TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
he assembled the first all youth-led worship team. “Our main objective,” he stated, “is teaching our students to be worshipers first and foremost. We want to create a place for students to come and learn how to worship and grow in their instrument. We’ve had a lot of students over the
In 2018, Bethany Hughes took over leadership of the Powerhouse worship team, where students from seventh to twelfth grade are now involved. They have student musicians playing acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, drums, and piano. There are also 12 vocalists. Students
supposed to? Do they hear the dynamic changes of a song, and can they play it?” While all of this is important, of course, what holds the most importance to Bethany is the spiritual side of the selection process. “I make sure that students understand being a part of the team is
years start from scratch who had little to no musical background, but we have seen huge transformations as they grow and learn.” Besides his COTR duties, Zach also teaches lessons on different instruments to students during his personal time. However, his primary goal is to connect the younger students with the older, more seasoned student musicians, allowing them to challenge one another. He believes this allows every student to grow. “It is a win- win,” he shared. “My f i r s t thought,” he went on, “is that children and students worship the same God that adults do. I want to empower them to understand this from the youngest age possible. It would be
not just a group of kids who play music together, but we are a group who pursues the Lord not just on stage but in our time alone.” She continued, “I believe our private worship fuels our public worship. I encourage each of the students on the team to make their time with the Lord and reading His word a priority in their daily lives. Our time with the Lord prepares our hearts to worship and helps to set our focus on Who we’re worshiping.” Jack Humphrey, a 17-year-old Pleasant Grove High School senior who plays guitar and piano for the team, started having problems with his handwriting in the second grade. His mom suggested it might help develop his fine motor skills if he started playing
Lindsay Smith
Bethany Hughes
Landon Prejean
Zach May
easier to put a team of adults together to lead worship for youth, but it is irreplaceable when students lead their peers in worship. I think it makes it more relevant as well. The students on our Powerhouse team know which songs would be more engaging with their peers than I do.” Zach believes this revolves around the verse in Proverbs 22:6, which reads, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
join the team through trying out. “For vocalists,” said Bethany, “I listen for a few different things. Can they sing on pitch, and are they able to find harmony? Can they hear and feel when they’re supposed to start singing? Can they stay on rhythm, not fall behind, or get too far ahead of where they’re supposed to?” The process for musicians is a little different. “Can they stay on rhythm? Can they hit down on the chord they’re supposed to when they’re
the piano, so he began taking lessons. It was then his true love for music began, so when he entered middle school band and found out they were offering a beginner guitar class, signing up was an easy decision. “Mr. Colquitt was my teacher and became one of my favorite teachers ever. He taught me so much. I have loved guitar ever since,” Jack said. With his newfound love of guitar, he was eager to join the Powerhouse worship team. “It has
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COMMUNITY & CULTURE
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