Blog - kid's Worship Innovation Then & Now- part 3

kid's Worship Innovation Then & Now- part 3

Mar 11

Written by: jimwideman
3/11/2010 12:38 AM

Another huge innovation was when children’s worship began to reflect the direction of the main auditorium. Having no instruments was replaced with a single piano or guitar but then turned into “a band in a box” featuring none other that famous band “The Cassette Brothers”. The first person I know to produce real worship for kids was Ken Blount who was known as Nicodemus from “The Gospel Bill Show.” Kenny produced fun songs but went on to introduce kids to praise and worship music beyond choir songs from last year’s musical and Kiddie songs that where Biblically lacking. I soon followed Kenny’s lead with my eight volumes of “Worship Songs For Kid’s Of All Ages.” A host of record and publishing companies joined in but most of the music was produced with the taste and likes of adult workers in mind.

The music styles of the day where never considered never the less the likes and styles of kids ever considered. I’ve spent most of my ministry ministering to elementary kids; I realized that on the road to training elementary kids to become true worshippers that there was a ditch on either side of the elementary road. There was the preschool ditch on one side and the youth ditch on the other. Now we all know a good driver should stay out of ditches but if we are wanting to reach children where they are I believe we should drive as close to the youth ditch without falling in. Along came more innovators like Alan Root, Ronnie Caldwell, The Mister Bill Band, Deano and the Dynamos, Mary Rice Hopkins, Uncle Charlie and a host of others. The overheads turned into video and again Ken Blount led the way. Then it seemed like everyone was producing videos. There were a few years where live music for children’s worship became “the next big thing.” The introduction of programs like PowerPoint and Easy Worship made it simple for any size church to make their own worship slides. As videos turned into DVD’s and cassettes where no more some new innovators jumped on the scene “The Hillsong folks” from down under showed up and once again set a new tone for children’s worship music. Today they are producing some of the coolest and most culture current elementary music there is along with The ReThink Group, Yancy, Brent Weber and The Lads. Even the face of preschool music is being reshaped with projects for younger hearts like Yancy’s “Little Praise Party”. It’s not yesterday’s preschool music; and now with her new animated video preschool teachers don’t have to feel they’ve been forgotten.

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Jim Wideman

Children's Ministry

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1 comment(s) so far...

Re: kid's Worship Innovation Then & Now- part 3

We love Yancy's video for preschoolers. Our kids belt out "Read your Bible and you'll grow, grow, grow. Yancy, keep it coming!

By srichards on 3/11/2010 9:25 PM