UM Youth Leaders

Youth Band Basics #2 – Other Alternatives

By Russell Martin on

So you want your group to have a youth led worship band. In the last post we said we needed to define the purpose. You should consider whether or not you need a youth worship band. There are many alternatives that would provide the means of a worship experience without creating a worship band, or to use until you can gather enough students and form a team of your own.

Other Youth Bands

Our youth band leads worship for the District youth rallies, retreats and most recently a youth conference weekend. We are always looking for opportunities to lead in worship. Find groups in your area who would be willing to come lead a night of worship for your group.

Advantages:

Youth leading youth in worship. This is a great opportunity to show your youth that it can be done. Arrange for the groups to interact, have the guest band share with your youth on some of their struggles, fears, joys and experiences.

Disadvantages:

Probably would not be a consistent group because of their own commitments to their youth group.

Hire or Borrow Someone

See if there is a worship leader in the area who could come lead your group once in a while, or on a regular basis. This does not have to be every week, but maybe once or twice per month. Often a free meal, or some money to help pay for gas, along with the experience, is more than enough for a beginning worship leader.

Advantages:

Real live person who can lead your group in worship.

Disadvantages:

May not be very experienced. If they are experienced they may cost a bit more, or have other opportunities to lead. (Suggestion… Hire them to do some of your bigger events, like retreats or camps, and develop a relationship with them. They may be more willing to come to your regular group on a weekly or monthly basis.)

Packaged Resources

These resources usually provide some combination of lead sheets, visual tracks (video or slides), click tracks, rehearsal tracks, chord sheets, and performance tracks for your group. If you only have a vocalist, or just your group singing you can use the performance tracks. With a guitar player you can play the rhythm track.
Advantages: 
These will grow with your group. As you add more pieces to your worship team, you can rely less on the resources.
Disadvantages:
Pre-packaged and little flexibility. If you want to go back and sing a verse twice or slow down on the chorus, these do not usually allow for such flexibility.
Examples –

Youtube –

Many people have taken recorded worship songs, placed lyrics over them and posted them to Youtube.

Advantages:

Large variety of songs available .

Disadvantages:

Must have internet connection or way to download them. Legal issues?

Your Thoughts?

What alternatives do you use to lead your youth in a time of worship? What suggestions, frustrations, thoughts or comments would you share?

 

Related posts:

  1. Youth Band Basics #3 – You Are The Accompaniment Track
  2. Youth Band Basics #1 – What’s Your Purpose?
  3. Youth Band Basics #4 – Build On What You Have
  4. Youth Band Basics: 5 Ways To Get Off the Stage and Let Them Lead

2 thoughts on “Youth Band Basics #2 – Other Alternatives”

  1. Pingback: Ministry2Youth � Youth Band Basics #2 � Other Alternatives | Worship Leaders
  2. Pingback: Ministry2Youth » Youth Band Basics #3 – You Are The Accompaniment Track

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