3 Suggestions for Serious Singing
This is an edited transcript of an excerpt from a youth sermon. Listen to the full sermon on YouTube.
1. Singing grows out of a genuine relationship with Jesus.
If you're not walking with Jesus from Monday to Saturday, you're not going to be genuinely excited to worship Jesus on Sunday. So what are you doing throughout the week? Are you in the Bible? Are you praying? Because if you are, you'll be that much more ready to sing to Jesus
2. Be around other brothers and sisters who also want to worship Jesus.
If you're in the corner of the room, and you're around people who don't really sing, but then there's another corner of the room where they are singing – well, practically, you would want to be with other people who are crazy about Jesus and want to sing. And so even on Friday nights, when Unikoi combines with TURF, I really love what that has been like the past couple of weeks – because we're seeing some older students in college who love Jesus. And they sing their hearts out. I think that's a great example. But you know what? High school students can be examples to them as well. Just because you're young, that doesn't mean you can't set an example of singing joyfully to Jesus!
3. Go to Children’s Worship if you want to remember or be inspired by singing.
The children, they're so joyful in singing. But the sad part about moving to your teenage years is that sometimes you just get self-conscious. Everyone else sings, but some of you guys are just standing there like zombies. A while ago before COVID, youth would sing joyfully and boldly without shame. But something happened. We go into youth service and if the older kids don’t sing, the younger kids are not going to sing.
So if you're between like 10th to 12th grade, I challenge you – are you singing joyfully and boldly? Or are you ashamed about singing? Sometimes we need a reminder. If you want to stop by Children’s Worship, just tell me: “Hey, Kevin, I want to join Children’s Worship. I'll come back for the youth sermon.” I bless you to do that. I want you to see what it's like. When children – who are just so authentic in their feelings – if they don't want to sing, they won't sing. But if they do want to sing, they sing their hearts out. It's a beautiful thing.
