Worship ministry is one of the concrete places for young adults to serve in the Church. Whether it be in the band, on the tech team or in other creative aspects, involvement in worship ministry seems to be one way to keep young adults connected and involved in ministry.
Over the years, hundreds of young adults have traveled with me through Harvest Ministry Teams and several others have served alongside in our church worship teams.
Because things change so quickly, it seems like just as I get in the groove, something shifts. I feel like I’ve learned some things about young adult ministry, but I still have a long way to go.
Here is a bit of what I’ve learned:
Create Opportunities
Everyone needs an opportunity to serve in ministry, but worship ministry minded young adults need to see a way to get involved. They need to be invited. The opportunity needs to open up and present itself. They need to hear about it. Create space for young adults in your church to serve through music, video, and art. Create new jobs (volunteer or paid), roles, and places. Find needs that can be filled.
Give Leadership Away
Nothing in ministry is very cut and dried, and leadership is one of those areas. You don’t want to be irresponsible, but you want to give leadership away, support and nurture, and allow people to learn.
Don’t be afraid of failure. Take a risk. People will grow as they gain experience. I have learned that sometimes it’s easier to equip people in worship ministry when you’re not there.
The burden of worship leadership rests squarely on others, and they rise to it. They learn what questions need to be asked and what roles need to be filled. I’ve also learned over the years that it’s often the non-musical pastors and student ministry leaders who seem to develop the strongest worship teams because they have to count on someone (as opposed to just pulling out an instrument and leading on their own). They have no choice but to give away their leadership.
Invest In Them
Teach the young adults on your team. Send them to a conference. Give them tools. Provide information. Help raise them up. Pray for them. Surround them. Find ways to invest in them. It may be as simple as encouragement or as extensive as a paid role or maybe even something in the middle, like an official internship.
Hold Them To A Standard
There is no way around young adult life – you must go through it. As leaders, we shouldn’t shy away from holding them to a standard. What are the things you expect as a ministry leader in your church? They will often respond to frank conversations and invitations to align with expectations.
Build Community
Young adults crave community. Find ways to connect people of all ages and develop community opportunities for building friendships in addition to serving together. Enjoy the time and connections.
Teach Humility and Kindness
Humility and kindness are two characteristics of ministry leaders. They are good things to learn early in any ministry role, and they get the job done.
Be Prepared For Change
When dealing with young adults, transition is always on the horizon. You never know when something will change, so be ready for anything.
I would love to hear how you lead and connect young adults to your ministry! (Worship Leader Toolbox Box Community FB Group)