Authentic Worship in Student Ministry

I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not. That glazed over look from your students like they’re a freshly made batch of Krispy Kremes (or whatever doughnut you prefer). But one of our challenges as adults who have a burden for teenagers is we’d like to see them experience authentic and meaningful worship that will transform their lives. We’d also like to see them learn how to communicate with God on a personal level which, in turn, will also change their lives. I ask, why not both? Why not teach students how prayer works while you’re leading them in worship? 

Now, your students may enjoy worship, they may like the way you do it and therefore there is a lot of energy when your group does worship. That is great, but if you haven’t already, you still need to take advantage of the unique teaching situation that the songs of worship present. There is no shortage of good songs. So it’s entirely possible to have a great time singing and never have a moment connecting with God. I’m all about giving practical tips, but don’t use these as do or die rules:

Infuse scripture reading with singing. 

One of my favorite times of worship I’ve ever been a part of was one where the worship leader just started reciting Psalms that went along with the things happening in the worship. I don’t know if he memorized them beforehand, or just knew them, but I don’t think it matters. It helped everyone take a step back and listen to scripture that wasn’t being sung. Sometimes music opens up people to the Word of God, sometimes the music gets in the way. Do you have to recite Psalms from memory now? No. But if you have a certain passage you’re going to speak from, if you have a passage that really speaks to you, if you know the songs that will be sung beforehand and you’d like to pull out the scripture a song is based on, these are all good times to read scripture in between (or during) songs. If you’re looking for way to involve your students in the on-stage worship (which you should be, or just start doing that now), have them read it. Obviously, you’ll have to pick someone who would like doing that.

Have a specific time of response

If you already do an “invitation” that’s fine. But what I’m talking about is a time during the music that the students can respond to something God may be doing at that exact moment. Again, there might be a time where the music is getting in the way here. So we slow down (usually before the last song before the message) and let them pray on their own. Here’s the trick: we don’t just say “Okay, you guys pray for a sec”. This is the moment you can teach them about prayer, and about worship itself. Having watched Mark for so long I’ve picked up on this. Talk about the song that was just sung, talk about the song that is about to be sung, you could read more scripture here, you can tell them that God is waiting to hear from them, you can tell them that they can hear from God (if they haven’t yet). We usually have some kind of prompt for them to think about. I don’t think this makes the prayer time fake. Instead, it gives it direction and focus. Something to tell them is to pray and see how long it takes before you ask God for something (another thing I picked up from Mark). That’s a good opportunity to show them that that us how we pray most of the time, and prayer can be so much more. Try doing that on your own, and see how long you last. I think I was able do last 15 seconds. That’s also a good thing to tell them so they know you struggle with that too. The balance thought here is not to make this longer than an actual song (unless there’s a moment where the Spirit moves). You can actually take some who were already worshipping out of the picture by having an extended quiet moment. I go for about 2 minutes, while giving them about 30 seconds to pray.  

Give them permission

Anything your students do in the seats has to be done on the stage. Although I don’t use the raising of hands as an indicator that people are being real with God, there are some of your students who want to and can’t because they don’t know if its okay, and someone has to be first. I don’t know if you’re on stage, or you have students leading, or another adult, but they have to know what is okay or encouraged. It helps to make some of your off stage students who might be leaders aware of the others around them that might be willing to have a intimate time with God, but just need permission. Not only that, but if just a few students were visible with their love for God, it might create a culture in your worship time that is free and meaningful.

Have a “Worship Night”

I put this in quotes because if you ran straight to your band and told them this, you might get weird looks. The first thought in their heads would probably be, “We have to play 10 songs in one night? I play 4 and get tired”. That’s not what I’m suggesting. You can split up your message into a few pieces and sing songs in between the points. The message could be about worship! And the songs could demonstrate your points! The band would just stay up there (probably with stools or chairs) and be ready when you finish. 

The main thing to keep in mind is that sometimes we just expect teenagers to fall in line, but if they have no idea what the lines are, how are they going to know which line is the right line? Ever been to the DMV? So when our students come from the children’s ministry, they still have to be taught how to have a one on one conversation with God. A lot of our students are walking in to church for the first time, so if we take the time to explain to them the “why” of what we’re doing, you might be surprised at what could happen.  

-Juan DeVivo