Determining
The $
Value of Your Ministry
In
my last exciting (why are
you yawning) Nashville’s Newsman article, I wrote about “The
Money Question” – exploring some of the financial aspects of
doing ministry. In that article, I stated my belief that it is okay to expect
to be compensated to do a “performance ministry.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is priceless. It can’t be bought or sold.
But, “God-ordained and called ministers” should be
compensated and supported by those who receive their ministry so
that they can continue to
perpetrate the Gospel.
Those of us who minister
through Gospel/Christian music and/or entertainment are no less in
the ministry than pastors and evangelists.
Pastors and evangelists ask and expect compensation from the
congregations to which they minister; so, why can’t we expect the
same?
In
that article, I asked the titillating question: “How
do I put a value upon my Christian/Gospel performance ministry?”
It
would be great if it was understood by every church or venue that
Gospel/Christian artists need to be compensated for their services
just like every other professional service that is provided for
them. Unfortunately,
many of them do not understand this simple truth.
And,
because many of them adhere to the worldly concept of “trying to
get something for nothing” or “getting by as cheaply as
possible,” artists are forced to “haggle” or “negotiate”
in order to be compensated for their performance.
This requires us to place a value upon our
performance/talents.
But,
you ask, how do I do that?
There
are several factors that must be considered to determine how to be
fairly compensated for a performance.
In a church setting, the easiest option is to agree to
“come on a love offering basis.”
In doing this, an artist agrees to accept whatever is
collected through a love offering.
He/she is establishing his/her value in this way.
Of course, the danger in doing this is that he/she/the group
will not be “loved” enough to even pay for the gas expense of
getting to and from the church.
So,
if the ministry engagement is more than a 50-mile round-trip drive
for the artist, it is okay to ask for check for expenses from the
church based on the current governmental mileage reimbursement
figure (about 45 cents a mile) for every mile they drive to and from
the church. This check
is to be given in addition to the “love offering.” Also, it is acceptable to ask for hotel rooms if the trip
would require an overnight stay.
Generally speaking, churches have budgets that cover these
types of expenses.
If
a church tells an artist they would rather not take a love offering
and asks the artist what is his/her/their performance fee, there are
a few questions the artist should ask to be able to determine that
fee.
1.
What have you normally been paid
in the past?
2.
What is your budget for this event?
3. Will there be any
other artists performing at this event?
If so, who?
4. Will I be able to
sell my CD and other product at the event?
5. How long will I be
expected to perform?
6. How many people do
you expect to attend the event?
The
last question is the key question.
It is fair to ask for a fee of $3 to $5 per person, based
upon attendance and the size of the church.
Ask $5 per person for a small church; $4 for a medium-sized
church; and $2 - $3 for a larger church.
Now,
you ask – why do I ask more money per person from a smaller
church. The answer is: Simple Math.
Thirty people multiplied time $5 equals $150. This is a minimum payment that a small church should be
willing to pay. On the
other end of the spectrum, a large church of 1,000 people should be
willing to pay $2,000 - $3,000 for a full performance – especially
for a group. In both
cases, these fees should be in addition to the expense check and
hotel rooms.
For
a secular venue, such as a fair or a festival, an artist should ask
the same questions. In
most cases, the amount an artist receives from these types of venues
will be based upon the venue’s budget and what they are willing to
pay. The artist should
ask the questions anyway so that the venue’s deal-maker
knows/thinks that he/she is dealing with a professional artist who
values and recognizes the talent the Good Lord has given him/her.
The
fact is that in today’s economy, it is very difficult to make a
living “on the road” – even for the most seasoned,
professional Gospel/Christian artist.
But, an artist who truly follows the Lord’s direction and
guidance and is a good steward of the resources the Lord provides
for him/her will find a way to sustain his/her ministry – even if
it means having a flexible “tent-making” job – as the Apostle
Paul did – and maintaining his/her ministry on a part-time basis.
The
important thing is to be totally dependent upon on the Lord and
follow His will for your ministry.
He owns “the cattle on a thousand hills.”
And, according to the size of your family, it would only take
one or two bulls a year to feed them – and you would be eating
steak instead of chicken! So, I encourage you to rely upon the Lord and be wise in the
handling of your ministry finances.
