Missing the purpose

I'm going to move on from the topic of girls, dating and that sort of thing. I, however, don't have much on my mind right now to write about. Lately, my time has been taken up by writing a song for my church which I am to "perform" on the 28th, a little over a week away. Just to give you a background, I am singing this song at my church for both services. I have done many solos at my church before, and have never had a problem with them or bad responses from anyone. I have done my own song before and I continue to do it at other churches with a men's group that I sing in, and have gotten incredible responses from that. There's your quick background.

Before I sing this song though, I have to "audition" for the *new* music committee, that ousted the former music coordinator in a rather clandestine way. This new committee is headed up by someone that I don't know very well, but has gone to the church for a long time apparantly. I was approached by him a few months ago about doing a solo, and about a month ago, was told that I would need to audition for him in order to sing a solo.

Excuse me? Audition?

Several e-mails were exchanged between us one certain day (cause I don't really work while I'm at work) in which I expressed my extreme displeasure about having to audition for a church solo when I had done so many before. His response was that he had never personally heard me sing a solo, and needed to hear how I sound before he will let me sing a solo for church. I guess he didn't go to church as much as I thought he did. Immediately, my ego got up, snapped its fingers, and said "Heeeeeeeeeell no." I admit it, my ego was bothered by the notion that I was to audition to make sure I was good enough to sing in front of the church. But this wasn't all.

There are two other delightful souls on this new committee. One of these people has heard me sing at least one solo, and has complimented me on it afterwards. The other of these people is IN MY CHOIR, (yes it's my choir, the world is next) and not only has she heard me sing in the choir, but I've done duets and trios and quartets with her. WITH HER. Besides the fact that she's heard nearly every solo I've done. These people can't vouch for me? If it truly is a committee, then every member of said committee would have an equal voice, and if two of them have heard me sing, then it should be plenty for the committee. *getting aggravated*

My last qualm with this whole situation is simple, and maybe the biggest problem I have. In my humble opinion, the auditions and certain other things that are going on behind the scenes (I have spies, seriously) make this a performance at the church, and not a song. Certain people, and this comes from more than two sources, have been excluded from doing special music for the church simply because the pastor or this committee guy didn't like how they sang or played, regardless of where their heart was and what the congregation got out of it. Certain songs are not allowed, like Battle Hymn of the Republic, because of words deemed offensive. (Such phrase is something about God trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored)

Such actions show me that these people in position are completely missing the purpose of worship and praise. First rule in worship and praise: It's not solely meant to please you or I. That is the number one rule to me, and it's already being trampled on. With so much focus on how the person sings and going over the words and music with a fine tooth comb, I would rather have to answer some questions about why I want to sing a solo for the church. In this situation, I feel as though someone's heart and the intentions therein are far more important than how well you can sing.

How sad it is when the heart of man impedes the soul of praise.