Worship Musician March 2020 | Page 72

YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM A SUCCESSFUL FIRST WORSHIP EVENT | Vance & Michelle Shepherd In last month’s article, we discussed the with them how best to mix the sound for DRESS CODE importance of coordinating live auditions with your event. You will want to have your tech Outreach concerts or special events: Have the your worship band members, and how to get booked for both the sound set up, group class/ band look at the dress attire of pop Christian them to have effective practice sessions for rehearsal, and the main event. artists such as Newsboys, Skillet, Lauren your event. If you are following the step by step Daigle, etc. for dress and style ideas. Encourage formula that we have suggested in the last two Group class is where you bring all of your them to find their own personal style, and have articles, you should now be looking forward to musicians and singers together, and teach fun with different accessories, hats, shoes, etc. your first live event with your new youth worship them how to work together as a unit, as well They will love this! team. This is exciting! as coach them individually in a group setting. Each student will now hear how their individual Congregational church worship: It’s best to If you can, find a way to get the entire band parts that they have been practicing fit together stick with solid colors, and no prints, patterns together for Bible studies, movie nights, jam in the big picture. or logos. No hats, sunglasses, etc. They can sessions (just for fun), or game nights once still have their own personal style, though, and a month. These extra events outside of your GET IT ON VIDEO you should encourage this. Remind them that worship service bond the band together Find a volunteer to video your event that is they are leading others to worship God, and and creates lifelong friendships and healthy comfortable with basic video camera functions. their goal is to bring the attention and the glory relationships. Have them at the group class/rehearsal as well to Him. as the main event. You will want to also video On our outdoor game nights with our students, the final run thru at the group class, and let VIDEO CLASSES POST EVENT we invite their entire family, and we have a blast. your students see it before the live event. They This will be one of the most valuable tools for It helps us get to know the parents and the will get to hear how well they’re executing their your youth worship team ministry. They will be siblings. And doing this has been such a huge parts (and what they look like doing it). This able to see and hear everything for themselves. blessing to us personally. On Bible study nights gives them a few days to make any final tweaks Talk them through every aspect from dress attire, we invite the band only, as we will spend time or corrections before the live event itself. their body posture, musical transitions, etc. Are studying God’s word together, which impacts the vocalists connecting with the congregation them leading worship. This is a great time to Side note: We think it’s best to not allow music and really leading worship? Do the musicians pour into the students and help them in their stands on stage, but to have them learn the look confident? Are they executing the parts understanding of why worship is so important songs by memory. This will greatly increase their properly? The video won’t lie. to the church, and to them personally. musicality, presence and comfort on stage. We hope this inspires you and gives you some Here are some great tips to make sure that your At one of our recent group classes, the fresh, practical ideas to start building your youth first live youth worship event, and those that youngest student (keyboardist & vocalist) was worship team. May you be blessed as you pour follow, are the best they can be: really into the music, bouncing around and into the next generation of worship leaders! mouthing the words to the songs. It was the DIAL IN THE SOUND cutest thing ever! I pointed out to the rest of If you are not a proficient sound technician, the students (that were trying to read charts get a qualified tech that is easy to work with. for the section they hadn’t memorized yet) They should be comfortable with you being in that she was so confident that she was really the “producer” type position, and him being the leading and looked like the pro. Remind them “engineer.” Since you have been working so that the more they study and memorize, the closely with all of your musicians and singers, more they can lead worship with confidence you as the youth leader know the musical and conviction. material, and you will be able to communicate 72 March 2020 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 Subscribe for Free...