As a brand new Christian teenager, I was so excited about this new “Jesus thing” that I said yes to anything church-related. I wanted to be there whenever I could, so when my friend invited me to his Sunday night worship service, I hopped in the car without question – with a catch. I had to come to Youth Choir.

Youth choir? I don’t have a musical bone in my body and I certainly wasn’t going to test that claim in front of 30 of my closest peers. Oh and in front of the whole church? Forget about it! But I loved Jesus and our church, so I went and had a great, formational experience.

Did I love it? No, probably not. Did I love it more after I was asked to perform a Christmas rap a la Toby Mac on a Sunday morning? You guessed it, no (and good luck finding the video). But looking back, that time taught me something more valuable than reading music. It taught me to value and enjoy worship. It exposed me to more of scripture and the songs that God’s people have used for centuries to express gratitude and honor to Him. By the time I graduated high school, I genuinely looked forward to it.

The trend in worship styles and ministries has gone away from the traditional choir and towards the worship band, and youth ministries have followed. With significant exceptions, most of the popular worship artists and albums have traded the expansive choir and orchestra for the smaller cadres of skilled musicians. Then of course COVID-19 put a stop to many choir ministries that were simply never revived. While there is nothing wrong with the change in preference and liturgy, for some it has branded youth choir as outdated, impractical, or even a waste of time.

From my experience as a student and as a student pastor, I’ve found that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Here are 7 reasons that Youth Choir is still worth it, even if you already have a Youth Band:

1. Youth Choirs Provide a Mid-sized Discipleship Context. The discipleship plan for most student ministries involves small groups and large gatherings. An additional mid-sized context can potentially go deeper in study and practice than a large gathering while developing a broader set of relationships than small groups can. Many choose to use a leadership team to accomplish this, but, perhaps wisely, exclude the younger and less mature in their ministry. A Youth Choir includes all but also is naturally smaller and more intimate.

2. Youth Choirs Provide a Missional Outlet. The mid-sized aspect of a Youth Choir actually makes it easier to emphasize and accomplish missional goals. It is much easier to take 25 sold-out students on a Sunday afternoon service trip than to take 70 students split between committed and uncommitted. I often refer to our Youth Choir as the “missional wing” of our student ministry because the success we have had mobilizing that group. If I want our entire student ministry to take on a service or invitation initiative, I start with the choir. For example, we’ve handed out water in the park, prayed with people at food banks, and sung at nursing homes, to name a few.

3. Youth Choirs Provide a Musical Training Ground. I’m a student pastor, not a worship pastor. Music is not in my skillset, but organizing worship for our student ministry is still under my responsibility. Many churches don’t have or simply can’t afford a dedicated person for student worship for their gatherings. So how is a student pastor supposed to train and lead praise band?

The youth choir has become a stepping stone of sorts in the path towards a consistent Wednesday night band. Students get to build their voices regularly without the pressure of the stage and get regular practice with their instruments if they’re so inclined. Not to mention a worship pastor who is passionate about the next generation (which I’m blessed enough to have) will be able to invest in them musically and spiritually as they prepare to do the works that God has already prepared for them.

4. Youth Choirs Provide a Character Proving Ground. Auditions are great for determining competency, but they are terrible for assessing character. How many times have you seen a student (or adult) elevated to leading worship before they were spiritually ready? Scripture often warns of elevating young people too early, opening them up to their own pride and opening up the congregation to their immature leadership (1 Timothy 3:6, James 4:6). Youth Choir gives the leader a chance to examine and equip them, so when it is time for the stage, they are ready.

5. Youth Choirs Grow an Appreciation for the Music of the Past. Not too long ago, we scheduled a performance at a local nursing home. Unprompted, the students excitedly offered multiple hymns to sing and even learned a few more they hadn’t heard before. One of the most impactful takeaways for them was seeing senior citizens at the nursing home join them without printed lyrics in generational classics, such as I’ll Fly Away and Amazing Grace. Those songs have so much more meaning to them now!

6. Youth Choirs Showcase God’s Work in the Next Generation. Every time our Youth Choir performs or even serves at an event, I get countless comments and notes praising God for them. They are so proud to see God working in their lives and so impressed with their passion! For the previous generations, it builds such a deep confidence that the future is going to be okay in their hands and that God is still on the move.

7. Youth Choirs Help Students Enjoy Authentic Worship. This is perhaps the most important point, because the practical benefits are pointless if it is all for show. If on the outside our students are lifting their hands in surrender, but on the inside they are apathetic to the things of God, what is it all for? Our students have grown visibly in both musical and lifestyle worship, giving their whole lives to God no matter what. And they actually enjoy it!

The Youth Choir isn’t your silver bullet and it may not work for you, but you can’t say it’s outdated, impractical, or a waste of time. Frankly, it is underrated and definitely worth it if you want to grow your student ministry in the area of worship!

What is your experience with youth choir? Do you have any stories or thoughts that could help a youth choir make a student ministry even better?