How To Teach Your Kids Worship | Awakening the Church of Today w/ David Ray

Can worship shape your family’s purpose and inspire lifelong faith for your kids?

On this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark welcomes David Ray—pastor, worship leader, and co-founder of Doorpost Kids Worship—for an encouraging and funny conversation about raising Christian kids, building faith at home, and helping children discover the true meaning of worship. From middle school slang to practical ideas for family discipleship, David and Christen dive into simple ways families can nurture spiritual growth, serve together, and prioritize faith in everyday family life.

Resources:

• David’s Website: doorpostsongs.com
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod
• Email christen@collidekidspodcast.com for the resource page "100 Ways for Kids to Serve" 

Clip Finder:

 Why Early Childhood Shapes Our Worldview  

"The reason that it's so important for kids is because increasingly we are finding just how much of the way we view the world is formed during our childhood. You know, Barna is telling us that, you know, the way we view the world sort of morally is basically formed by about age 9, and we're kind of locked into a worldview by about age 13."

— David Ray [00:08:49 → 00:09:11]

"Why Worship Is Like Riding a Roller Coaster"  

Quote: "A roller coaster almost demands that kind of response from us. And that's like a little picture of what it means to worship God because of who he is, because he's so worthy, he's so deserving of praise. He demands a response from us."

— David Ray [00:10:11 → 00:10:28]

Habits That Shape Kids' Faith for Life 

"Lifeway Research did a study recently about what are those activities that kids can engage in, those behaviors that they can learn that are going to result in spiritual health in adulthood."

— David Ray [00:14:49 → 00:15:01]

Empowering Kids to Serve in Church  

Quote: "I really just have a heart for churches to expand their vision for finding places for kids to serve in the church."

— David Ray [00:17:33 → 00:17:41]

Is Church Attendance Enough for Spiritual Growth?

"Mere attendance is sort of in a spiritually neutral category when it comes to our children's future, according to this Lifeway study."

— David Ray [00:21:20 → 00:21:30]

The Ultimate Hope for Our Children  

Quote: "the thing we really want most for our kids is that they would grow up to follow Jesus and have a relationship with Jesus and be invested in what he calls us to as believers. And so if we want to do that, we got to develop that when we're kids."

— David Ray [00:23:35 → 00:23:51]

Parents and the Power of Early Worship

"One of the things I'm so grateful for is the example that my parents set for me and that they, that they put me in positions to start learning what it means to worship."

— David Ray [00:28:28 → 00:28:37]

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Transcript

Christen Clark [00:00:30]:

Welcome to Collide Kids Podcast and Merry Christmas. I'm your host, Christen Clark, and I am so glad that you're listening today. The Collide Kids Podcast is a show for kids and families where we learn together how life and faith collide. I'm so glad you're here. As we kick off the month of December, I've been celebrating for a while because I am in the choir at my church, and so we've been practicing Christmas music since August, I think. So I'm. I'm already in the Christmas spirit. But I am so glad that we're finally in the place where we all have permission to celebrate, because there's some people that believe we cannot celebrate until Thanksgiving is over.

Christen Clark [00:01:08]:

So here we are. We're in the season when just about everyone is thinking about Jesus in some capacity, even if they don't realize it. I think that's pretty amazing. And because this is such a meaningful time of year for families, I wanted to start December with a conversation about something that really shapes our faith all year long, not just around the holiday season, and that is worship. Why is worship so foundational for kids and adults alike? And what are some simple real life ways that families can practice worship, especially during the holidays when life gets busy and noisy? I know we all go through that. Speaking of getting busy, if you're not already listening to my other podcast, I just started a new podcast this fall called 7 Minute Devotions for Busy Parents. So if you're a busy parent, which in the month of December, that is everyone, right? I hope you'll go over and check that show out. You can follow us on social media at 7 minute devotions and you can find the podcast wherever you get your podcast.

