I have been serving in ministry for over 30 years, much of that time in student and worship ministries. The average size of churches in the Baptist Missionary Association of America dictates that many of us serving students have other responsibilities at our churches. For me, that has been music ministry, and I have loved it. Helping God’s people worship biblically and theologically is of great importance, especially for students.
Over the past three weeks, we have buried two deacons at Calvary Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Both of these men were kind, faithful servants. One of them served as my youth director when I was a teenager in the late 1980s. I will miss them dearly, but know that they both trusted Jesus and are now worshipping Him in the glories of Heaven. During their funerals, their families chose songs of faith that meant something to them. The songs we sing during our younger years often shape our funeral selections. Those songs mean the world to us and, hopefully, provide great expressions of our faith. Why do I say “hopefully?” Because not every funeral service is a good example in this area. If the songs of faith we sing in our younger years lack spiritual depth, we will still want to sing them at our funerals, even when they don’t carry great messages. While those songs may provide comfort, they may not provide the real truth.
When we think of student ministry, we don’t often think of funeral music. However, the truth is that the music that means much to us now will mean much to us then. We must also provide good leadership in this area. Music matters because words matter. We should lead our students in choosing worship music that goes beyond making them feel good. We need to help them consume a steady diet of theologically sound worship songs. How do we do that? What are some steps that we can take to help, even if we aren’t the worship pastor at our churches?
• Look at the music that your group is singing together. Print out the lyrics of the music that your group is singing. The music can certainly take on many different styles, but the words matter. What are the lyrics teaching your students about God and themselves? Do your songs use an inordinate number of “Me, I or My?” As the leader of your student ministry, you may have to make the hard choice to cut a favorite song or two because they don’t live up to standards.
• Create a playlist on Spotify or other platforms. You can curate a list of powerful and theologically correct songs for your students to listen to and learn. Then share that with your students and their parents.
• Work with your teaching pastor and worship pastor. You may have to encourage the removal of some songs for your Sunday morning gathering. If you realize that a song or two needs to be eliminated, go and speak to these men in humility. They need to understand your “why.” As one who works with next-generation ministries, you may be seen as simply wanting to get rid of boring music. Be prepared to offer some suggestions for new music.
When the church gathers on Sundays, I sing my praises to God. However, it is not a solo adventure. I join with others to sing “one to another” and praise my God. Worship is among many things we can define as discipleship. Others see us and follow our example, and the lyrics can teach great truths about God. This happens because the words do matter.
