How to attract local musicians

You might have heard me mention the mental framework: “be, do, have”. I love it for its simplicity and how it helps me think through problems. One challenge my church has given me is to grow our pipeline of musicians. Our church has just under a thousand members, but surprisingly, we don't have many musicians willing to step forward.

So, how do we attract more musicians to our worship team? Maybe your church faces the same struggle, whether it's bigger or smaller. Many churches deal with this issue. Musicians are becoming increasingly rare as fewer people learn to play instruments and opportunities to perform decrease. The best musicians are often already ‘committed’ elsewhere.

People go where they feel their needs or motivations are best met. There's nothing wrong with that; we all do it. Understanding others' needs enables us to serve them more effectively and attract them to our cause.

The Be, Do, Have framework helps us see different levels of motivation. Let's break it down:

🔁 The “Be → Do → Have” Framework for Musicians & Singers

🧩 1. Have — What we give them

Transactional entry points. These are benefits, but not the foundation. Fast & easy - but expensive.

• Pay – Honor for their time and talent

• Position – Platform, title, role

• Access – High-level musicianship, gear, opportunities

• Experiences – Tours, recordings, big moments

• Practice & Craft – The chance to refine their gift at a serious level

  
  The church has more musicians wanting to be a part of the team than it knows what to do with. For example, the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has a 2-year waiting list to join the choir, not even the worship team!

🧭 Motivates the hands (but doesn’t keep the heart)

🌄 2. Do — What we invite them into

This is the purpose. It engages ambition, vision, and mission. Most get stuck here.

• A Sound to Shape – Original music, prophetic voice

• A Project to Build – Album, worship nights, creative campaigns

• A Vision to Embody – Regional impact, spiritual authority, creative leadership

• A Congregation to Serve – Tangible spiritual impact on people

• Be a part of something bigger than ourselves
  
  The church may need to cast vision regularly, gather and equip musicians to work on exciting projects & events, provide lessons, etc

🧭 Motivates the will (but can exhaust without rootedness)

💠 3. Be — Who they become and where they belong

This is the center. Identity, belonging, safety, transformation. But it’s slow.

• A Family – Safe place to be known, to not perform

• A Community – With shared hunger, humility, and joy

• A Place to Behold – Jesus, beauty, each other

• A Space to Belong – No auditions for affection

• A Journey of Becoming – Into wholeness, maturity, purpose

• A home to raise a family and do life with others who have refrigerator rights (people so close they can walk into my kitchen and get whatever they want from my fridge without asking)

  
  The church will need to focus on creating community and connection between its people. Have a culture that attracts musicians (people).

🧭 Motivates the heart and soul — the source of longevity and fruit

1. Have: This is like fruit—tangible and desirable. People want to get paid, have a title, and feel a sense of purpose. It’s why more people audition for big names like Elevation Worship than local churches. Offering tangible rewards can attract musicians quickly, but it's not sustainable in the long term.

2. Do: This is the tree trunk—being part of something bigger, like an album project or a vision for the church. It’s about doing something meaningful together.

3. Be: This is the seed—the unseen potential for everything else. People come because they feel a sense of connection and love the community. They stay because of unity and family ties.

To bear fruit, you need a tree; to grow a tree, you need a seed.

If you need someone urgently, paying them might work temporarily, but it's not sustainable or ideal for building a committed community. Most churches can’t afford that.

Creating a welcoming environment where people feel like family takes time and effort, but yields lasting results.

Cast visions for projects and offer fair compensation where possible, but focus on building genuine connections first.

In essence, create soil where God can plant good seeds.

Water these seeds with vision and purpose, while fostering a connected and loving family vibe. Even if projects fail or payments stop, people will stay because they’re rooted in the community.

Pray for the right people and ensure they find a welcoming home where they and their families can thrive. Create a church environment where God brings the increase naturally. (Be good soil!)

This way, you'll attract musicians who join your church for its essence rather than temporary rewards.

In summary: build from the ground up—seed to tree trunk to fruit—and let genuine connections flourish into lasting commitments. Pray for a harvest of musicians!

I know - the right way, is the long, uncertain way. Welcome to the kingdom.

But our King can turn things around quickly - ask Him - He already knows your needs…