Christen Clark [00:02:09]:

But definitely check that out. I think that'll be such an encouragement for parents to listen to for just a few minutes a day, twice a week. I think you'll really enjoy it. Well, today I am so excited to talk with my friend David Ray. He is the co founder of Door Post Kids Worship. David is a pastor, a worship leader, a recording artist, a songwriter, and he's the author of Kids Awakening the Church of Today. David's passion is really about helping raise up a new generation of worshipers and worship leaders. And he brings so much wisdom.

Christen Clark [00:02:41]:

And honestly, we had so much fun today talking. We may or may not have tried to use every piece of middle school slang we could think of. So get ready to hear two grown adults throw out words like sigma and Riz and Ohio and. And there might even be a skibidi in there. You're welcome. David and his wife Jess have created some incredible worship resources for families and for churches, and they're raising three awesome kids of their own. When he's not leading worship or creating music, you can find him cheering on the Houston Astros or walking on a freshly mowed fairway or enjoying some homemade icebox cake.

David Ray [00:03:20]:

Mm.

Christen Clark [00:03:20]:

I think I'm gonna need the recipe to that. This conversation is going to be so encouraging and practical and just a great reminder for teaching kids to worship all year long. So here is my conversation with my friend, David Ray. Well, Dave Ray, I am so excited to have you on the Collide Kids podcast today.

David Ray [00:03:49]:

It's good back. Christen.

Christen Clark [00:03:51]:

Yeah. You're. You're a veteran. You've been on the show before with your wife Jess. That was so fun. That was a long time ago.

David Ray [00:03:57]:

It's good to be back. I know. I'm especially excited about, as a fellow glasses wearer, about your bold choice in glasses, because, you know, I. If I'm ever shopping for glasses, you know, I always see those. I just. I'm afraid of those bold choices. But you are not afraid, and those glasses are awesome.

Christen Clark [00:04:14]:

I should get a shirt that says, I'm not afraid of bold choices. I like that. Well, would you just introduce yourself today? Let our listeners know who you are and what you do.

David Ray [00:04:23]:

So my name is Dave, and my wife and I, we have a ministry called Doorpost Kids Worship. And so we create worship resources for kids, and we also create training for leaders, and we get to go and we get to lead kids in worship at camps and events and things like that. And so that's what we get to do. We get to invest in the worship lives of the next generation.

Christen Clark [00:04:44]:

I love that. I think that's so cool. I was a worship leader at my church for many years and did a lot of kids worship, and I loved your music. So that's actually how we connected was I was a big fan of door post songs because you guys put out a lot of, like, what the current songs are that the. The. The church. Big C. The ch.

Christen Clark [00:05:01]:

Like the. The church is singing today, and it gives a kid version of that so kids can be a part of that and learn those songs. That's so important.

David Ray [00:05:09]:

Yeah, you know, we. We do a couple things. We do some of Our favorite worship songs and kid friendly versions. So that means songs that are, like, easier for kids to sing. And it's probably going to be like four minutes long instead of 10 minutes long.

Christen Clark [00:05:22]:

Yes.

David Ray [00:05:23]:

And then. And then we also create scripture songs. So those are our original songs that come right out of. Out of a passage of. Sure. And just help really instill that truth in our hearts.

Christen Clark [00:05:34]:

I love that. That's so important and so great for kids to get the word of God. That's the best way for kids to memorize something is to hear it in a melody or in a song. And so, yeah, I love that you guys are doing that. I've got a lot of questions for you because you've got a lot of great resources that I think families are really going to be interested in. And I definitely want families to check out your music after this episode. Before we get into this conversation, because this is a show for kids, I always ask my guests to tell me a joke or something funny. So what do you have for us today?

David Ray [00:06:04]:

Well, I would say probably the funniest thing, at least, that I have enjoyed. I know my kids have not enjoyed it, but is using their slang. You know, whether that's whether, you know, we're calling something skibidi or somebody's a sigma or tell them don't be a beta or something's Ohio. You know, let me cook, you know, and my son calls anything that's good, he calls it tough. And so that's. I. I know it's not funny to them, but Jess and I just love using their slang and just watching the look on their faces when they hear it. Oh, man.

David Ray [00:06:40]:

And they're like, never speak again, dad. Never speak again.

