KIDS WORSHIP
PRAYERS OF CONFIDENCE | Yancy
On a recent Sunday morning , I was serving in the band that leads our elementary kids in worship . Our team gathered together to pray and one of the leaders prayed for something I ’ ve never heard anyone pray for before . In fact , it had never even crossed my mind to pray intentionally about this characteristic for a child . However , when she uttered the words my spirit bore witness . I did cartwheels and leaps in the spirit realizing we should be praying for this thing . What was it you ask ? Confidence . My peer prayed that the kids would have the confidence to enter into worship .
Think about it . How many times have you heard adults even make the excuse for their lack of participation in worship saying they ’ re tone deaf ? I know I have . I ’ ve heard similar things described a dozen different ways . As if they are saying , God made a mistake with my ability to worship . Since no one wants to be close to me when I sing I ’ ll just withhold my praise for the Creator of the universe . Say what ? Obviously , people don ’ t literally say that because saying that would prove how shallow and misinformed of a decision it is . No ! Of course , they would never say they are withholding the praise God is due but because of their actions that is what their life is demonstrating . God already knows the good , bad and ugly about us . For some people that means a less than perfect singing voice but still scripture commands us in Psalm 150:6 “ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord . Praise the Lord .” NIV Everything means everything and everybody !
When you think about a group of preteens and the changes that go with this phase of life . Identity is a big one . Them feeling comfortable in their own skin and decisions is a big one . This can also include their expression of worship . Maybe they are becoming aware of their peers around them . They could be seeking the approval of someone . They also are in the process of owning their faith and what that looks like in their life . Worship is part of that faith discipline . Now more than ever we need to lead and teach them intentionally . I actually believe as we teach them and give them understanding their confidence is built to know what and why their worship matters . Our ability to worship comes to us naturally . Scripture tells us praise is perfected on the lips of children . Over the years in our earthly body , we unlearn how to do this thing that is within us . I believe our teachings can keep the perfect praise of God on the lips of the children we lead .
So many times in life worship has actually helped give me vocabulary when I needed it most . On some of life ’ s hardest days , when something bad had happened earlier that day , when my family was going through a battle ; worship gave me the space to say , speak and sing what I was really confident in . Just like Psalm 27:13 that says : “ I remain confident of this : I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living .” Let that be the testimony of the children we are leading for the current season of life and in the decades to come of their future .
What if we started praying for those that we lead to be confident as they worship ? I can realize
the kind of change and growth that could occur if church leaders / ministry directors / worship leaders started praying for their children ’ s ministry to flourish . Not just growing in numbers and what appears to be success , but actually harvesting fruit that will remain . May they feel comfortable in their own skin and in who God made them to be . May they feel confident as their posture expresses surrender , adoration and praise to the Almighty . May we see them in action become a doer of the Word by using their breath to give praise to the Lord . Let ’ s rise up and pray that as they hunger and thirst for the things of God , they would be confident in what they find . Let ’ s believe for them to experience the land of milk and honey from time spent in God ’ s presence .
© 2022 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 is all the things kids love and everything adults value . Her newest “ Little Praise Party ” album is “ Out of This World ”. Yancy has a passion to serve the Church which is why she created “ Heartbeat ”, a curriculum to teach kids the heart of worship . She recently authored the book “ Sweet Sound : The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship ”. She lives with her husband and sons in Nashville , TN .
YancyMinistries . com