I Couldn’t Build a Youth Worship Team, but God Could (and Did)

I was only a few months into my ministry at All Souls when our youth fellowship (which we call TYPOS: Training Youth to Pursue Our Savior) music leader stepped down from his role. We didn’t know what the Lord was going to do, but we were confident that the Lord would provide. Still, the uncertainty was unsettling, especially while I was so new in my role. I am not a worship leader or even a worship musician. How was I going to build up a worship team?

Now, you and I both know that worship is more than music. It’s a way in which we draw near to God, giving voice to our praise, thanksgiving, and even lament. It is not something we merely consume; it’s something we offer. Worship shapes our hearts and binds us together in the presence of God—it’s one of the most important ways we are formed as a community. So, losing this key part of our youth worship life wasn’t just a logistical concern!

I knew deep down that worship was essential to our life as a student ministry, and that the students should be led primarily by those from within the community. After I brought the situation to God in prayer, I did the only thing I could think to do. I asked my friend Jon Nicholson to come over from Tallahassee (where he helped raise up music leaders in churches across the city). He led a one-day worship music intensive for interested high school students at our church. Many of these students had little or no prior experience leading music, but they came with open hearts, ready hands, and a willingness to learn.

The day began with every student at the keyboard, learning music theory and worship music fundamentals. Then Jon taught the theological foundations of musical worship, which helped the students understand not just how to play, but why we play. He connected their instruments to Scripture. That moment was transformative! One could almost see the light bulb come on for these teenagers, and I could hear the depth and purpose with which they played increasing steadily from that moment onward.

From there, they transitioned into their different instruments, and something beautiful began to happen. By the end of the day, They weren’t just practicing music anymore, they were leading worship together. It sounded to me as if they had been rehearsing for months. “I have never heard a group come together so quickly the first time,” Jon told me. It was truly a work of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, Jon taught them some music principles that day, but he also did much more. He taught them theologically and equipped them for ministry, too. And, he left them with resources to continue growing after the intensive. They’ve been practicing, preparing, and rising into something truly special.

When I showed a video of the youth band to members of the congregation, many were surprised by how good the inexperienced team sounded and by how deeply encouraged they felt. They were reminded that God is not only faithful to provide, but often does so in ways that exceed our expectations.

As Psalm 127 declares, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” It might have been tempting to ask God to drop a rockstar teenage worship leader into our midst. Instead, He did an even greater miracle. What we’re seeing at All Souls is the Lord building something new among us, and He is building it through the hands and hearts of our high school students.