Christen Clark [00:06:46]:

So would you say that this podcast is skibidi?

David Ray [00:06:51]:

You know what? I have not yet figured out if skibidi is good or bad. I think it kind of leans bad, but since sometimes people use it like it's good, it's definitely not Ohio. I know that that's bad. I would say it's lit for sure. It's goading. You're goading right now.

Christen Clark [00:07:08]:

Oh, wow. Okay. I love that. I'll take that title. My kids say Riz all the time, which is from the word charisma. And they were like, did you guys ever use the word charisma? And I'm like, yes, that word's been around a lot longer than you have.

David Ray [00:07:23]:

But they think it's low key. Low key. My son is low key this, low key that.

Christen Clark [00:07:29]:

Now the best time that my husband and I have had with our kids one day is we used our slang, like from when we were teenagers and to see if they knew our slang, because we had a lot of stuff that we said, you know, so that. That was always a fun exchange to figure out who said, you know, could they figure out what we said and do they know what it meant?

David Ray [00:07:49]:

Yeah, I think the worst for me, I remember when I was probably. I think I must have been in high school, like, early high school, and I was playing a baseball game, and my dad was one of the coaches, and. And I got a base hit, and I, you know, I came around to score a run, and I came back to the dugout, and my dad holds up his hand, and he goes, cowabunga, dude. I was like, no, dad, no, no, no. That's not even our slang.

Christen Clark [00:08:21]:

Yes. Wow. Six, seven, whatever that means. Yes, with the hands. Okay, well, let's talk a little bit about worship. And I know that you are very passionate about wor. That's part of your job. That's part of the ministry that you have.

Christen Clark [00:08:37]:

Can you define that for. For families that are listening, what is worship, and why is it so important?

David Ray [00:08:42]:

Yeah, well, and I want to even answer a question before that, which is specifically, why is it so important for kids? The reason that it's so important for kids is because increasingly we are finding just how much of the way we view the world is formed during our childhood. You know, Barna is telling us that, you know, the way we view the world sort of morally is basically formed by about age 9, and we're kind of locked into a worldview by about age 13. And so if worship is important, and it is, we have to be teaching kids to worship, you know, when they're young and not just waiting until they're older and they can really worship. Right. We've got to be engaging them when they're young. And so we. When we think about worship, the main thing we should think about is response. And I think about this summer we went to Branson, and we went to this theme park in Branson, Shout out to Silver Dollar City.

David Ray [00:09:41]:

And my youngest daughter, she loves going on roller coasters with me. Now, you may not like roller coasters, but if you do and you get on a roller coaster, like, could you imagine being on a roller coaster and not saying anything? Not just being completely indifferent to what's happening? It's like, no, you can't do that. It's a roller coaster. You got to put up your hands, you got to shout, you got to scream. That's part of the fun. A roller coaster almost demands that kind of response from us. And that's like a little picture of what it means to worship God because of who he is, because he's so worthy, he's so deserving of praise. He demands a response from us.

David Ray [00:10:28]:

And that response is worship. And it may be in context of a church service where we're singing and we're praising God, but it also might be praying and it also might be serving, and it also might be creating something beautiful. There's so many different ways that we can respond to God.

Christen Clark [00:10:46]:

Absolutely. I love that definition. It's a response. And I do know from my experience with leading worship and just being a worshiper myself, I'm going to worship something if I'm not worshiping God. So we're, you know, if you're like, that's not my thing. I don't like to sing. I don't like to dance. I'm not creative.

Christen Clark [00:11:04]:

Worship is not just for people with musical or artistic ability. Worship is what we give worth to, what we value. We're going to give that worship to. And so if we really value God and who he is in our life, like you said from the roller coaster, it's just going to come out.

David Ray [00:11:21]:

Yeah. If you, you know, we got on this roller coaster, and it's one of those ones that, like, starts, like, really fast. Like, it. Instead of, like, going slowly up a hill and then dropping you down, it just shoots you, like out of a cannon. And so my daughter was really nervous, you know, and she's, like, looking up at me, you know, and I'm like, we're going to be good. We're going to be good, you know, and then it, like, counts down. Three, two, one. And then, boom, we're headed out of this roller coaster, and we're flying up this first hill like we're going into space.

David Ray [00:11:52]:

And she's just squealing with delight. And. And we got to this little pause in the roller coaster before the last little part, and I looked over her to see how she was doing, and she was like, let's do this. And. And it. That brought out of her. You know, there was something about that experience that brought out of her just all of these emotions and all of this really. Things bring praise out of us.

David Ray [00:12:23]:

It brought praise out of her. And so whether we're musical or not, the things we love, the things we enjoy, bring praise out of us.

Christen Clark [00:12:31]:

You know, I. I did kids worship for many, many years. And so even when I'm worshiping with, like I sing in the adult choir at my church. And so even when I'm up there, I. The hand motions, they still come to me. My hands still go up and my feet still move, even if that's not what people around me are doing. So I feel like kids. Worship has always been a good place for me, you know, in the church for a while because I like to move because that's what my body does.

Christen Clark [00:12:58]:

That's, you know, my hand. When I think about what Jesus has done for us on the cross and the power that we have and the, the resurrection power that he's given us and the Holy Spirit, all of those things, it just, it makes my hands go up every time. I can't, I can't help it. You know, there's more than one way to worship. Like when people think of worship, they think of singing. But what are some other ways that we can worship God if singing's not our thing or if we feel like there's something else we want to do in those moments?

David Ray [00:13:26]:

Yeah, well, I would say in general there are four main worship actions that the Bible gives us. And you know, part of this goes back to the fact that worship is really a conversation. So we're responding to something. And we're responding because God has spoken to us, God has moved toward us. So God has given us his word. And his word is full of his story. And his story is a story of God moving toward people and revealing himself to people and then how they respond to him. But it's not like a one sided thing.

David Ray [00:14:03]:

God is speaking, we're responding. God is speaking, we're responding. It's living. And so worship is a lot more like a conversation than like a presentation. And so because of that, these four worship actions that we can engage in at any time are reading God's word, praying, singing, and that's actually it. It. Even though not everyone is musical, the Bible does call us to sing and then serving. So read God's word, pray, sing, serve.

David Ray [00:14:37]:

These are the four main worship actions that you're going to find in scripture. And research also tells us that these are some of the most beneficial things for kids to learn to do. Lifeway Research did a study recently about what are those activities that kids can engage in, those behaviors that they can learn that are going to result in spiritual health in adulthood. Because ultimately we want all our kids to grow up to follow Jesus. So what can we do when they're kids? What can they learn when they're kids that will help that happen. And of course there's no foolproof formula, there's no X plus Y equals, you know, Christ follower. But there are things that are demonstrably more significant than others. And it's those four things.

David Ray [00:15:23]:

Read God's Word, Learning to pray. They specifically highlighted the importance of Christian music and then serving in church. And so there may be times when we don't really feel like singing or don't feel like we're good at singing. The one thing I would remind us is that God never asks us to be good singers. He just asks us to be willing singers. And you know, I remember a friend when I was growing up, his name was Dylan and he was my age and Dylan, Dylan's a plumber now and he's like super handy, very intelligent, hard working guy, not a musician at all. And it was the very definition of someone that is tone deaf. Like he had one note that he could sing, but man, Dylan would sing his one note like he was Pavarotti.

David Ray [00:16:14]:

I mean, he would just get after it because he had a heart that wanted to sing, you know. But if you find yourself in a moment where you're like, I don't know if I really want to sing, I think a praying in that moment is a great way to, to engage. It could be you're just praying the words of the song that are on the screen. Our songs are very much musical prayers and so that could be a good idea if maybe singing's not quite your thing yet.

Christen Clark [00:16:43]:

Yeah, I love that. You know, I used to cringe when I would hear people say like when the kids were like screaming the so or shouting and singing really loud and they're like, man, the kids were really worshiping. And I was like, well, maybe, but I don't think just because they're loud means they're worshiping. I think like you just said, sometimes our worship and true engagement with worshiping God can be very quiet. And that's okay, you know, so it's whatever the response is that you have to give to God. And I think you brought up another good point about serving. That serving is a way we can worship because the love that we have for God, we're giving that to other people or we're giving that back to the church or to the kingdom. And so what are some ways that you think kids can serve in the church?

