Peace like a river ... in my foot?
Music is amazing & powerful.
I've been playing along with a "share 10 favorite albums in 10 days" thing on Facebook. I almost never do these kinds of things, but I'm down for sharing album covers and reminiscing about dubbing my dad's Simon & Garfunkel albums onto cassette tape, or where I was when I heard about Kurt Cobain's death, or how important Jars of Clay's self-titled album was to my very new faith in Jesus.
Music is one of those things that allows us to express thoughts & feelings that we would never be able to say with words. There's a reason that couples have "their song". My wife & I's is Follow You, Follow Me by Genesis, for the record.
Music helps us remember. Advertising agencies spend piles of cash to help us remember that Nationwide is on our side.
Music connects us to big events. Fee's All Because of Jesus was the first song I heard when I attended a church service after being in a major car accident. I think about that time in my life, and God's provision, every time I hear that song.
Music is amazing. And powerful.
It's why music is an important part of our Sunday experience. Why music is an important part of our kids' Sunday experience.
Or, maybe, who music can be an important part of it.
A couple of years ago, I was working with a church, and observed a song leader sing Peace Like A River with the kids. The kids clumsily made their way through the motions. They pointed to their foot as they sang how peace was like a river in their "soul". As the song got faster & faster, there was some fun & giggling over who could keep up.
Was this a worship experience, or a sing-a-long? Did it help kids express things they could never say? Did it embed truth & memory somewhere in their complex brains? What did kids who didn't know Jesus yet think and feel? And how may of them thought their soul was in their foot?
But the adult leaders? They were into it. They had learned these songs in Sunday School and/or camps as a kid. They could remember those moments with their favorite teacher. The camp bonfire. The baptism service. Because music is amazing and powerful.
As I began to work with this church on worship, I shared some simple thoughts about how to make worship central to the kids' experience. An amazing and powerful time of music.
Music has purpose. It's not something we do to fill time. It's not to help kids transition between pre-service activities & the lesson. It's worship. Kids who follow Jesus have the capacity to worship. And kids who don't are learning about the God that we're singing to.
Music can meet kids where they're at. Kids are music consumers. And old camp songs just don't meet kids where they're at. Or those first "modern" worship songs from the 80's. Or songs that major on guitar distortion. It's too bad, because the grunge era was my era. But worship with kids isn't about me. It's about them. And if they wouldn't include it on their Spotify playlist (and they've probably got at least one), it's probably not worth including on Sunday morning.
Words matter. I still don't really know what shooting the artillery in the Lord's army is all about. And I'm 41. If the lyrics aren't simple, kids are lost, and worship turns into a sing-a-long. The best worship songs help kids express their love & devotion to Jesus, and remind them of simple truths about who God is and what He's done for us. And help teach those simple truths to kids who don't know Jesus yet.
Music isn't about me. I know I said this already. This part stinks sometimes. The songs that I sing with kids aren't always my favorite. They can make me feel a little silly sometimes. And old. But it's not about me. It's about helping kids fall in love with our great God.
Ultimately, the church that I was working with rejected the advice. I led worship with them for a time, and kids began to connect with it. And get excited by it. Which their team had never experienced. And were offended by.
If you're offended by kids getting "too excited" about Jesus, you're probably serving in the wrong ministry.
What are some of the songs that I think are connecting best with kids right now? Here's a few. Note the high quality video content, too. Another important way to connect with kids, right where they're at.
This Is Living - Hillsong Young & Free, featuring Lecrae
We Are Royals (live) - North Point Inside Out, featuring Chris Cauley
Fierce - Jesus Culture
Only King Forever - Elevation Worship
Music is amazing & powerful.
Let's use it in ways that helps kids express thoughts & feelings they could never put to words. And help them learn & remember truths about our great God. And help them fall in love.
I've been playing along with a "share 10 favorite albums in 10 days" thing on Facebook. I almost never do these kinds of things, but I'm down for sharing album covers and reminiscing about dubbing my dad's Simon & Garfunkel albums onto cassette tape, or where I was when I heard about Kurt Cobain's death, or how important Jars of Clay's self-titled album was to my very new faith in Jesus.
Music is one of those things that allows us to express thoughts & feelings that we would never be able to say with words. There's a reason that couples have "their song". My wife & I's is Follow You, Follow Me by Genesis, for the record.
Music helps us remember. Advertising agencies spend piles of cash to help us remember that Nationwide is on our side.
Music connects us to big events. Fee's All Because of Jesus was the first song I heard when I attended a church service after being in a major car accident. I think about that time in my life, and God's provision, every time I hear that song.
Music is amazing. And powerful.
It's why music is an important part of our Sunday experience. Why music is an important part of our kids' Sunday experience.
Or, maybe, who music can be an important part of it.
A couple of years ago, I was working with a church, and observed a song leader sing Peace Like A River with the kids. The kids clumsily made their way through the motions. They pointed to their foot as they sang how peace was like a river in their "soul". As the song got faster & faster, there was some fun & giggling over who could keep up.
Was this a worship experience, or a sing-a-long? Did it help kids express things they could never say? Did it embed truth & memory somewhere in their complex brains? What did kids who didn't know Jesus yet think and feel? And how may of them thought their soul was in their foot?
But the adult leaders? They were into it. They had learned these songs in Sunday School and/or camps as a kid. They could remember those moments with their favorite teacher. The camp bonfire. The baptism service. Because music is amazing and powerful.
As I began to work with this church on worship, I shared some simple thoughts about how to make worship central to the kids' experience. An amazing and powerful time of music.
Music has purpose. It's not something we do to fill time. It's not to help kids transition between pre-service activities & the lesson. It's worship. Kids who follow Jesus have the capacity to worship. And kids who don't are learning about the God that we're singing to.
Music can meet kids where they're at. Kids are music consumers. And old camp songs just don't meet kids where they're at. Or those first "modern" worship songs from the 80's. Or songs that major on guitar distortion. It's too bad, because the grunge era was my era. But worship with kids isn't about me. It's about them. And if they wouldn't include it on their Spotify playlist (and they've probably got at least one), it's probably not worth including on Sunday morning.
Words matter. I still don't really know what shooting the artillery in the Lord's army is all about. And I'm 41. If the lyrics aren't simple, kids are lost, and worship turns into a sing-a-long. The best worship songs help kids express their love & devotion to Jesus, and remind them of simple truths about who God is and what He's done for us. And help teach those simple truths to kids who don't know Jesus yet.
Music isn't about me. I know I said this already. This part stinks sometimes. The songs that I sing with kids aren't always my favorite. They can make me feel a little silly sometimes. And old. But it's not about me. It's about helping kids fall in love with our great God.
Ultimately, the church that I was working with rejected the advice. I led worship with them for a time, and kids began to connect with it. And get excited by it. Which their team had never experienced. And were offended by.
If you're offended by kids getting "too excited" about Jesus, you're probably serving in the wrong ministry.
What are some of the songs that I think are connecting best with kids right now? Here's a few. Note the high quality video content, too. Another important way to connect with kids, right where they're at.
This Is Living - Hillsong Young & Free, featuring Lecrae
We Are Royals (live) - North Point Inside Out, featuring Chris Cauley
Fierce - Jesus Culture
Only King Forever - Elevation Worship
Music is amazing & powerful.
Let's use it in ways that helps kids express thoughts & feelings they could never put to words. And help them learn & remember truths about our great God. And help them fall in love.
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