STUDENT MINISTRY: The Soundtrack of My Life

      On March 5, I had the opportunity to see Steven Curtis Chapman (SCC) in concert. More than that, I got to meet him. As I look over my adult life, there has been one constant musical voice. It has been SCC. As I considered giving my life to Jesus to serve in vocational ministry, he was singing “For the Sake of the Call.” When I was struggling, his song “His Strength is Perfect” was an encouragement to my soul. “I Will be Here” was ringing through my ears when I began my marriage. When my father passed away when he was only 61, SCC’s song “See” was exactly what I needed to hear. As I trained for my first marathon, “Dive” was on my training playlist. And most recently, as my son faced some concerns with his health again, I found his newest song “Don’t Lose Heart.” You can tell why it was easy for me to tell him that his music has been the soundtrack to my life.

      That is one of the great things about music — it provides context to our lives and can offer words of hope. Steven Curtis Chapman has been doing that for decades. What music impacts your life and that of your students? Do you encourage your students to find theologically sound and encouraging music to fill up their lives? We can often dismiss the idea and think music doesn’t matter, but I would disagree. Music impacts us on an emotional level and if we allow our listening time to be consumed with junk, that is what our minds will be filled with.

      There is a great deal of Christian music out there, so how do we help our students find what is of value? It isn’t an easy task, but one day your students may be looking back on a life full of encouraging moments in music you helped them find. Here are some suggestions to help point them in the right direction:

         • Know your students’ musical tastes. Simply put, get to know your students. Learn what they are listening to, talk to them and ask questions. Spend time knowing what they like. It will pay dividends in this area as well as others.

         • Listen to Christian music. You don’t have to be an expert on what is out there, but you do need to be able to help your students find artists of different styles and focus. If this is an area you struggle in, do the research. Spend some time looking for help. If you have an adult volunteer that loves music, enlist them to help you.

         • Share music with your students. It is a simple process to create playlists in things like Spotify, then share those with your students. Or, if you hear something on YouTube, send the link. Ask for their opinion. Don’t get your feelings hurt if they don’t like what you like. Just keep looking to help them.

         • Play music before and after group times. This is a great way to introduce your students to a new artist or song.

         • Look at Interlinc-online.com. This is a resource I used for years that helped me learn what was available and gave me some fun lessons along the way. Their “Youth Leaders Only” kit was a staple of my ministry for years.

      Music can play an important and powerful part in the lives of the teenagers in your church. Help them find Christian music that can make a difference. During my high school years, I found “The Collection” by Amy Grant and “The Champion” by Carman to be music that lifted me up and got me excited about my faith. What Christian music excites your students?

      Join the conversation at Student Ministry Matters Community on Facebook (Facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMattersCommunity).