KIDS WORSHIP
HOW MOTHERHOOD SHIFTED HOW I LED WORSHIP | Yancy
I remember it like it was yesterday . It was summertime . I was in Houston , TX to lead worship at a church ’ s Vacation Bible School . That day was the first day that my own son would be part of an age group included during the large group worship time . It was probably the summer before he began first grade . I remember realizing that he would be in the same class room experiencing worship with the fifth graders that I still needed to lead and engage . For the first time I realized that the youngest children I ’ d be leading do not have the ability at their reading level to read the words on the screen fast enough . Unless we would exclusively be singing songs they ’ ve been singing for six months there is no way they could learn the new songs I ’ d be teaching at the pace we ’ d be presenting them that week . It ’ s not that they didn ’ t want to . They just developmentally weren ’ t to the level of the size of the songs I planned to lead them in . My eyes were opened to see what was needed to better engage the youngest children I was being given the opportunity to lead . It was then I realized my Little Praise Party series still has some very applicable songs geared for first and second graders . They need that simplicity . They need the action included . They need the repetition included in order to quickly learn and be engaged .
See up to this point I would have encouraged children ’ s ministry leaders to aim high . When having a class of combined ages , I do believe it ’ s better to aim towards the oldest in the group , so they don ’ t feel it ’ s just a little kid ’ s class . Too often I hear of older kids unplugging and let ’ s be real being annoyed by what they are experiencing . It ’ s not that “ they are too cool for school ” it ’ s that “ church is being presented as lame .” I believe it ’ s very important to make sure that the Jesus we are presenting through the classes and service programming we provide communicates that Jesus is relevant to their life TODAY .
We know the Bible is true in Hebrews 13:8 “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever .” ( NIV ) Yet , how often in our churches are we showing kids that Jesus is boring , clueless and uncool ? Not on my watch .