Recruiting and training volunteer worship team members isn’t easy.

A few years ago, this aspect of ministry became so difficult I nearly stepped away from my role as worship leader. Thankfully, my husband and fellow co-pastor talked me off the ledge.

“Do whatever you need to do to stay,” he told me.

So, we brought on some carefully selected professional musicians to fill essential roles where we were struggling.

As someone who prioritizes spiritual authenticity, I was wary at first. After all, you can’t buy or manufacture a heart for worship. Nevertheless, the energy and anointing these professionals brought to our team convinced me I had made the right decision.

Churches today are increasingly relying on paid musicians to elevate the quality of their music.

It’s no panacea, and compensating a drummer or pianist may not be a viable option for smaller congregations. But if you are thinking about adding paid musicians to your worship team, consider the following four questions.

Is It Biblical?

People in your congregation will likely ask this question. Fortunately, there is a solid biblical case for paying professional musicians.

Levites, who performed all the priestly duties in the Old Testament tabernacle and temple, received payment in the form of tithes (Numbers 18:21). Among the Levites were many musicians (1 Chronicles 6:31–47; 2 Chronicles 5:12–13).

In fact, music was the entire ministerial responsibility of some Levites. First Chronicles 9:33 says, “Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.”

In the New Testament, both Jesus and Paul emphasized that workers in the Church deserve payment (Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:18).

While this principle is especially applicable to preaching and teaching, there is no reason to exclude the valuable contributions of music ministry.

Is It the Right Fit?

There are two basic approaches to using professionals. One is making paid musicians a regular part of the team to increase its overall excellence.

Another approach involves hiring musicians only for special events or to fill temporary vacancies.

At our church, we use a combination of volunteers, programming and tracks, leaders who receive a regular stipend, and an occasional professional musician who fills in for a short time.

Professionals can certainly improve musical quality. On the other hand, utilizing paid musicians for every important position may inhibit a church’s ability to develop new worship team members.

Many churches use multitrack technology in place of some live instruments. Personally, I would rather pay a gifted musician than fill in with a recording.

There’s no one-size-fits all approach. It’s simply a matter of recognizing what works best in your ministry context.

I long resisted using paid musicians. Even now, I work hard to raise up students and provide opportunities for our worship team to grow musically.

We remain a volunteer-driven church, with many unpaid worship team members working alongside a few paid professionals.

Can We Afford It?

Musicians are expensive — and for good reason.

Playing music at a professional level is a skill set that requires years of development. Yet because streaming has diminished the value of recorded music, it’s harder than ever for Christian musicians to make a living with their craft.

Churches today
are increasingly
relying on paid
musicians to
elevate the
quality of their
music.

I practiced thousands of hours before becoming part of a volunteer worship team. By the time I received payment for leading worship during college, I had already been playing piano for 18 years.

Keep this preparation and training in view when considering the cost of hiring musicians.

Beyond musical training, the ability to play with sensitivity and discernment during altar and prayer times is a specialized proficiency that can be worth a premium.

Amid those realities, church leaders are asking, What do professional musicians cost? How much can we expect to pay?

For starters, you need to know the going rate among churches in your community.

When I contacted an acquaintance in the local music industry to ask whether he knew of anyone I could approach about working for us, he was hesitant to talk with me.

Finally, this person admitted he didn’t want to provide any names because our church paid so poorly. That was hard to hear, but I was grateful for his honesty.

In the New Orleans area where we minister, church musicians often make more than many pastors. Although that doesn’t match our ministry philosophy, it helped me understand we needed to rethink our pay rate to attract and retain talented musicians.

I have since developed good working relationships with a number of musicians who not only work with us, but have become part of our team. We still pay less than some churches in the area, but it is at least a respectable rate.

Our church’s pay scale varies depending on an artist’s skill level, the time commitment we are requesting, and the amount of preparation required.

If a musician is attending extra rehearsals or leading a rehearsal, we provide additional compensation.

What Do We Need?

Churches most commonly pay for drummers, bassists, lead guitarists, and pianists. Before hiring musicians, determine what roles you most need to fill.

When onboarding paid musicians, I go over the same job descriptions and expectations I cover with volunteers. This includes dress code, lifestyle, philosophy of worship, and other helpful information.

Paid musicians should raise the bar for everyone on the team. I expect them to be on time, perhaps even first to arrive. They should come prepared and work diligently. A commitment to excellence and collaboration is vital.

Professional Christian musicians often bring a special anointing. Beyond an ability to play what is in front of them, they are eager to express their love for God through music.

I look for musicians with both talent and a heart for ministry. I enjoy working with people who are humble and willing to serve.

Talent alone isn’t enough. Musicians who struggle to work well with others are not a good fit for church ministry. Over time, toxic attitudes will have a negative effect on the entire team — and spill over into the congregational worship experience.

If a professional musician’s attitude and excellence do not measure up, I will not use that person again.

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Colossians 3:23–24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Whether your team members are volunteers, paid professionals, or a combination of the two, the goal is the same: honoring God.

The Lord will ultimately reward each person who serves Him from a sincere and worshipful heart.

This article appears in the Fall 2025 issue of Influence magazine.