Worship Musician August 2020 | Page 50

KIDS WORSHIP
THE MEMORY OF MUSIC | Yancy
On the hardest days of life and church work I
pause to remember the truth that these songs
we sing and lead aren’t just songs. They aren’t
just time filler or something to do. These songs
get planted in the lives of our kids and they are
remembered and even sung when a memory
is triggered years and even decades later. Until
the day I die I’ll be shouting from the rooftops
and at minimum in podcast interviews and blog
posts that music is one of the greatest tools
that we have in ministry. It’s more enduring in
our hearts and memories than any game that
gets played or even prize given away. There is
plenty of science out there of how our brains
and bodies respond to music. A quick google
search will help you find this related to Autism,
Alzheimer’s and more.
I am confident that the praise of children
matters. It’s in the Bible. Not just once but over
and over again. Created children of the Most
High God were made to sing the praises of
God and when they do it is powerful. If you’re
in one of those seasons where you need to be
reminded why what you do matters, remember
why. I’m so thankful for the reminders God
gives us. I believe He gives us glimpses at the
perfect time to encourage our heart and stir our
faith.
Last week I received a Facebook message
from a grown man asking me about a song I
recorded. The song is a cover of a kid’s song
from the 80’s by a guy named Rob Evans aka
The Donut Man. The man was asking about a
song that he first heard when he was five years
old. He even referenced another song from the
cassette. He was wanting to know who had
originally sang it as he hunted for the original.
That’s right, thirty years later this grown man
remembered the truth that was in a song he
learned as a young kindergartener. I have no
doubt there could be something going on in
this man’s life where he needed that specific
piece of truth to stir up in his spirit and help him
navigate his life and choices he was making.
Earlier this year I met a young adult leader at a
conference where I was speaking and leading
worship. This now adult woman had crossed
paths with me about twelve years before while
she was in middle school. She shared with me
the impact of my music and what it meant to
her. And then fast-forward to the present she’s
in ministry, leading kids. We often times plant
seeds without seeing the harvest of those
seeds planted. But once in a while, God in His
grace reveals to us that what we do does make
a difference. Little girls grow up. Boys turn into
men. Songs give us vocabulary we need to live
out our faith and at times battle the fight of faith.
The songs this young lady sang as a middle
schooler helped her get to this current point
of investing in children so that they will know
and experience Jesus. It was needed and it
mattered.
In recent weeks I’ve seen other friends share
about the childhood memories they have
attached to the songs that played in the family
car. Special bonds between a parent and
child to a certain song. I’m in several Kidmin
Facebook groups and recently someone was
talking about the songs they learned as a child
at VBS. So many things have been forgotten
over the years but the ability to recall a song
and its lyrics and melodies is unlike any other.
Music is powerful so treat it like it’s a bomb of
God’s power waiting to go off. However you
gather, online or in-person: reverence, respect
and intentionality are a few of the things you
need as a leader to use it well.
If we were sitting in a coffee shop face to face
talking about this I would give you a hug. With
tears in my eyes I’d remind you that the songs
you choose to lead are not just songs. They
do not just fill space. They are instrumental in
helping the kids you lead in worship experience
the presence of Jesus. When you taste and
see that He is good you want more of it. You
hunger and thirst for more of Him. That’s my
prayer for you. That’s my prayer for this world.
And that’s my prayer every time I step on stage
or enter a zoom meeting to lead others. As they
remember the songs that we sang may they
remember that He is good!
©2020 Yancy Ministries, Inc.
Yancy
Yancy is a worship leader and songwriter for kids
that travels the globe doing family concerts and
training worship leaders. Every week her songs are
used in thousands of churches around the world.
Yancy has a passion to serve the Church which is
why she created “Heartbeat”, a five lesson curriculum
series to teach kids the heart of worship. This year
she is releasing lots of new music in her “Little Praise
Party” series for young kids. Check out her latest
“Ready, Set, Go!” She lives with her husband and
sons in Nashville, TN.
YancyMinistries.com
50 August 2020
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