Monday, June 27, 2011

Student Lead Worship

Student lead worship is something I am very passionate.  It could be a mixture of my training, my heart to empower students or just what I saw early in ministry but for the last six years I have had a heart to empower students to lead their peers in worship.

Now I know that some people will disagree with me on this point.  I also know that when we empower students to lead we can loose what some would call "quality".  Over the last eight years of student ministry I have come to the conclusion that I will always sacrifice quality to empower students to lead worship.  Let me share with you what has caused me to get the place where I am willing to empower students to sacrifice the quality of worship:

1) My Training
Early in ministry, when I was interning, I saw students lead worship well.  Was it the best worship experience that I have ever been involved in?  No not at all but it was worship.  I look at those students who were in the worship team over eight years ago and one of the guys went into full-time ministry and another went to college and still volunteers his time at the local church in the worship team.  I saw that when you empower students to lead it helps them use the gifts and talents that God has given them.

2) My Passion
I am very passionate about worship.  I love to worship God but if you sat in front of me at church you would be very thankful that I was not on stage.  I have actually had people, in front of me in church, ask me to sing softer.  I love to worship Jesus but you do not want me to lead.  This is a passion of mine to help students use their gifts to lead worship so that others will honor God.

3) Quality versus Involvement 
I know I've said this a few times but when students lead we are empowering students to use their gifts.  Paul told this to the church as Ephesus (Ephesians 4:11-12).  He talks about being the in ministry that our job as the pastoral leader is to train others up to do the work of the ministry.  When we empower students to lead it is empowering them to be involved in the local church.

I would love to hear your thoughts on students lead worship!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Students should lead...this is how great worship leaders emerge... Just listen to a Kristan Stanfill, or a Hillsong United, or a Steve Fee.