KIDS WORSHIP
USING LESSONS TO BUILD WORSHIP MUSCLES | Yancy
The fall season of church ministry has been giving me clarity on how to lead worship . It could be that as I have served at my church playing keyboard as a music director and not the person leading the songs , I am able to see what ’ s happening through a different lens . Perspective is everything right ? Something that has become glaringly obvious to me is the transition this season presents .
Due to shifting grades and therefore classes , a huge group of older kids move on up to youth group while a new group of former kindergarteners has moved in . They look so tiny at the beginning of the school year . I ’ m reminded by my own children and them being a part of this stage of life what reading levels look like . They ’ ve been in a different class , doing different songs . There is so much new in their life . New room , new class , new worship experience . New rhythms , new small groups , let ’ s not forget : NEW SONGS .
In this season it is so imperative that you consider this in your song planning . Realize , if the younger kids don ’ t already know the songs , they can not read the words on your screen fast enough to learn them in that way . ( Bonus tip : Make a playlist and share it with parents so they can listen and become familiar through the week with the songs you do in this class .) Pick your songs based on vocabulary . This is really helpful when you ’ re considering younger age children .
How do we make the new more comfortable ? Talk with the leaders of the previous class , these now first graders were in and be sure you include at least one song that seems normal and familiar to them . Every song in your set shouldn ’ t be a learning curve . It ’ s ok for things to look , sound and be different , but you ’ ve got to realize it ’ s all a process . Don ’ t let them walk off the cliff alone . Lead them intentionally step by step . Season by season . Song by song .
Aware of the newness of the season , our kids pastor recently taught the kids about worship as the lesson for the day . We even changed the format of our set to include some worship time after her message . I believe this is something that needs to be done on a big scale often . A couple times a year would not be too much in my opinion . I ’ m talking about the whole lesson being about the discipleship of worship . Still , on a small scale every single week , verbiage from the worship leader needs to continuously be about helping kids understand why and how to worship . This is a non-negotiable for me . Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word . Build worship muscles by building worship muscles . When you ’ ve made the lesson be about worship , my encouragement to you is to not just let the single message or even series happen and move on from it . As a worship leader point back to it . Find ways to remind the kids about something that was shared and taught . Maybe it was a scripture , maybe it was an exact quote of something taught . Use that teaching . Make it work for you on a different day and worship set .
This method is what we see repeatedly in scripture and can learn from the Jewish people of God . They recount , remember and repeat in repetition what the Lord has done . They look back to know they can trust and honor God now . So here ’ s an example of how I would use those intentional lessons , to point back to what they learned as reason and motive for why and how to participate in worship , today . “ Hey guys . Remember last week when Ms . Mal talked to us about worship ? ( Get a reaction .) She was challenging us in our celebration of what God has done in our lives . Remember when she encouraged us to make a joyful noise ? ( Get a reaction . Even make space for them to make a loud sound and joyful noise .) We get to do that together today . Let ’ s prepare our hearts for worship . Let ’ s get our bodies and our voices ready to give God all the praise that He deserves . He ’ s the very best . Let ’ s get loud and worship Him together right now .”
Don ’ t just let the message be a one and done . Point back to it . Have them remember what was shared , postures taught and examples in scripture . You are their worship leader . Lead them by pointing the way and encouraging them to give their very best to praise the King , every single time .
© 2023 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 popular worship resources include “ Little Praise Party ”, “ Kidmin Worship ” and “ Heartbeat Curriculum ”. Yancy created her first children ’ s musical for Lillenas Kids : “ Best Christmas Song Ever ”. She authored the book “ Sweet Sound : The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship ”. She lives with her husband and sons in Nashville , TN .
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46 October 2023 Subscribe for Free ...