Nigerian pastor, Femi Lazarus, has addressed the controversy surrounding his recent comments on the financial expectations of gospel ministers, clarifying his stance on the distinction between ministry and business in the gospel music industry.
During a sermon aired on YouTube on Sunday, Lazarus asserted that gospel music ministry is a divine calling and should not be commercialised. According to him, individuals who charge fees for performances are music artists engaging in business, not music ministers operating within the framework of ministry.
He explained, “A music minister is one who expresses his ministry through music. A music artist is not a kingdom-based minister, hence is not for the church. Churches, we don’t have music artists, although there’s nothing wrong with being a music artist, what we have is a music minister.
“Any music minister you can’t trace to a church to see a pastor where the fellow is primarily learning doctrine is not a music minister. He’s an artist.
“A music minister is not just one who sings but is sound in doctrine and full of the spirit. How can you be charging when the atmosphere is not charged?
“A music minister is given the training we give pastors. He stewards God’s gift without commercialising it. The moment you bargain to sing, you are a businessman. If you pay every music minister, ushers will say, ‘We are standing for so long you have to pay us.’
“There’s nothing wrong with music business,” he clarified, “just don’t claim to be a minister if you are an artist. If you are a pastor and you call a music minister who charges you and you pay, God will judge you.”
In response to concerns about the financial sustainability of gospel ministers, Lazarus urged them to seek alternative income sources unless they have been divinely called into full-time ministry.
He said, “Did God call you into full-time? If not, get a job while you serve with your gift. If God did not say follow me in full-time, plan your life. If not, you will suffer and say it’s the church that used you. Have plans. Go to school and get a certificate. You can be the MD of a bank and yet be a keyboardist.”
