YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
PASTORING YOUTH IN WORSHIP | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
How do you get a room full of teenagers to really connect with the worship portion of the service , and have a respect for what worship is , and the power it can have in their lives ? We ’ ve seen many youth worship environments where they ’ re disconnected , talking and laughing while the worship team is leading , and not taking the worship time seriously . While we don ’ t claim to necessarily be experts in this field , we do have many years of experience with youth in worship , building youth worship teams , and mentoring and teaching in worship environments . Here are some helpful strategies that we ’ ve used to get them engaged not only in a musical way , but helping them develop their own heart of worship and be able to truly worship God through their music and in their lives .
What the Bible says about worship is crucial for them to understand that there is a much bigger purpose in their worship than just “ playing songs ”. As a youth leader , it ’ s great to spend time showing them where the scriptures say to play an instrument , raise their hands , clap , dance , shout , and even bow down . There are so many different expressions of worship ! And doing this before your worship rehearsal can be very powerful , and really help them understand the biblical and spiritual nature of worship . And even better if the youth pastor or leader has messages or a series of teachings about what worship is , and also models it for them by worshiping passionately and fearlessly . You can also encourage your adult leaders to set a great example for them of actively participating in worship as well . We have to be very intentional as leaders ; to be open , to share our hearts , and point to the times God has shown up for us in our lives , so they can see that He ’ s real , and that He will do the same for them .
Make it a point to find those teens in your ministry who have a heart for worship ; the ones who stand out in the worship service because they ’ re singing and praising outwardly . Let them know that you noticed that they were really engaged , and that it touched your heart . This might even ignite them to want to be a part of the worship team . And building the team primarily with just youth has so many benefits and will help create a special camaraderie on your team , even if their skills aren ’ t quite where you wish they would be … yet .
The most effective impact for teenagers is “ doing ”, not just attending services . Actively involving them in the worship service empowers them as leaders today and builds the Kingdom now . When they ’ re passionate about being a part of something bigger than themselves , it motivates them to want to be better and do more . When they see their own peers leading them , it makes them realize that they could lead too , that it ’ s not out of their reach . In your youth services , it ’ s important to have as many youth on your worship team as possible , and don ’ t default to having “ better ” adult players on the team . Teenagers feel more comfortable with people closer to their age . Of course , it ’ s recommended to have a qualified adult oversee and / or lead the team for reasons of accountability , mentoring and quality control , but it ’ s a good idea to only Include other adults as just guest subs or mentors , not as staples on the youth worship team . Let it be a youth led team .
And as youth leaders , we should always be a student of our students . Be curious about them , respect their input on songs and musical styles . Ask them who their favorite bands are , what their favorite song is , what type of music they like to play . Ask them to pick their worship sets and lead and guide them into making powerful worship experiences with the songs
they connect with .
We can also encourage them to worship God through different expressions , like painting , drawing , poetry , dance , spoken word or other forms of art during the worship set , making “ special ” moments in the service that highlight the message or the theme of the songs . Continue to cultivate new up and coming youth leaders and mentors , and by adopting some of these principles , you can soon have a thriving youth worship team culture .
May you be blessed as you pour into or become the next generation of worship leaders and musicians !
Vance & Michelle Shepherd Founders of The Shepherd School of Music in Las Vegas , NV , where they work with youth to raise up the next generation of worship leaders and musicians . facebook . com / shepherdschoolofmusiclasvegas www . ShepherdStudiosLV . com
40 December 2024 Subscribe for Free ...