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?

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
• Bob Kauflin books
• Doxology and Theology: How the Gospel Forms the Worship Leader, by Matt Boswell

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