, please belong.
9. In this day and age, make yourself relevant. Trends are changing, technology is advancing, the gospel is not archaic! Social media is taking over, think beyond the box and move with the times to remain a relevant musician
10. Never sit back and expect or wait for some so-called big artiste to come from somewhere to pick you up. Stop being a cry baby, always complaining that others are not helping you. They are also busy trying to remain relevant too! Each musician has their own mission crafted by God, seek your mission and follow your path. You are unique, pick yourself up and seek that path, soon you will be big in your own way.
May the good Lord use you in His own special way, surely He has called you for a purpose. Find and live that purpose. You are a gift and a blessing to this world, we have none other than you. Do the best whilst you still can.
Glory be unto Jesus.
From Reverend Chivaviro.
You may contact the columnist, Albert Masaka, on email: [email protected]
