MUSIC GATEWAY SKILLS. Music has two gateway skills, upon which ALL other music skills are built. After changing my beliefs about “haves” and “have nots,” I learned that all of music is founded on two basic skills, and that no one can DO anything in music without them. One is the ability to sing in tune (match pitches) and the other is performing a steady beat. Upon these skills are built singing, moving, playing, improvising, creating, composing, arranging, and so on. These two gateway skills are absolutely necessary for any participation in music from being a hobbyist to the serious musician, from humming and whistling around the house to playing in a band or orchestra, or even participating in worship in church. These two skills are so critical that WITHOUT them, one is handicapped into being a lifelong music “spectator” rather than a “participator.” Additionally, there is something unique about these two skills—once learned they cannot be UNLEARNED. Even if you have not picked up an instrument in decades, you may have lost some physical dexterity, but you cannot forget how to match pitches or perform a steady beat. Let me say it again, these two skills are the difference between being a music spectator or a participator! When I realized the enormity of this as related to my music teaching, no student ever passed me again without learning how to sing in tune and perform a steady beat. If they did not automatically know how to do them, I learned HOW to help them learn!
SPIRITUAL GATEWAY SKILLS. These two music gateway skills are an important analogy for the Christian church. Ephesians 4:11 speaks of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Aside from the ecclesiastical debate on whether or not these exist today as positions, it is without debate that Christians had better be doing these as activities. They are the gateway skills of the church.
(1) Apostolic ministry starts and builds new works, and also develops and restructures, if needed, existing ministries. Either by direct involvement or other means, every Christian needs to support God’s works.
(2) A prophet is a communicator of Truth. God reveals His Truth to us and we must pass that on to others. Truth is a plumb line to teachings and activities to test their verity.
(3) An evangelist is a messenger of the Gospel. Every believer can share the Good News of what God has done and is doing daily in one’s life.
(4) A pastor or shepherd is a caregiver. Every believer can provide care and support for others, saved or unsaved.
(5) A teacher breaks down complex Truths into easy-to-understand concepts. Every life situation requires that we teach whoever is placed in our daily living, and be instant with a ready word. I see these five skills as the difference between spiritual spectators or participators. Where these five gateway skills are NOT being taught and practiced in church, I would be willing to bet there is a healthy inactive list instead. (There is NO evidence of an inactive list in the New Testament church.)
In God’s infinite wisdom, I believe there must be amazing sequential reasons for the five activities in the order they are presented. From my viewpoint, I can see deep connections as to why pastoring, shepherding, and caregiving are immediately next to teaching. Each of them are more complete together than when alone.
Pastor, have you realized the importance of every one of your members learning and practicing the five spiritual gateway skills? Do you realize that no church member must ever pass you again without learning them? Are you guiding your people into being spiritually engaged participators, or leaving them in the bondage of lifelong spectators?
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(1) Introduction
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(2) Your Paradigms
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(3) Bondage or Freedom
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(4) Gateway Skills
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(5) Teacher Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(6) Talking About vs. Doing
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(7) Student Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(8) Assessment
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(9) Bury Dead Tradition
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(10) Teaching vs. Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(11) Teachers' Three Phases
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(12) Excellence is NOT a Goal
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(13) My Teaching Limits Were Their Learning Limits
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(14) Unlearning Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(15) Pioneers vs. Settlers
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(16) Real and Lasting Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(17) Problems With Memory
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(18) Ownership Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(19) Not Perfect, But Honest
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(20) Take Risks and Give Away Control
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(21) Out of a Job
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(22) KCAASE and Proverbs 24
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(23) Responding vs. Reacting
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(24) Only When Performed
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(25) A Supervisor's Vision
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(26) Glimpses Into the Spiritual
Your Belief System and Your Church:
(27) One Reason Alone