Happy eatin’!
Blessings
Daniel L. Johnson
President, USAGEM
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Daniel & Teresa Johnson
The Pearly
Gates…(615) 480-4066
The President & First Lady Of
The United States Association of Gospel
Entertainers & Musicians
USAGEM
www.myusagem.org/members/12/
www.thepearlygates.net
www.johnsonmanagementandmedia.com
********************************
THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES OF USAGEM
Convention & Awards Banquet
Each year, USAGFM
conducts an Annual Convention and Awards Banquet for its
membership. In 2007,
2008 and 2009, this three-day, two-night convention and awards
show was held at the Montgomery Bell State Park Convention Center
and Inn in Burns, TN. All
of our members and their families were invited to attend.
We had about 100 – 125 individuals to attend each of
these years. Convention
room and food packages were negotiated with state park officials.
Conventioneers paid the organization for their selected
convention package, and USAGEM paid the room and food expenses.
During
the convention, USAGEM conducted ministry seminars and an
organizational business meeting.
On Friday night, the organization hosted a benefit concert
for needy children in the area.
Selected members performed at the concert which was open to
the public. Admission
into the concert was a child’s toy and a small monetary
donation. In the end,
USAGEM donated the toys to a local toy drive, and the toys were
distributed to needy children by the Dickson County
Firefighters’ Association.
On Saturday night, USAGEM held its annual
Awards Banquet. This
banquet is designed to honor the accomplishments of USAGEM members
and their ministries. The
membership votes upon the recipients of each award that is given.
These awards are meant to be an encourage ment to the
recipients and to honor their service to the Lord and mankind.
God & Country
Jubilee Shows
During
the Nashville tourist season each year (May through October),
USAGEM produces a series of Gospel/Christian music shows that
feature the members of USAGEM.
These shows are staged on the fourth Friday night of each
month at the Texas Troubadour Theatre in Nashville.
Each show features five to seven USAGEM artists and/or
groups. All the
USAGEM artists volunteer their time and talents to participate in
these evangelistic shows. These
shows are designed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our
audiences through the music of the artists of USAGEM.
The cost of tickets is purposely kept at
a minimum ($5) to encourage attendance by the public.
This year is the fourth year we have staged these shows.
Each year, our attendance has continued to grow with each
show. These shows are
an excellent way for an artist to showcase their talents in
Nashville. The first
show of the 2010 season was staged on May 28th.
It was an outstanding, glorious event that uplifted the
name of Jesus Christ.
USAGEM-Sponsored
Benefit Concerts
And Community Concerts
Each year, our USAGEM members produce and stage benefit concerts
to help raise operational funds for USAGEM and other charitable
causes. These benefit
concerts are sometimes staged at the churches of individual USAGEM
members. USAGEM
artists are invited to participate in these concerts, and the
monies are raised and given to USAGEM to help pay for the
organization’s ministry expenses.
Each year, USAGEM artists are asked to
participate in and provide entertainment for fairs in
Nashville’s neighboring counties.
These artists have donated their performances at these
fairs. In return,
these fairs may make a donation to the ministry of USAGEM.
USAGEM
Charitable Giving
Each year,
USAGEM donates 10% of all of its income from membership fees,
donations and ticket sales to other charitable and ministry
organizations. The Board of Directors researches worthy ministries and
charitable organizations and makes recommendations to the
membership body. The
membership body then votes on which charities or ministries
receive donations.
Website Activities
In 2008, USAGEM
membership voted to provide website space for every USAGEM
member at www.myusagem.org. The website was activated in December 2008.
Members are encouraged to create and maintain their own
ministry websites. The
purpose of this activity is to spread the Gospel through the
worldwide internet. Artists
may upload their music, photos and ministry information at their
websites.
Also in 2008, USAGEM created a new and
improved organizational website at www.usagem.org. This site has seen an increase in viewership over the former
website. Members are
encouraged to use the resources found on both of these websites to
improve their individual ministries.
Conclusion
If you are a “called” ministry artist and have read
this article and are not a member of USAGEM, I have a question for
you. Why not?
