By Clement Abayomi
“How can somebody come and jump to and fro on the stage and nothing moves. The person has no charge but he’s charging. The glory is yours. No charge but you’re charging. I blame the pastor that is paying.” — Pastor Lawrence Oyor
The question of whether music ministers should charge money for ministrstions has captured general concerns. To Pastor Lawrence Oyor, for instance, there has to be genuine quality of service. It is more about the minister and God. Going beyond this, several perspectives continue to open discussion on how financial transactions may, in some cases, eclipse spiritual substance. The issue of gospel artistes charging money demands a careful examination, one that looks into spiritual convictions, economic realities and the changing system of gospel music ministry. This subject matter has remained one of the most debated issues within Christian and creative circles.
Insights from musicians, ministers, and commentators are presented in this article to show that the practice of charging or refusing to charge is informed by real costs, doctrinal beliefs, contractual obligations, and individual callings.
Firstly, one major argument against charging is grounded in the belief that music ministry is strictly a spiritual service rather than a profession. A contributor to the online platform LearnGospelMusic, identified as pmshort19, vehemently maintained that musicians “should not be paid,” arguing that being a musician in church is “not a job” but “a service unto the Lord.”
“Musicians should not be paid. Being a musician is not a job. It is a service; that is, a service unto the Lord. When a person fills out the application for a job, they know the pros and cons of being employed. With being a musician, you know that it will require some time to accommodate others.”
Going further, this comment also suggests that musicians already understand the sacrifices involved, and payment expectations undermine the spiritual essence of worship. The commenter further claimed that insisting on payment represents a spiritual distortion, and that “satan swept through churches to confuse the saints,” turning church music into a battleground that impedes spiritual progress.
“I feel that satan swept through churches to confuse the saints that musicians should be paid, therefore somewhat deterring the progression of the church in music, because if you don’t pay, the musician doesn’t play. It seems as though music is one of the primary attacks satan tries to carry out in the church. Play for Jesus, then the anointing comes!”
On the other hand, some people believe that music ministers or gospel artistes should charge, pointing to the reality of financial cost of producing quality gospel music. Songwriter and Recording Academy member identified as Paul Play argued on Facebook that gospel artistes should not be blamed for charging performance fees because, as he said, “quality costs money.” He explained that album recording, mixing, and mastering require substantial funding, while music video production has become particularly expensive, with average costs ranging between N25 million and N60 million. Moreover, apart from production, he noted that promotion on different media also demands significant financial investment. According to him, paying musicians, producers, and engineers is not optional. He cautions that “free work leads to lower standards”. This is because it can affect the overall quality of gospel music output.
Paul Play emphasised that logistical demands surrounding ministrations further justify the need for structured fees. He explained that travelling with a band involves expenses such as transportation, accommodation, and general logistics.
“All these funds need to be coming from somewhere right?” he asked.
It is undeniable that music ministers rarely work alone; they travel with teams whose welfare must be guaranteed. Without predictable financial arrangements, these costs often fall unfairly on the lead minister. This practical reality shows that charging is frequently less about profit and more about covering unavoidable operational expenses.
What is more? Financial responsibility and long-term sustainability are factored in when arguments supporting payment of music ministers come up. Again, Paul Play stressed that gospel artistes are not exempt from life obligations, stating that they “will get married and have children” and will require “healthcare, housing, education, and transportation.” He criticised the expectation that ministers survive on honorariums or divine intervention alone, describing it as “spiritualising survival.” In his words, gospel artistes “are not beggars who will sit with open hands waiting for a ‘destiny helper’”. He maintained that expecting otherwise places an unfair emotional and economic burden on those serving through music.
It is very important to note that some ministers, however, acknowledge these realities while choosing a personal path of non-dependence on ministry income. Minister Esther Adebayo, for instance, revealed that she deliberately prays for alternative sources of income so as not to rely on honorariums.
“I’m always praying to God that I have a different source of income. And I’m diligent with that. That I’m not dependent…My own is to do my assignment. It is left to the church to honour me. If they don’t honour me, inasmuch as I’m pursuing the work of God, I’ll meet honour,” she said, maintaining assurance that honour ultimately comes from God.
She disclosed that she does not charge and has often spent her personal funds to cover transportation and welfare during ministrations.
“For me, I don’t charge. I’ve never said that this is the amount I collect. But one thing I hold on to is that I can never be stranded. God has called me. And that is why I don’t depend on the honorarium that I get. There are sometimes I eventually use all the money I have on me because I’m going for a ministration. Once you’re able to cover the transportation of my team and their welfare, I’m fine,” she said.
This shows that for her, ministry takes precedence over money: “I don’t perform, I minister,” she insisted, noting that honour “is not limited to money”.
Moreover, others have drawn a firm spiritual line between ministry and monetary conditions. Speaking on Eniobanke For Africa TV, Asiwaju Oreoluwa said:
“If a musician on the condition of money says he cannot minister in a church, then he’s not a man of God.”
Similarly, in an interview on Kingdom Hub Media, gospel minister Dunsin Oyekan recounted a personal instruction from God.
“I remember God telling me: the day you start charging, the well will dry up. I believe my dealings with God,” he said. Anchoring his conviction in scripture, he said: Freely I have received, freely I should give.”
These perspectives reiterate the belief that some callings come with explicit divine instructions that override economic interest.
Going forward, some argue for an approach that recognises both spiritual priority, unbreakable standard, and financial structure. Min. Oluwadamilola Falodun, in a recent interview, gave one of the most comprehensive perspectives, stating that while “money should not be the priority because it is God’s work,” charging is often necessary to avoid losses. He explained that music ministers bear the cost of trained instrumentalists, studio sessions, music videos, transportation, and accommodation.
In recounting a personal experience, Min. Oluwadamilola said he once ministered without charging, only to be told, “we’ll get back to you,” a promise that was never fulfilled.
“I haven’t charged before. I went for a ministration, after sorting my musicians, people that I went with. The backups and all. Only for me to be done and then they were just like ‘we’ll get back to you’. Up till today the person has not gotten back to me. These are the things you face when you don’t charge, or when you don’t have a standard. People will just call you anyhow. They begin to treat you in a way you don’t want to be treated,” he explained.
He also highlighted contractual obligations, as he noted that some gospel artistes operate under undisclosed record label agreements that mandate fixed fees and revenue-sharing ratios such as “70/30” or “80/20.”
He concluded that charging should never become exploitative, warning that turning down ministrations solely due to low payment risks “commercialising the gift of God,”
“If you’re charging, don’t charge way beyond what people can afford. Just because you feel like the gain won’t be much then you now turn down the offer. No. You shouldn’t do that. That’s when you begin to commercialise the gift of God upon your life. These people want you to be a blessing to them and then you’re after the money. They’re not paying, and you’re not coming. You’re beginning to commercialise that way.”
The uttermost priority should be that you’re a blessing to people. Not that you’re just doing this thing because of the money. You’re blessing people, you’re fulfilling purpose. God is even happy with you. That should be the main priority,” he said.
In summary, the decision for gospel artistes and music ministers to charge money is controlled by several factors. Some hold on strictly to their belief as they are divinely instructed not to charge.
This set of people testify to supernatural provision, while others operate within professional systems that demand financial order and fairness. As this article reveals, the issue is less about whether charging is right or wrong, and more about motive, moderation, and obedience, to God, not excluding the practical realities of ministry in a modern world.
For More Details, Visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news
