KIDS WORSHIP
EVEN OLD SONGS CAN BE MADE NEW | Yancy
Photo by Michael Maasen on Unsplash
Just a few weeks ago I was leading worship at a preteen camp . I had planned a specific song for the altar / response time because it was a perfect fit for the message that was being taught that evening . I love to coordinate my songs and use them to support the scriptures and messages being taught whenever possible . If music is such a sticky and powerful medium and I believe it is , why not use music to help make the message stick ? Using music to help the lessons get locked into their brains and spirits is a no brainer .
So , I knew I had a song in my repertoire that fully resonated with what the Pastor told me he would be teaching the children . It ’ s a song I had not personally led with kids in a while . Of course , once upon a time it was one of those songs that made it in every set or at least very often . But , as all of the “ songs of the moment ” do , time moves on . New songs enter our sets and some songs end up on the back burner . I ’ m imagining a closet of songs stuffed into it very much like our hall coat closet might look . You open the door and things fall out and you might stuff them back in until you need the next thing . Is that what your song repertoire looks like ? But , I digress . So , the service proceeded that night . I had opened with a worship time . The camp speaker was speaking and then it was time for me to go back out during the response time . As I led the song I couldn ’ t believe my ears . The students sang so loud and strong . They knew it . They weren ’ t laughing at or mocking it . They were resonating with its message . They were participating . I learned something that evening .
You may be thinking , “ Alright , alright , what was the song , Yancy ?” It was the song “ Oceans ”. Because it was perfect for the theme of walking on the water and the confession “ Spirit lead me ”. As I heard the holy roar and sound of their singing , I couldn ’ t help but think about how it seemed they knew the song so well . I know the song isn ’ t being sung regularly in their churches in this season . Truthfully , based on the age of these kids , this song has existed throughout their whole life . Some of them may have been born the same year it came out . Others were even born after it was released . This song has existed in their world their whole life . My brain may have exploded processing that . Time moves so fast for us . Just like trees , birds , Coke , Oreos and iPhones have existed every day of their life . As much as “ Amazing Grace ” or “ His Eye Is On the Sparrow ” has existed throughout my own amount of years of living . I remember when “ Awesome God ” and “ Big House ” were new songs . I found it fascinating that this song , “ Oceans ”, seemed like second nature to them . When I tell you they sang , I ’ m telling you THEY SANG !
I couldn ’ t help but wonder about what songs we are missing out on because we don ’ t think they are new and current . What songs should we be leading that our people love ? Are we keeping too many good songs stuffed in the hall closet practically forgetting that we have them ? What are the songs of the past that had a special anointing on them ? Clearly some of the special songs we lead that seem to sweep the country and world by storm have a special anointing on them . I have no doubt “ Oceans ” was one of those songs . I say that because on paper you could say the song was too deep or advanced lyrically for it to work with kids .
But it worked any way . It worked because of the special anointing on that song and how it resonated with us . My thoughts spiraled with so many different lessons I learned that night of summer camp .
Of course , I know that new songs are good and should be sung . It is a scriptural thing for us to do . The Bible tells me so . My Pastor , Henry Seely has talked about his own wrestle of what qualifies as a new song . He shared , “ A new song can be sung with an old heart . An old song can be sung with a new heart . Our attitude and posture can make old things new .”
A group of kids in Texas showed me firsthand , old can be made new . Let ’ s use all the tools that we have to point kids to Jesus and give Him the worship we were made to give Him .
© 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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38 July 2024 Subscribe for Free ...