David Ray [00:17:30]:

Yeah, so many ways. And that's. I really just have a heart for churches to expand their vision for finding places for kids to serve in the church. You know, Ephesians 2, 10 for you are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for you to do. So this is like, this is your core purpose, is doing good works. And in Matthew, Jesus tells us that, you know, you should. Your good works are going to cause people to glorify your father in heaven, so God gets the glory for that. So what are some ways that kids can serve? Well, I think immediately in the area of worship that almost anything an adult can do, a kid can do a version of that.

David Ray [00:18:17]:

True. And so kids can certainly help lead musically. It begins kind of in a group. Usually that's the best way for kids to learn just to lead musically and then as they get more comfortable, they can kind of lead on their own. But, you know, we love using kids as hand motion leaders. You know, in the churches that I've served, we've used kids to help greet, you know, that's a great, you know, partner them up with an adult and use them to help greet people. We've used kids in the speaking roles, in the service, and of course, even beyond worship into the community. You know, my kids love engaging with the community outreach stuff that our church does.

David Ray [00:18:59]:

You know, and we're this, you know, this November, we're going to be, our church is going to be packing up boxes of food for Thanksgiving, you know, and giving them to people in our community. And there's going to be kids all over the place helping with that. So, yeah, it's just a huge variety of ways. And generally, I think just about anything that an adult is doing, a kid can do a version of that.

Christen Clark [00:19:20]:

Absolutely. I totally agree. And I think one of the best ways for kids to serve is for the whole family to serve together. So, yes, your ministry leaders and, and maybe your children's directors who are putting together stuff can find places for kids to serve. But if your whole family were to go in and say, hey, we want to serve in this way, it gives everybody in the family a chance to not only to practice and figure out what they're good at or what they enjoy doing and how they feel connected to God and to worshiping God through serving, but it also helps your family grow closer together because you're giving together and that's so important for families to think about. So if parents are listening right now and you don't serve in any capacity in your church, go talk to your pastor today or talk to a ministry leader and say, okay, my family wants to serve, even if it's once a month or once every three Months. Just get involved. And I think you're going to see a big difference in the way your family connects to the church and to each other.

David Ray [00:20:21]:

That's so true. You know, we really have an opportunity as parents to set an example for our kids, right? To show them that we really do mean what we say, when we say that God calls us to love others, for instance, and how. But how are we putting that into practice? We got to show them somehow that our words really mean something.

Christen Clark [00:20:41]:

I actually taught a course at a conference recently, the one that you and I were at in October, and it was about kids serving in church. And so I created a free download that I can send anybody that's interested. It was a hundred ways kids can serve in the church. Not just around Christmas time or holidays, but a hundred different ways kids can serve. There's so many different things, like you said that kids can do a version of something that adults do. So I think that's really important for us to realize that there's. The kids are capable, they're really capable of doing so much more.

David Ray [00:21:13]:

Yeah, yeah, totally agree. And it will pay long term benefits even beyond attending church. In fact, mere attendance is sort of in a spiritually neutral category when it comes to our children's future, according to this Lifeway study. And you can find all of that in the book, nothing less, by the way, if you're looking for these stats. But mere attendance we would kind of consider spiritually neutral. And you know, at first you're like, wait a second, that doesn't feel very good. But isn't it true that coming to church, you know, is not necessarily. Is not establishing a relationship with God? It certain certainly puts you in the place where you can.

David Ray [00:21:54]:

It puts, it gives you the opportunity to encounter God. But you and I, I'm sure, have both attended church number of times. And when we've felt far from God, right? So that's not right. They're not the same. But when we do these things, when we read God's word now, we're engaging in relationship. When we pray, we're engaging in relationship. When we sing, we're engaging that relationship. And when we serve, you know, Jesus is going to say in the parable of the sheep and the goats, anything you did for the least of these, you did it for me.

