YPT Podcast ep.81: Leading Youth to Lead Worship in Youth Ministry (Dorothy Lau)
How can youth ministries encourage teenagers to worship God? Obviously, worship is more than singing and music, but that’s often where we begin how to worship. So what kinds of songs should we sing, and what should we avoid in our worship music? Dorothy Lau shares what she’s learned about how to lead youth to lead worship in youth ministry.
Discussion Questions
What are some of the benefits of incorporating worship in your youth ministry?
Can you talk us through a brief theology of music and worship? Why do you think we equate worship with singing?
What are some challenges of helping teenagers develop a biblical and gospel-centered approach to worship, rather than falling into an emotionalistic “I really like this song” approach?
How to do you hold a high bar for good theology in worship songs while still allowing room for artistic and creative language?
Without being unnecessarily critical, can you give us a few examples of songs that you’ve removed from your setlist for theological reasons, and walk us through your reasons for it?
Any advice for listeners about how to have these conversations without becoming argumentative or fostering an overly critical spirit in your ministry? (does that make sense? I’m thinking about some youth taking this to mean they need to become the theology police at all time, and that’s just arrogant and gross)
If someone is listening and they want to incorporate more worship into their youth ministry but they just don’t have the musicians to pull it off, what advice do you have for them? How and where do you get started?
Recommendations
The Berean Test - website that evaluates worship songs
Doxology and Theology: How the Gospel Forms the Worship Leader, by Matt Boswell
Follow Dorothy on Instagram: @dlau7
Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions)
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YPT's ebook, Youth Ministry is Theological Ministry, is a free download for subscribers. This book presents ten articles from the YPT archives to help new readers catch YPT's vision for theologically rich and pastorally wise youth ministry.
