Opportunities and advice for future worship leaders
Alyssa Waller, Staff Writer
Bella Bible, sophomore English major at North Greenville University, was looking for worship opportunities and found a scholarship. After she auditioned, she was accepted.
Bible’s advice to other students who want to lead in worship is to seek God’s face and follow Him. She advises them to say yes to God’s commands and no to what He says not to do, even if it is a ministry opportunity.
She said, “Do justly, love mercy and stay humble. Work like everything depends on you and sleep knowing that it does not.”
Bible said don’t be afraid to take music lessons.
She also said be fearless and confident knowing we have a high priest able to simplify with our weakness and yet is without sin. She said we should approach the throne with grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in time of need.
Joey Noyes, sophomore music worship studies major at North Greenville University, received an email titled, “Are you musical?” He read the email and saw it was about the campus band and Joyful Sound.
Noyes’ friends lead worship at his local church and were members of the worship band at NGU. His friends told him about it, which Noyes said he was interested in. When he got the email, he signed up.
Noyes’ message for students who want to lead in worship is that being yourself is very important; and there is a social, spiritual and academic change. He also said to trust God with everything.
There are multiple ways for students to get involved with worship. There is a worship studies major, Joyful Sound and a worship band on campus.
Noyes said getting to know people and making those connections is a good way to get involved and put one’s name out there.
Noyes said, “Let people know that you are available and are willing to get involved with worship.”
Noyes said that to worship God, one does not have to be making music. One can worship God in other ways.
Jody Jennings, Vice President of Campus Ministries and Student Engagement, said a large part of the conversation within campus ministries and student engagement is about shaping worship not only through singing or instruments, but through art in general.
Specifically related to music, Jennings said there are a few options that NGU has such as Baptist Campus Ministry, which leads every Thursday night. Students who are interested have to speak with BCM leader Joshua Gilmore.
NGU also has a couple of scholarship groups such as Joyful Sound, which is an annual audition and application.
Joyful Sound goes out on the weekends to lead worship through music at local churches.
Another opportunity is the campus band, who leads in chapel. There is an audition and application for campus band, which is at the beginning of the school year.
NGU also has teams that get sent out called Impact Teams. Impact Teams have the ability to lead through music, whether it is playing guitar or singing.
If a student has a talent or has the desire for an opportunity to lead, Campus Ministries wants to find an avenue in which they can exhibit or use their talent.
The Campus Ministry team is working hard to get more student involvement in chapel.
There are also volunteer opportunities and scholarship opportunities.
Jennings said the biggest opportunity is not internal, but external. For example, churches looking for someone to lead worship through music specifically contact NGU, and then that list grows and grows.
If interested, email Jody Jennings, Justin Brown or Connor Graves or stop by one of their offices. Letting them know gives them a list they can use to reach out to churches or refer to when a church calls.
