Here’s a quick recap of this week’s podcast with Planetshakers’ BJ Pridham on the purpose and power of knowing your context and mission!
We’re living in an entirely new era of songwriting and music publishing. The old model of “being discovered” is irrelevant to modern songwriters and Gospel communicators with the advent of the Digital Age.
But with over 18,000 hours of video being added to Youtube every 30 minutes (no exaggeration), how are we to make room for ourselves and build a “tribe” of followers or an audience of people who love our music?
Meet BJ Pridham of Planetshakers
For BJ Pridham, one of the primary songwriters and vocalists for the global ministry known as Planetshakers, it comes down to knowing his context and mission.
Situated in a large ministry that quite literally reaches the world with its messages and music, BJ understands his role in supporting the lead pastor’s central themes and messages, reflecting their core mission to reach current generations with a life-changing Gospel.
Everything Planetshakers music and worship ministry is about is supporting the primary message and mission of their church. BJ Pridham is living into that mission and context with all of his heart and soul.
How are we embracing our own present context and mission?
Odds are that you don’t have a global platform yet, so what is your context? What is your mission? While it’s easy to desire someone else’s mission and ministry context, the most powerful attitude we can adopt is to own the one we have and be the best stewards of it that we can be and to honor God with what He’s sovereignly given to us at this time.
Are you a Mom at home with three young kids? Your primary mission is to sing to them and to write songs that can help their young hearts grow in the Lord. Your family may be your real context at this moment.
Are you a Worship Leader or Worship Pastor in a local church? Songs you hope may one day reach the global church must start in this context and the more you own your mission where you are the greater the likelihood your songs could go beyond it.
In the final analysis, under-appreciating where God has placed us right now can only thwart His future plans and make us miserable in this present moment. Embrace your context, however large or small it may seem to you, and live into your present mission with all of your heart like BJ Pridham.
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:11
BJ Pridham wasn’t looking for a global platform, but was only choosing day by day to be faithful where he was serving, an attitude that he continues to have despite being a globally recognized leader.
How are we embracing our own present context and mission? I believe the more we live into His current plans for us with a humble and grateful attitude, the greater the rewards will be as we step into His future plans, whatever they may be.
