If you’re like me, you’ve probably been seen as your church’s occasional (or permanent) answer to your church’s worship leader role. This happens to youth workers whether we plan on it or not. That’s because youth workers are expected to be experts in leading young people in worship by way of music, media and drama.
You might not feel gifted musically, but that doesn’t mean you can’t guide teens into a worshipful encounter with the living God. Through my youth worship experiences, I’ve learned some great ways to incorporate my passion for students into the “musical” portion of my job description.
Preparing for Worship
You don’t have to go it alone. In the context of building unity, Paul said we are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (
Recruit some of your students to be part of your worship planning team. Musically gifted or not, students are so into music that they know what sounds good and what will flow. Their insight will be especially valuable as you seek to connect with visitors. Planning times also can be used for learning and growing together in the faith and traditions of your church. If you didn’t know why you did a certain thing in your service before, now would be a great time to evaluate, learn and appreciate.
It Starts at the Door
The mood is set as people walk through the door. With that in mind, don’t forget to include students in service areas such as ushering, greeting and Scripture reading. They will develop some great relationships, and they will find genuine connections with visitors. A passionate greeter can make people feel as if they are about to experience something really amazing.
Creating Harmony
Regardless of the size of the church, you’ll almost always find someone who is dreaming of being the next Chris Tomlin. Encourage your musically gifted students to join you up front. As they lead, promote reading the scriptural basis for the songs. Reading a portion of
Check 1, 2
Seriously. Do you really think anyone knows more about this stuff than students? Even if they don’t already know the soundboard, I’ll guarantee they can pick it up faster than you can do a mic check. Students also have an eye for the visual. They’ll set up your MediaShout or PowerPoint quickly and stylishly. You also might get some great ideas for clips or sound bytes to use for service!
Front and Center
If you don’t already have a Youth Sunday, set up a meeting with your pastor. Your church needs to see young people bringing fresh hope and perspective to worship, and your students need to feel as though they are an integral part of your church family and ministry. Let them experiment with puppets, drama and readings. Allow your musicians to get as creative as they like. You might discover some new talent, and your church family will be blessed in a memorable way.
Closing Chorus
Face it—worship leading is a lot of work. Sometimes it’s hard to feel like you’re worshiping when you’re doing the leading; however, I’ve found that the times of preparation have been my worship time. Reviewing the service with my students has been an encounter with God in itself. I can’t think of a better process as you come together to guide participants into a place where the Word of Christ dwells richly.
