Five Loaves and Two Small Fish

I want to share with you some things that I recently shared with my personal prayer support team. As a result of my sharing and their prayers God has revealed to me some answers which I think are profound, and I hope you will find they are profound for you too.

Lately my life has been filled with a lot of distractions and setbacks. Family and friends dying, uncertainty about my future housing, some health challenges, and more. I began to feel very disheartened and discouraged by all that was happening.

At the same time the Musicians Prayer Network has been growing, and it seems that opportunities for ministry are abundant. But in combining those two circumstances, I have found myself starting to feel very inadequate. I have felt like I am not doing well enough at carrying out this calling, that I am letting you down, that I am not able to serve you all in the way that I would like to be able to.

God’s answer was to remind of the parable of the loaves and fishes in Luke 9:10-17. He showed me that for me to try to do this would be a lot like me trying to feed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 small fish. Truth is, I just can’t do it. I am inadequate.

BUT HE CAN DO IT. God reminded me that from the start this has been His work. The MPN is not something I have built. It is not something I could ever build. It is what God has done because one weak and foolish guy said yes, and kept on turning up with his 5 loaves and 2 small fish.

The Word tells us that God likes to use the weak, and the foolish, and the inadequate. 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to confound the strong”.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me”.

The other thing He has been showing me is that He loves it when His people work together in unity and fellowship, and when that happens, He moves powerfully.

I have said repeatedly that this network should not be about what I (one person) can do for you, but rather, about what 100’s of Christian musos can do for each other. As you read that sentence, it should be hard to miss the point that 100’s of us working together could do so much more than one person ever could. And if you consider the synergy principle, that 100’s working together can do so much more than those same 100’s each working individually, … well, figure it out.

Oh yes, if we note that God’s Spirit is at work in all of this, then the “possible” is multiplied so much more again.

Let me encourage you not to read this as me trying to put a guilt trip on you. I have simply been sharing things from my journey that God has been showing me. Please don’t go and do anything because I said, or you think I hinted, that you should.

But if this stirs you to ask God what your 5 loaves and 2 fishes are, and to ask where He wants you to offer them, I will be well pleased. And if you were to ask Him how you might use your small gifts to sow into the lives of other Christian musos, I would feel very blessed.

But be prepared to be surprised, even amazed, at what He will do with those small offerings you bring. This devotion has been me sharing some of my story. Perhaps your story could, and should, be so much more amazing than mine.

I shoulda learned to play the guitar. I shoulda learned to play them drums!

Tuesday 1st December 2009 | 8:43 AM

Background music label to pay royalties to unsigned artists.

Australian record companies generate more than $300 million annually from the sale of music. Now, an innovative new project believed to be an Australian first, is encouraging brickies, office workers and housewives to dust off their instruments, fine tune their vocal chords and get a piece of the action.

Gold Coast based Moo Moo Music supplies songs to background music systems and is now on the hunt to discover hidden talent by offering emerging and part time musicians the chance to promote their songs to a wider audience.

Moo Moo Music A&R Executive Troy Cooper says "the recent decision by the PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) to increase fees for playing copyright protected music has outraged restaurant and café owners, however, it's opened up an amazing opportunity for unsigned artists.

The PPCA announced that from 1 December 2009, fees would increase by up to 6000%. For some restaurants it meant their current annual music copyright bill of $68 would rise to more than $4,000 in the coming years.

Mr Cooper said "Many operators were simply going to turn the music off, but now there's a real alternative. There's so much unrecognised talent in this country it made sense to promote their songs via background music. Artists get exposure, businesses save money... it's a real win-win"

"We're looking for everything from covers of classic hits to classy original instrumentals. Songs can be submitted online. Once the track passes quality control checks and classification, it becomes available to be played in shops, clubs, pubs, restaurants and 5-star hotel foyers around the country. The artist will then receive a royalty cheque twice a year."

One of the artists on Moo Moo's books is Maxine McCabe. Her job as an Audio Engineer keeps her busy during the day, but several nights a month she performs at gigs around South East Queensland. Commenting about the concept she said, "the emerging artists program is a great way to get my music out there, it actually encourages me to write more music. It's strange though when you're out at a club having a drink and hear one of your songs playing in the background!"

Businesses pay about $20 a week for the service and a significant percentage of this goes directly to the artists.

"Annual royalty payments could be up to $1,000" Mr Cooper said, "depending on how many tracks are submitted and approved."

To participate in the project, go to http://www.moomoomusic.com.au/

For further information contact:
Troy Cooper
0410 335077