REVISITING THE “TRAIN-AND-ENGAGE” AND PROFESSIONALIZED MODELS OF CHURCH MUSIC MINISTRY FOR EFFECTIVENESS IN 21ST CENTURY NIGERIAN BAPTIST CONVENTION

Abstract

Church music ministry in 21st Century Nigeria requires the collaborative efforts of music ministers/directors, choirmasters, instrumentalists, and choristers who train, rehearse, and minister through music, especially in the churches of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. The pastoral church music ministry in the Baptist denomination began with the creation of a Faculty of Church Music at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, in the late 20th Century. Graduates from the Faculty resumed in different pastorates across churches of the Convention to train and engage musicians for her functions. The system, which these authors call "train and engage" model of music ministry, remains prominent in the Nigerian Baptist Convention. However, the socio-economic dynamics of the 21st Century seems to be affecting the "train and engage" music ministry model as there arose a huge number of musicians in the Churches who are requesting financial compensation for their musical services rendered to the Churches, or leave the Churches to where their services are remunerated. Although few Churches of the Convention have engaged professional musicians in critical sections of their music ministries, the unwillingness of many Baptist Churches to remunerate their musicians, against biblical tenets for music ministry, is responsible for the exodus of some musicians to other denominations. This inclination has led to the denomination becoming a breeding ground for other denominations' music ministries. The trend is a challenge to effectiveness in the music ministry of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, and demands a modal review. Using observation method drawn from over a decade of engagement in the music ministry of the Nigerian Baptist Convention by both authors, this paper examines the "train and engage" and professionalized models of music ministry in 21st Century Nigerian Baptist Convention for ministerial effectiveness. The article notes the pros and cons of both models, and recommends that effectiveness in 21st century music ministry can be aided through a careful and strategic mix of the "train and engage", and professionalized models of music ministry in the 21st Century Nigerian Baptist Convention.