One of the most frequently asked questions to me is, “How do I get the boys to participate in worship?” It seems it’s an area that way too many churches struggle with.
Last month I was leading worship at a church in St. Louis. I looked up and saw a nice young man, probably about ten or eleven years old, singing along with ALL of his heart. You could see the passion in his face and the joy in his smile. My heart did a happy dance seeing him participate in this special time of worshipping the Creator of the universe that day. I was once again reminded that boys can sing, and they will sing.
So for those of you needing some help motivating this particular group, here are a few areas to inspect and possibly reevaluate:
1. What does your music sound like?
Rock music has been around for the past six decades, and boys love to rock. No matter the area of the country. No matter how straight-laced their parents are, boys like rock-n-roll. If your music is too chintzy, they will roll their eyes, cross their arms, decide they don’t like it, and therefore not participate. Ta da! Make sure you’re using music that will appeal to them by the way it sounds!
2. Who do you have on stage leading worship?
I’m not saying this from some sort of popularity contest ego trip. I’m saying this because boys need great role models. If who you have on stage is not someone they would aspire to be like, it’s much harder to get them involved. Having young people involved, like high school and college students, is huge. It provides great role models for your older elementary students and is especially motivating to the boys. Give them positive peer pressure by having people on stage (both guys and girls) that are cool and passionate for Christ. That coolness and the passion will rub off and turn into participation.
More on this topic tomorrow!