Christen Clark [00:22:26]:

That's so powerful too, to think that kids can have a part of that. And so by leaving them out and not allowing them to serve or not giving them opportunities to do that, I think we're hindering their spiritual growth. Too. There's so much growth and so many things that God has taught me. The times that I've served, more than the times that I've sat under someone's teaching or, you know, like, where I've been in training. But when I'm serving and I'm working and I'm doing the things that I love to do, the things God's called me to, using my spiritual gifts, then I grow so much closer to God. So we need to give that to kids. For sure.

David Ray [00:23:00]:

Yeah. It's investing in that development. You know, when you think about your child's future, like, what do we want our kids to grow up to be? And most of our effort is put into things that are either in the athletic world or in the academic world or maybe in the area of the arts. But when we really get down to it, you know, whether they have a doctorate in something or whether they are a professional ball player or just a hobbyist, whether they're, you know, whether they enjoy theater or they can sing or whatever, it is, the thing we really want most for our kids is that they would grow up to follow Jesus and have a relationship with Jesus and be invested in what he calls us to as believers. And so if we want to do that, we got to develop that when we're kids.

Christen Clark [00:23:51]:

And I think it's good to. To start at any age. So if your family, you know, you have older kids, like, you and I both have, like, older kids, middle schoolers, teens, and you're like, oh, we haven't done that. You can start this Sunday. You, you know, like, you can go in and get started. So don't think it's too late to help your kids grow in that area and teaching them the importance of these four core worship actions. Okay, I want to talk a little bit about your music because I love that you guys. How many albums have you guys created or how long have you been doing this?

David Ray [00:24:24]:

Oh, man, I'm not. I don't even know how many albums we've. We've really. The first Dorpo Songs album, which we actually don't let anybody hear anymore. But we did it 20 years ago. Almost 20 years ago it was. And since that time, we've done a bunch more albums that we do let people hear.

Christen Clark [00:24:43]:

Okay. You need to do like Taylor Swift did with, like, Taylor's version. And then you did that and, like, go back and rerecord it maybe.

David Ray [00:24:50]:

Yeah, There were some scripture passages on that first album that we re recorded for later albums, because I was like, my first try was not good enough, so we needed another try on that one. But yeah, you know, of course, anything you can find us on Spotify and apple music and YouTube and all that kind of stuff just by looking for door post songs. But that's really where we started engaging this conversation is through music. We're both musicians, obviously, that means a lot to us personally. And we wanted to create music for kids that parents would enjoy, you know, like, that we would enjoy. And so that's really where it started for us.

Christen Clark [00:25:26]:

One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing fake kid voices in songs. You know what I mean? Like, and I guess because I grew up with that because I was in children's choir growing up and all that stuff and those little things and you know, it's not kids, it's just adults singing like, that's like nails on a chalkboard. So I love that your music is like, it's good, it's good quality. It's. It's pitched right for kids to be able to sing it. And also it just is very engaging and very well done. So.

David Ray [00:25:55]:

And 100% real kids. Real kids.

Christen Clark [00:25:58]:

Real kids voices, you can tell. And I. And I'm very now interested to hear your first album.

David Ray [00:26:04]:

We'll have to do that offline.

Christen Clark [00:26:05]:

It's like in the vault.

David Ray [00:26:06]:

I swear you to secrecy.

Christen Clark [00:26:11]:

So you guys have a book that I want to talk about and this is a little bit more probably for people that are training kids in worship or people that work with kids in the church, but I think it's a great resource for parents to consider too. Talk a little bit about your new kids worship book.

David Ray [00:26:26]:

Yeah, so one of the things that I've known for a while is that there's just not much out there in terms of kids worship, like literature, like people writing about what it means to teach kids to worship and what's a theology of worship for kids. And you know, there's just not a lot out there. And so for a while I kind of had in the back of my head, man, I need to write something down. And finally I just took the leap. And it took almost two years to write, but it is a book that's just designed to shine a spotlight on our kids. And what does it mean to teach them to worship. There's some theology, of course in there and there's some very practical things, but also there's a. Just a real call to the urgency of this mission.

