Pastor and singer-songwriter, Josh Laryea has admonished singers who do Gospel music purely for business reasons to be “honest” about their intentions.
He was differentiating the aforementioned from those who sang as a form of ministry or service to God and fellow humans.
“Just accept that you’re into the music business just like Shatta Wale, and Stonebwoy. Accept that you release music when Charterhouse calls so you fit into their Ghana Music Awards show.”
Josh Laryea
He bemoaned some Gospel singers who released songs without seeking approval from the Holy Spirit.
These individuals, he added, were in the habit of shelving songs they believe will not be commercially successful even though they may bear important messages for listeners.
A serial hitmaker, Pastor Laryea said he had “been through all of this – as the Ashantis say, ‘I’ve carried both water and gin, and I know the difference’”.
The Kharis Centre International leader noted his appreciation for Gospel singers, and how, over the years, he had facilitated gigs for many of them, never taking any for granted, understanding “their pain”.
“But I’ve also come to realize we were not doing it right,” Pastor Josh Laryea noted, intimating seeking monetary rewards for Christian service was inappropriate.
He confessed in times past, he was erroneously operating with the understanding that a Gospel singer had to take something [money] and let the one who benefitted from their services know that you have value.
Pastor Laryea admitted this was the faulty challenge he threw to Gospel singer Eugene Zuta, for example, back in the day.
He commended Zuta as one of the Gospel singers, who, per his experience, “have a heart for God” with hardly any desire for merchandising their spiritual gifts.
Pastor Josh Laryea recalled how he and one late Armah, with whom he had been best friends since secondary school, fell out over this Gospel for business as against ministry issue.
He said Armah who came from a well-to-do family that had a timber business, invested in his first debut album “thinking we were going to make my music a money-making venture”.
“Armah did not appreciate music is not a trade [but rather] an investment – you don’t put in money expecting to reap profits immediately. So when he realized he was putting in money but not making money, he got frustrated and he left me.”
Pastor Josh Laryea
According to Pastor Laryea, though he understood right from day one that his music was a spiritual service and not a profession, he could not draw the line [differentiating the two] well.
He indicated he had been misled by a popular “message on the lip of every pastor in those days” which often emphasized, “Whatever talent God has given you must make you money.”
The singer of the ‘Emere’ (Times & Seasons) classic noted he now knew better than that.
He asserted selling copies of music as a Gospel artist and putting a price tag on one’s service was a purely business model and unbiblical.
He advised Gospel musicians to rather adopt the perspective that allows those who invite them to minister to cover their basic expenses and give them an honorarium.
Pastor Josh Claims Churches Overestimate Music
Pastor Josh Laryea has observed that Churches overestimate music.
The pastor was asked about the role of Gospel music in spiritual growth.
“We’ve made it appear as though a church cannot grow without music. It’s a lie.”
Pastor Josh Laryea
Furthermore, Pastor Laryea challenged the popular notion among pastors.
“You have to have quality machines; you have to go and poach a praise and worship leader; hire instrumentalists, and until you have it, your church will not grow.”
Pastor Josh Laryea
To buttress his point, he said “for over seven months,” he had his church singing without music.
“The bandsmen were there but I made them sit down. I said, ‘Let’s test it and see’. And we all realized we overestimate [music].”
Pastor Josh Laryea
The Kharis Centre International leader and musician bemoaned that sometimes the church acts as if when a Gospel musician comes to their church to sing, the church will grow overnight.
On the contrary, he noted, “People can follow him and come, and right after he is done, they will go, and if they stay, they’ll cause problems”.
The singer-songwriter observed that in the Charismatic church, the music plays 65 percent of the service, giving the musicians even more time than the pastor.
Over time, he added, the musicians have come to wrongly believe “they carry the church even more than the pastor”.
“This mentality we all grew up with is what brings the arrogance, opulence, and belief that we [musicians] build and sustain the church.”
Pastor Josh Laryea
