YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
RELATIONSHIP FIRST | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
It ’ s such an awesome blessing to get to mentor and train youth and teens in music and leading worship . Here we are in the middle of Las Vegas ( Sin City ) with a School of Music that focuses on lifting up the name of Jesus … nothing better !
In the evenings , my wife Michelle and I love to sit on our balcony and talk through our day . One night she asked me how lessons went , since I was back-to-back students for quite a few hours . I told her that I let my students be the boss that day . When they showed up , I asked them “ What would you like to do today ? We could spend your lesson time on bass , drums , keys , guitar , vocals , or even start a studio recording session - it ’ s your pick !”
One particular student thought for a moment , put down her guitar and said with a huge smile on her face “ I want to record myself in the studio !” So , we took one of her favorite worship songs and recorded her singing it . At the end of her studio session , I mixed down an mp3 for her to surprise her Mom with on the drive home . She told me that her mother had tears in her eyes as they listened to it .
One thing Michelle loves to do when students come into their lessons is ask : “ How was your day ?” Now because they ’ re teenagers , they usually just say “ okay ”. So instead , she started asking them , “ What was the best thing that happened to you today ?” One of her students was so excited to tell her about a special chapel they had at her school and went on and on about it . It was exciting to see this student so fired up about worship ! Then Michelle asks them , “ So what was the worst part of your day ?” One of her students that week got really silent and seemed upset . Michelle got up , closed the door and said , “ Don ’ t worry , you can tell me about it and it won ’ t leave this room .” The student told her about a relationship at school that had been damaged , and she didn ’ t know how to act around that person anymore , and that it was really hard for her to be around them . This question ended up creating a very special bonding moment for both of them and allowed Michelle to share God ’ s word with her about how to restore or bring forgiveness back to that relationship . The ministry that happened during that thirty-minute music lesson time was priceless .
When Michelle told me both stories it inspired me to want to be more of a friend and mentor to our students . It also made me think that at times we as youth leaders in church ministry could be vulnerable of wanting a youth worship team for our events so desperately that we can miss opportunities of simply bonding with our youth and knowing their personal story or struggles .
Sometimes we ’ re just focused on getting them from point A to point B , so that we sound good during a worship service or event . And I ’ ve seen it all too often that when youth pastors and leaders find out that a student plays an instrument or sings , they rush to say to them , “ How about jumping on the worship team next week ?” without even trying to develop a relationship with them first . We ’ ve seen leaders that put students up on stage , and then turn their instrument or vocal mic off in the house mix and run a multi-track instead . They just want bodies up there “ leading ” worship .
But could we be rushing them into these live playing situations too fast , and possibly be doing the student and the church more harm than good in the long run ? Do we really know that student ’ s needs or desires ? Do they need ministry and an understanding of what worship truly is before getting on stage ? Would the responsibility that comes with being on stage and having to “ perform ” create pressure for them that they wouldn ’ t be able to handle well ? Are we setting a personal standard for them to work towards , not only musically , but even more important … spiritually ?
If we put them up there before they ’ re ready , are we possibly setting them up for failure ,
or training them not to become as skilled a musician or vocalist as they could be some day with the right direction and mentorship ? And do they truly realize what purpose they ’ re serving when they ’ re leading worship ?
We need to remember that relationship is always the most important thing to develop and helping them to understand their purpose is crucial to the church having a great , impactful youth worship team that ’ s on fire for God . And what ’ s better than that ?
May you be blessed as you pour into or become the next generation of worship leaders !
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 November 2023 Subscribe for Free ...