David Ray [00:27:20]:

I mean, as we talked about, childhood is prime time. This is child is not the prelude. Childhood is the main attraction when it comes to discipling kids and worship. And there's certainly a role, a very important role for parents to play as well.

Christen Clark [00:27:35]:

I love that. And so what's the book called?

David Ray [00:27:37]:

The book is called Kids Worship Awakening the Church of Today. And you can get it on Amazon. You can also get it on our web on our website, which is doorpostkids worship.com.

Christen Clark [00:27:48]:

Well, I definitely encourage parents to check that out. And if you're a ministry leader, a kids director that's listening right now, this would be a great resource for you to have. If you already have a kids worship team or you're thinking about that, that would be a great thing for you to check out. Dave, this has been so fun. I've loved talking with you today. It has not been Skibidi Ohio, I don't think. Unless.

David Ray [00:28:09]:

Not at all. No, no, it's not Ohio or Cleveland at all. It has been truly sigma.

Christen Clark [00:28:16]:

Yes, yes. Thank you. Thank you. Before I let you go, I always ask my guests to tell me a memory from when they were a kid. So what memory you want to share with us today?

David Ray [00:28:25]:

Well, I mean, I have so many memories. One of the things I'm so grateful for is the example that my parents set for me and that they, that they put me in positions to start learning what it means to worship. And, you know, because my parents were both church musicians and of course, I remember my mom, every Saturday afternoon she'd be practicing the hymns and the special music or whatever was going to happen, the offertory, you know, and remember hearing her going over and over and over as she practiced. But then, you know, when I was a kid, I got involved in like these children's musicals at church. And, you know, I mean, you, you, you have almost certainly done some of these. They always have a, A really cheesy pun in the title.

Christen Clark [00:29:07]:

Yes.

David Ray [00:29:08]:

No. Fibon Mephibosheth, which is about, you know, one of Saul's Mephibosheth.

Christen Clark [00:29:13]:

Yes.

David Ray [00:29:14]:

And, and, but my favorite was Fat Fat Johasha Fat, which was really not that one.

Christen Clark [00:29:19]:

I remember that.

David Ray [00:29:20]:

I mean, golly, poor Johasha Fat Begui Frog was not fat at all. And here he's getting, you know, fat shamed, however many hundreds of years later. But I was so I in that musical, I was a character called Jahaziel. And you can find the story in Second Chronicles 20, I'm pretty sure. And Jahaziel is this prophet. And Jehoshaphat has got some bad news. Some armies are coming to attack Israel And Jahaziel's got good news. He's going to tell him that the battle belongs to God.

David Ray [00:29:52]:

And so he's got a really important solo in the middle of this musical. And I got. I was playing to Hazel, but in the musical, there. There are different. There's different groups. There's, like, singers and then there's priests, and then there's soldiers. And I was a priest. And so I wrote on my hands, as we were just waiting for this show to begin, I wrote him in Magic marker.

David Ray [00:30:15]:

Priests rule 1 on 1, on 1 side and rule on the other. And so in the middle of the song, I'm, like, raising my hands, you know, like this, and I can see that people in the audience are, like, leaning forward and they're, like, looking at me like, what? And I realized in the middle of the song that I forgot to wash the marker off my hands. And so I've got priests rule on my hand in the middle of this, you know, children's musical. Anyway, that's. That's one of my favorite worship memories from being a kid.

Christen Clark [00:30:47]:

I love that. Yes. We did all of those. We did. Go, go. Jonah. Did you ever do that one?

David Ray [00:30:53]:

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Christen Clark [00:30:54]:

And I was the. My first, like, major acting role. Well, okay. My first one, I think I was like a church mouse. There was, like a one about cats and church mice.

David Ray [00:31:02]:

Okay.

Christen Clark [00:31:03]:

And then I was the. The narrator for one about Nehemiah. I don't remember, but I think all of these plays were really hardcore in the Old Testament. Like, we didn't really cover a lot in the New Testament, but they could find some random stuff in the. In the Old Testament. So, yes, good times, funny in children's choir. I love that. Well, Dave, thank you so much for being on the show today.

