Action songs- their place in worship.......

[M44]

Sticky subject.....

Action songs.....

which camp are you in?

Thoughts

1. Have no problem with them if they are in the right context eg in a proper childrens celebration such as Great Big God or in the children's ministry at spring harvest or in a period of worship in SUnday school.

2. I find it very difficult to have one off action songs in the middle of a service-they are distracting (as in all the BAD thoughts had during the singing of them), everyone is totally embarrassed and hates them, including some of the children.

My feeling is I will be hammered for this- but this particular style of worship is something that would put off people coming to church. It is mothers day next week and I have found out we are singing 2-one we know, one we don't. As it is a service where there will be a good smattering of guests-I don't feel it is appropriate and we should consider this.

I also feel it is a bit like an adult gate crashing a teenage party-we wouldn't necessarily enjoy their music and wouldn't be cool...... therefore is it not more sensible to let the kids go wild in a safer space where they feel less inhibited rather than make them do the action songs with adults! The middle ground then becomes a good dose of lovely new songs that all enjoy singing.

PLease share your views.....I really want the children to feel part of church and I don't want to appear as if I am excluding them-I'm not-I would love to see everyone enjoying and valuing worship appropriate to their needs/age/experience but odd action songs plonked in the midlle of a service doesn't work for anyone...........or does it?

Discuss!

I hate them too, but not everyone does. I have noticed that especially the older kids are not keen, but the younger ones will come out to the front to demonstrate the actions.

I don't know what 'lovely new songs that everyone enjoys' you are talking about, i have a lot of problems with new songs that are not really lovely at all, words are usually ok, sometimes straight from scripture, but the tunes can be so boring:- we sang "how good it is" and I loathe it.
As to what is appropriate for guests on a Mothering Sunday service, I don't know. I think anything that is done well is ok, so if the kids are standing there with bored and embarrassed faces then that is not a good plan.
What I personally like best and very rarely get, is very old favourites like "Praise my soul the King of Heaven" with lots of drums and instruments and the organ full blast.
Raising the roof in praise of God.

Give me a great hymn too...love'em. We sing some lovely songs at church-I'm going to try and find what's on over Easter!!!

Great for children's celebrations (primary school age) i.e. where there are no adults except the leaders.

Can have a place in teenage worship events if the atmosphere is silly enough (and it often is!)

Not ideal in most ordinary services. The only thing might be if it's an all age service and you are making a positive effort to include and acknowledge the children of that age group - and in that case some forbearance on everyone else's part is called for.

The thing about a Mothers day guest service is that most of the visitors will be part of a family, so they might be encouraged to join in along the lines of "show the kids how it's done, Mum and Dad". It would need a confident lead from the front to carry it off though - think of it more as an icebreaker than worship.

I am terrible for not joining in though, am very shy and badly co-ordinated, and I'm a kids leader too so have no excuse.

Great for children's celebrations (primary school age) i.e. where there are no adults except the leaders.

Can have a place in teenage worship events if the atmosphere is silly enough (and it often is!)

Not ideal in most ordinary services. The only thing might be if it's an all age service and you are making a positive effort to include and acknowledge the children of that age group - and in that case some forbearance on everyone else's part is called for.

The thing about a Mothers day guest service is that most of the visitors will be part of a family, so they might be encouraged to join in along the lines of "show the kids how it's done, Mum and Dad". It would need a confident lead from the front to carry it off though - think of it more as an icebreaker than worship.

I am terrible for not joining in though, am very shy and badly co-ordinated, and I'm a kids leader too so have no excuse.

oops again! am really not trying to reinforce a point.

We will often have an action song when we have a special children's slot during our regular worship. Obviously in children's groups, we have lots of action songs.

I don't have a problem with action songs, or clapping for that matter. I don't think they are distracting. If they help children connect with God, and make parents feel that their children are welcome in church, then they are a good think. You have to be particularly grumpy not to welcome them at least occasionally.

You should worship with all your heart, mind, soul. Why leave out your arms and legs?

I don't have a problem with them. We have different songs to "appeal" to different people ie. When the children and youth are in the service we have action songs and youthband songs, and then often have more reflective or older songs during the rest of the service.
Our congregation has 150+ of which a third are under 16.