“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” (Johann Sebastian Bach)

This profound quotation is the basis for my purpose for playing the piano. I love to sit and play for enjoyment and relaxation, but my purpose of church music is three-fold.

1. Glorification of God – Music should not be performed to bring praise or glory to oneself. We were created to bring glory to God, and we have the privilege of doing this through music. Our motivation for presenting music should be that God would be glorified with our presentation, song selection, and heart attitude. We should strive for excellence in our music program because God is pleased when we do our best for Him.
2. Edification of fellow believers – Musicians have the great responsibility of conveying the thoughts and purpose of the special music to the audience. The audience is looking for encouragement from the service. Presentation, song selection, and heart attitude must be present and working together in order for a song to be a blessing to someone.
3. Preparation of hearts to receive the Word of God – Every element of the music program is building to the climax of the preaching of God’s Word. The energy of the music service should build in such a way that the audience is excited for each new item on the program. When it is time for the message, the audience should feel refreshed, renewed, and excited for the preaching. The music service should energize Pastor to present the message that God has given him.
   

I challenge you to consider your own purpose of church music. What is your focus?