YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
[ A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE | Vance & Michelle Shepherd ]
We know that this month’s topic can be she wouldn’t even have an outlet to play. One a great ministry opportunity for them! As she
controversial, and there are many schools of week, she came to lessons, and as she picked started playing with our youth worship band,
thought in regard to non-Christians serving up her bass, on her left hand facing up was a she quickly became the best bassist in our
on youth worship teams. When we first joined pentagram drawn on her skin. I said, “What’s group, even one of the best musicians that we
church ministry, we were in a church that held that?” and she said, “Nothing,” and turned her have ever raised up.
the view that if someone is not a Christian, they hand away from me. I didn’t say anything, but should not be allowed to play on the worship my heart was so heavy, and after she left, I told None of her family were Christians (her father
team. And we absolutely understand this view. Michelle what had happened. We stopped right was an atheist), and they would not come to
But after years of being in the ministry, we’ve see her play at first, because it was at church.
had a change of heart and a change of mind. But then one Sunday her dad showed up at the
This doesn’t mean that someone that is openly
displaying sin or who is living a lifestyle that
is against biblical values (including Christians)
should be on your worship team. We believe
it’s a case by case evaluation. Here is a story
to illustrate why we’ve had a change of heart:
One of my Christian students that attended
a secular high school told me that they were
preparing for their high school musical.
Knowing that it was a heavy music production,
I asked her in passing how their sound system
and sound techs were. She laughed and said
that it was just her principal doing it all. So, I
volunteered to go and help. Through this, the
principal found out that I was a music teacher,
and we really hit it off. A couple of months
later, the principal referred us to a family for
music lessons. With us being a faith based
When we think service, and at the end, came up to Michelle
about it, Jesus would never miss another opportunity to see
didn’t only words to the songs, and she was so passionate
have believers events, Michelle texted her to tell her how
following Him,
He had people
and I with tears in his eyes and said that he
her play. On stage, she would mouth all of the
about playing! After one of the Sunday worship
proud she was of her, and she texted back that
she had given her heart to Jesus and that all
she wanted to do was to serve Him and spread
the gospel through music.
following Him Wow! To think that we could have missed
because they her family with the love of Christ because she
were searching
for the truth.
this opportunity to reach a young lady and
wasn’t already a Christian would have been a
tragedy.
When we think about it, Jesus didn’t only
music school, I hesitated for a moment, but have believers following Him, He had people
then told the mother that if she was okay with following Him because they were searching for
us teaching a Christian music curriculum, we there and prayed together that God would give the truth. Through their encounters with Him,
would be glad to teach her daughter. Well, this us an opening to reach her. We both felt such they came to believe, follow, and then become
began an amazing journey! an urgency to pray for her, and felt that God disciples. We believe that is what we are to
had led her directly to us. A couple of months do. If a student that is not a believer yet has a
I started teaching her weekly lessons, and went by, and I felt that she wasn’t able to go desire to play music and is accepting of being
knowing that she didn’t know any Christian to the next level in her playing because she in a Christian band or ministry, what a great
music, I would supplement with secular songs didn’t have an outlet to play live. So, one day opportunity this is for your team to learn how to
to keep her interest, in addition to having her at lessons I point blank asked her if she would love, minister, and pray for them.
learn Christian songs with intricate bass lines. want to audition to be in our touring worship This went on for a year and a half, and I kept band, and I about fell over when she shrugged May you be blessed as you pour into the next
thinking that it was going nowhere. All of our her shoulders, and said, “Sure.” That month, generation of worship leaders!
other students were either in, or working she auditioned the 5 songs, and passed. We toward being in, our touring worship band. She told all of our other students to start praying was practicing so hard, and learning songs that for her, and to really love on her. It was such
May 2018
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.
www.ShepherdStudiosLV.com
WorshipMusician.com
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