How to Build a Student Worship Band for Your Youth Group

**Note: the following tips, advice and suggestions come from the writer's personal experience in assembling and leading middle and high school student worship bands. - Are you a youth pastor wanting to build a student-led worship band for your group? If so, these tips and suggestions are for you. While it can be a difficult task to bring young students together for practice sessions and rehearsals, a student worship band will ultimately encourage your youth to gain strong leadership qualities and a mature perspective on worship. Here are a few pieces of advice for building your band from scratch:

1. Begin with Diligent Prayer

Long before you announce band auditions to your group, seek the face and heart of God. Ask God to have His hand of guidance and direction on your search. Without prayer, our plans are futile and remember that God promises to bless "the plans of the diligent" (Proverbs 21:5). If you do not have a clear peace from God, consider holding off on building your band. If, however, you believe it to be the will of God, continue to pray for the direction and assembling of your band. Ask God to bring the right students at the right time. Have faith that He will accomplish this no matter what.

2. Hold a Quality Audition to Find Quality Singers and Musicians

When looking for middle and high school students who possess considerable vocal and musical talent, an audition is a great way to weed out students who will not contribute to the band. Oftentimes students do not possess the necessary talents or maturity level to handle a position in a worship band. Remind your students that everything they do is to be done with excellence "as unto the lord" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Consider bringing in some adults or parents in your church who have vocal and/or musical talent themselves. These individuals could be members of the adult worship band/ensemble, choir directors/members, etc. They will be able to help you pick and choose which students will make a great worship band, as well as offer direction and insight into the musical aspects of the audition.

3. Establish Practice/Rehearsal Times and Encourage Dedication

This may be one of the hardest elements of forming a student worship band. As the adult leader, it is your job to set up, maintain and enforce a regular, weekly practice time. Although you should try your best to work around student schedules (which will likely include school hours), remember that you will not be able to please everyone. Sometimes you just have to say "No."

Despite these obstacles, you should strive to encourage your students to remain committed to practice times. Keep them excited, energized and passionate about the worship music and encourage them to suggest songs they might want to learn in the future. This is a great way to help your students feel appreciated and a part of the worship leadership experience - let them know that their suggestions are valuable. During practice/rehearsal sessions, maintain orderliness. The more rehearsed and polished the students are, the better prepared they will be to lead other students into the very presence of God.

4. Start with Simple Songs, Keep Talent and Experience in Mind

Oftentimes student band members will want to suggest that the band learn their favorite worship song. And, oftentimes, this song is far beyond the musical and/or vocal capabilities of the band. To avoid this, start your first band practice session by giving your students a list of simple worship songs to learn throughout the next several weeks or months. This will give your students an upfront knowledge of how you intend to operate. While you should certainly encourage student song suggestions, do not let these suggestions spin out of control. Maintain balance and a strong vision for the direction of your group.

5. Be Willing to Teach and Train on an Individual Basis

Building a student praise and worship band from the ground up takes time, energy, effort and long hours. Be willing to work with students on a one-to-one basis whenever necessary. You may run into students who are initially shy about their musical or vocal talents. Schedule a time to meet with them separate from the other band members to develop and train their talent and passions. Your involvement, influence and encouragement in their lives are some of the most important things they need. Never let your busyness override this.

At the end of the day, it's all about glorifying God and brining others into His presence to worship Him. Strive to constantly remind your student worship band members of this. They should never feel that the music and perfection are more important than worshipping God. Bear the aforementioned tips and suggestions in mind and have fun building your student praise and worship band!