USAGEM provides more opportunities for growth and
visibility for an extremely affordable investment than just about
any other entity in all of Gospel/Christian music.
You have tried the rest.
Now, join the best. Call
me at (615) 480-4066, and I will personally direct your membership
into the organization.
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2010
Top
Award Nominees
Group
of the Year
For
Heaven's Sake
Joe
Arview & Thunder
Mercy
Mountain
Boys
The
Classic 4
The
Fox Brothers
The
Gardners
The
Waymasters
Female
Vocalist Of The Year
Amanda
Fessant
Anita
Jo Walters
Ann Hartmann
Mary
Lee
Melanie
Walker
Peggy Inks
Regina
Gardner
Sandi Kay
Teresa Johnson
Male
Vocalist Of The Year
Bryan
Smotherman
David
Cook
Gary
Brock
Glenn
Tubb
Jim
Whitaker
Mitchel
Jon
Randy
Fox
Rene
Jones
T.
Jae Christian
Soloist
Of The Year
Charlene
Harrison
Jim
Whitaker
Joanne
Cash Yates
Larrice
Byrd
Mitchel
Jon
Peggy
Inks
Rene
Jones
Sandi
Kay
Tommy
Brandt
Duo
Of The Year
Julian
& Bonnie
Lewis
& Lewis
Southern
Faith
T.
Jae Christian & Mary Lee
The
Hemphills
The
Pearly Gates
Two
His Glory
Musician
Of The Year
Dewitt
Johnson
Jim
Frable
Jim
Whitaker
John
Rees
Lynn
Fox
Mitchell
Gardner
Roy
Fox
Shelton
Bissell
Comedian
Of The Year
Anita
Jo Walters
David
Cook
David
Smith
Peggy
Inks
Roy
Fox
Roy
Frizsell
Stu
Martin
The
Fox Brothers
Crown Jewel
Southern Gospel
Bloodline
Trio
For
Heaven's Sake
The
Classic 4
The
Gardners
The
Hemphills
The
Mystery Men
The
Sonshiners Quartet
The
Waymasters
Two
His Glory
Crown
Jewel Black Gospel
Aubrey
& Lori Ghent
Brenda
Ivey Robertson
Charlene
Harrison
Dewitt
Johnson
Larrice
Byrd
The
Dixie
Travelers
Thelmarie
Johnson
Tommie
Lewis
Crown
Jewel Christian Country
David
Cook
Higher
Trails
Mercy
Mountain
Boys
Peggy
Inks
Rene
Jones
Southern
Faith
T.
Jae Christian
The
Fox Brothers
Crown
Jewel
Bluegrass
Glenn
Tubb
Jim
Frable
Jim
Whitaker
Leipers
Fork Bluegrass Group
Mary
Lee
New
Jerusalem
Bluegrass
Sandi
Kay & New
Hickory
The
Waymasters
Crown
Jewel Contemporary
Chele
Sterban
Danny
Jones
Mitchel
Jon
Pam
Seaman
Roger
Revette & UR1
Tammy
Vice
Tim
Voorhies
Songwriter
Of The Year
Ann
Hartmann
Daniel
Johnson
Darrell
Frizsell
David
Cook
Glenn
Tubb
Jim
Whitaker
Joel
Hemphill
Michael
Gardner
Peggy
Inks
Russ
Murphy
T.
Jae Christian
Tammy
Vice
The
2010 USAGEM Song Of The Year
"Celebrate"
performed by Caroline Keller, written by David Cook & Zach
Roberts
"Cowboys
Love Jesus Too"performed
& written by Russ Murphy
"He
Left No Stone Unturned"
performed by Pearly Gates, written by Daniel Johnson & Larry
Dunlap
"I
Know A Man"
performed by The Waymasters, written by Darrell Frizsell
"I've
Had Enough"
performed by The Gardners, written by Vonda Asher
"Rockin'
On The Front Porch"
performed by Rene' Jones, written by Wyman Asbill
"Spring
Chicken"
performed and written by Peggy Inks
"This
Is Where Jesus Would Go"
performed by T. Jae Christian, written by Daniel Johnson and Jim
Whitaker
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