KIDS WORSHIP
MAKING THE MOMENTS MATTER | Yancy
One of the things so many of us learned in the last few years is to not take for granted gathering together in our churches to worship . For some it was weeks , others it was months or even a year that they missed out on the gift of being together . I remember the first movie I saw in a theater where you could hear laughter scattered throughout the room and I thought “ I missed this ”. The experience of being with other people , even strangers , but being united by what we were watching and the joy it brought to our day .
You can ’ t deny something special happens when the body of Christ unites together . We become whole . Literally coming together to be the body . There ’ s nothing like the sound of the family of God . This summer I led “ Holy Forever ” a lot at the camps where I led worship . One of the camps commented “ When the kids cried out HOLY , there was no better place to be on planet earth !” I couldn ’ t agree more . The worship of children is powerful . It ’ s one of the most moving sounds in the world . Creation singing the praises of their Creator . I have found that sometimes leaders think kids can ’ t handle big , serious songs but nothing could be further from the truth . These songs of reverence sometimes feel big and maybe even a bit hard for kids at first glance . Don ’ t be intimidated by them . They are worth trying . I challenge you to invite them in and see what happens . If you will teach them and lead them through it you will encounter something beautiful . When you create space for worship to happen , God inhabits the praises of His people .
A couple summers ago there was a preteen boy named Jacob attending a camp where I led worship . Three months later he was killed in a car accident along with his Dad . As leaders , it ’ s so easy for us to imagine they have their whole life ahead of them . Especially when they aren ’ t even teenagers yet . That ’ s not always the case . As I encountered the news of this loss on earth , I realized what we did at camp that summer mattered . It wasn ’ t just another week , another group of kids , or another worship set . Every song mattered . Every message and service mattered . This young man is now in Heaven singing with all the saints and angels . How we stewarded the moments of ministry for his time on earth are important . I believe it ’ s the kind of things we will give an account for when we get to Heaven . I don ’ t want to be found as someone who went through the motions without giving my best , my whole heart and being filled with truth . I want my life to shine bright on stage and off . I don ’ t want to just sing songs but steward moments of leading kids to encounter Jesus . If our worship times feel more like a game or goofing off than welcome mats for the Holy Spirit to come and touch hearts - we are doing them a disservice .
After learning more about Jacob , it changed me as a worship leader . My perspective isn ’ t the same as it was before . I better understand that it ’ s not just another song or stage . It ’ s not another weekend or service . It ’ s not about another planning center invite or thing to do . I want to make the moments matter because they do matter , here on earth and in heaven .
Don ’ t get weary in all the doing that you forget who you are doing this for . May we never get so familiar with church and ministry happening that we lose sight of the lives we are impacting with the Gospel .
Psalm 90:12 is a verse you ’ ve likely heard before about numbering our days . The NLT says it this way : ‘ Teach us to realize the brevity of life , so that we may grow in wisdom .’ I ’ m praying that for each of us as we lead kids in worship and steward the moments in their life that we get to come along side and say “ Follow me as I follow Christ ” in the area of worship . May you have wisdom as you plan . May you have wisdom as you prepare and lead . Never forget , as a worship leader you are discipling worship to happen in the lives you get to impact . Keep going because every moment matters . You never know who the next “ Jacob ” you will encounter will be .
© 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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42 September 2023 Subscribe for Free ...