KIDS WORSHIP
DRAWING A BOX AROUND WORSHIP | Yancy
Photo by Chris on Unsplash
“ Get on your feet it ’ s time to worship !” Oh , how many times we ’ ve heard intros like that . Let ’ s be honest , the older the kids get in your ministry some of them are responding “ So what ” or “ You have fun with that ”. Okay , they may not be saying those words out loud but they are responding physically with such a response . That sort of intro has it ’ s time and place but it ’ s pretty fluffy .
I ’ m convinced the Church needs revelation in the area of worship . We ’ re pretty good about allotting minutes for worship to happen . But , we are less good at providing knowledge and understanding for why … how …. and what it is . I want to share a testimony with you of what can happen in the life of someone when we intentionally take the time for them to better understand and grasp what worship is .
I remember a conversation with a preteen girl at a summer camp where I led worship . She informed me that she wasn ’ t so keen about the worship time at the beginning of the week . It was not what she was excited about , but she had been listening to what I had to say . She was so excited because that night she had lifted her hands in worship . She took the step and participated , and she was visibly impacted by it .
When I have opportunities like a week of camp . I assess what I can tell they know and understand about worship by how they initially respond to that first service . I start teaching them session by session what worship is . Why we lift our hands . One session at a time I ’ m building up the information they know about it . We all do better when we understand ! I then start to challenge them to take steps . Try to participate in a way you haven ’ t before . What I begin to do is draw a box around the idea of worship and invite them to join me in it .
This student had leaned in that night and there was a transformation . Her understanding changed . Because her understanding changed , her actions changed . Because her actions changed , her experience changed . Because her experience changed , her life was changed . This girl wasn ’ t going to go home from camp the same way . I pray that her future worship experiences at her local church were step upon step upon step of growing in posture , expression and songs sung as worship offerings to the Lord .
This doesn ’ t have to be a one-off testimony . I truly think it ’ s possible at every church and for every believer . How do we get there ? It starts with revelation . The invitation to encourage and even challenge young people to take steps and pull up their seat to the table the Lord has prepared for us .
It doesn ’ t do me any good to have a reservation for dinner at the best restaurant in town if I don ’ t show up to eat the meal . Every believer has a reservation to spend time in the presence of our Messiah and Lord . The reservation was made in heaven before we ever took our first breath on earth . We have to show up to partake of the experience prepared for us . It ’ s a lot easier to show up when you have the appointment and even some calendar reminders to help you get there on time . The beauty is time with the Lord isn ’ t limited to just a single date or time . The physical place doesn ’ t matter . We could be in a crowded sanctuary on Sunday . We could be alone at home , work , school or out in nature . We have full access , whenever we want it . But still , we have to know about it , and we have to choose it . It is time for us to help this generation understand how to access the Father and sit at His feet . This is the season to help them lean in
and listen for His voice . Help them remember the goodness of God and celebrate all He has done . We must help them know how to engage and what the posture of our heart and body should be .
Don ’ t wait any more . Start this weekend . Draw a box for them about worship . Stroke by stroke , mark by mark , with every impression on the page it gets more defined . It all becomes clearer , as you repeat and reinforce what it is and how they do it . We point the way , and they follow our example . I can ’ t help but think of the instructions on a shampoo bottle : Lather , rinse , repeat . Let ’ s take that and apply it here : Teach worship , lead worship , repeat .
© 2024 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 . Her Dove Award winning music helps kids fall in love with Jesus one song at a time . Yancy authored the book “ Sweet Sound : The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship ” to help your church raise every generation to be worshipers . She lives with her husband and sons in Nashville , TN .
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48 April 2024 Subscribe for Free ...