Dream's Awakening

In the music ministry, there are a lot of "toys" involved. From recording equipment, instruments to whatever (sadly, yes, I consider these are my favorite "toys").  Compared to other forms of ministry, like pastoring and counseling that are totally focused on the one being ministered to, the musical and artistic ministry is very dependent on physical and technical resources to convey it's message unto the audience. There is a drive to be the best, and usually that means using the best. Which intrinsicly is not a bad idea, it's even biblical. However, the typical consequence is that the musical/artistic ministry is more liable to cross over to the "secular" realm where more money, better music production, and of course more fame can be found. More money=more toys= better ministry, right? Mostly this is true, but this train of thought must be constrained within the perspective that God's goals are first priority above all, even above being "bigger and better". Some of the most effective ministries are the simplest. One of the biggest problems the church in America has is money, how we get it and what we do with it. I've had to realize this difficulty as sometimes the medium used to minister can be a stumbling block of pride and materialism, that in turn can destroy a ministry.