Over the past several years I have been leading worship for many camps and retreats. This has given me the opportunity to observe some awesome things happen at camp, and some things that didn’t work so well. Over that time I have been able to come up with this list of my top 5 things not to do at camp. These are not from a particular event, but gleaned from many different events over the years. Here is the first…
1. SHHHHHHHHH- The kids are gathered in the sanctuary for worship, but are talking to each other about lunch, or the cute boy in cabin 2-a, or the life changing bible study they just got out of. The music leader gets up on stage and is about to start when one well meaning adult comes down the aisle yelling, “SHHHHHH, QUIET! IT’S TIME FOR WORSHIP! EVERYONE BE QUIET AND FACE FRONT”
A good worship leader should be able to move the kids from chaos into a time of corporate worship by the songs they choose, and the leadership projected from the stage. The kids are noisy but so are most churches on Sunday morning before the first song, or call to worship, or prelude.
What would happen if at 2 minutes until time for your Sunday Morning service started you were sitting and talking about where you are going to eat lunch after service, or about the visitor that just sat down in your seat, or the awesome Sunday School lesson you just got out of, and all of the sudden an usher walked down the center aisle yelling, “SHHHHHH, QUIET! IT’S TIME FOR WORSHIP! EVERYONE BE QUIET AND FACE FRONT?”
I know that it’s not intentional. Whoever does it just wants to help and I understand. I have done it before myself on many occasions. When I took a step back and looked at what was happening though, I realized that we’re beginning worship by yelling at kids. As a participant, I am coming to worship and being yelled at. When we do that, we are unintentionally trying to force a response, force silence, force reverence. Not a great worship setting.
As I said earlier, the worship leader should be able to move them from this time of talking to friends, into a time where they have the opportunity to respond, to be reverent.This can be done in two opposite but equally effective ways.
First, start with a familiar, loud, participatory, active song like Sing Like the Saved, Every Move I Make or Today is the Day. One where they have a part to sing, and actions to do. They will still be loud, but they will be loud praising God together. Then use other songs to move them more into that corporate worship time.
The other way is to establish a song that is used at the beginning of each worship service that is more quiet and reflective. Songs like Sanctuary, Here I Am to Worship, are good for this. Just get up to the microphone play and sing. The first time through maybe only a few will start singing, but that will grow. Through out the week, it will happen faster.
Besides using songs there are some other things you can do:
Use candles and lighting to help set the mood. Have counselors or leaders come to the front and light a candle when there group is all there. Have a candle lit by the leader when worship begins. Talk about it representing the Holy Spirit among us, and that it signifies the beginning of our worship time.
Change the room for worship Often times we had to use the same room for games, food and assemblies as we did for worship. If this is the case then find ways to change the appearance of the room for that worship time. As mentioned above use creative lighting for starters. Create an altar table decorated with items reflecting the service’s theme, or have a special cross or banner that is used only during corporate worship times.
Pray. Begin with “Let us Pray” or “Would you please bow your heads” and then go. They might talk over you talking, but most of the time they won’t talk over you praying.
Start with a Video. At one camp I went to last summer, each worship service started off with 2-3 different videos. Most were worship songs with words and pictures that played as we entered. It was a great way to set the tone for the nights service.
Set the Example Yourself If you, as a leader, walk in and are talking to your friends about stuff before the service, then you cannot expect the kids to do differently. You are the leader, so you need to set the example.
What are some other things you have done to help set the tone for worship in a camp or retreat setting?
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What do you thing should be number 6?
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[...] that we do at camp, that looking back we could probably do differently. I started off with the need to Shhhhhhhsh at the beginning of worship, and how we could do that [...]