Christen Clark [00:31:24]:

This was great, Man. I have so many children's choir musical memories, and I'm glad my kids have some of those as well. We've done that at our church, too. So I love children's worship and children's choir. Such. Such a good ministry all these years later. I love that we got to talk about worship today and how it's so important to teach kids worship now. David shared that our response to God is not always about singing or music related.

Christen Clark [00:32:00]:

It can be serving or praying or helping others focus on God. And he also said, if you don't like to sing or singing's not your thing, it's okay to pray the words. It's okay to just think about what you're talking about. That is a great response David also said, as Christian parents, the thing we really want for our kids is to have a relationship with Jesus and for our kids to grow up and follow him. So we have to work on developing these core areas when they're young. Bible reading, prayer, worship, serving, these are all very important to help them continue that relationship. He also mentioned the importance of kids learning to serve in the church. I think this is so true.

Christen Clark [00:32:38]:

The Bible tells us we're created to do good works, and I don't believe that means we have to wait for a certain age to start doing those good things. Kids can begin right now. And like I said, I talked about this in a conference recently. And so I created this resource. So if you're interested, I have this PDF you can print out. It's called 100 Ways Kids Can Serve in the Church. I'd love to send that to you. I'll be sure to put my email address in the show notes so you can email me if you're interested in getting that.

Christen Clark [00:33:05]:

If you'd like to learn more about David and Jess and their music and their books and all their great resources, head over to their website, Doorpostsongs.com well, now it's time for one of my favorite parts of the show. It's our family discussion segment. So this is where we get to ask a few questions and you guys get to talk about it as a family and keep that conversation going. So if you want to pause between each one or listen to all three and pick the one you like the best, whatever works best for your family. So let's talk about it. Here's the first one. What is your favorite Christmas song that talks about Jesus? So that means Jingle Bells does not count. And why is it your favorite song? NUMBER 2 Today we talked about Bible prayer, worship, and serving as four core areas that are going to help build a lifelong relationship with Jesus.

Christen Clark [00:34:01]:

Which of these four areas does your family do well right now and which one could you work on or practice more intentionally together? And here's the third one. Like we said, kids do not have to wait. They can serve God today. So what are some ways you can think of that kids can serve in your church or neighborhood right now? Come up with some fun ideas and then figure out which one would be something your family could try to do together this month? Well, I hope these questions spark some great ideas and conversations that you can can have with your family. If you enjoyed today's episode, make sure to connect with us on social media. I'm @collidekidspod on Instagram and Facebook. And don't forget to share this episode with a friend or family member who might be able to use the encouragement. And if you enjoyed this podcast and you're interested in more content from me, then I would love for you to check out my new podcast that just came out this fall.

Christen Clark [00:35:05]:

It's called seven Minute Devotions for Busy Parents. So if you haven't listened yet, go check it out. It's wherever you get your podcast, you can follow us on social media at seven Minute Devotions. It's just a short devotional twice a week that we put out with prayer and encouragement and scripture just for parents who are feeling a little overwhelmed. I hope that it would be an encouragement to you and if you have a few moments today, would you leave a rating and a review about the show? It would mean so much to me. That would be such a gift. If you're looking for for what to get me for Christmas, I would like a rating and a review on whatever your favorite podcast app you're using right now. It really does help other people find out about the show and so I always appreciate people that take the time to do that.

Christen Clark [00:35:46]:

So thank you. If you've already done it, if you have not, just take a couple minutes and do that. That would be. That would mean so much. You can also support me on my website by going to collidekidspodcast.com and click the link that says Support. And you. You can provide some financial support or I just appreciate your prayer as well. I thank you so much for praying for this ministry and I hope that you'll continue to do that.

Christen Clark [00:36:09]:

So thank you so much for listening, guys. It was so fun being with you today. And in case no one has told you today, I would love to be the first to remind you that God loves you so much. Merry Christmas.