Can a seventeen-year-old conduct worship?
Question:
My father is a pastor. Since we have two branch churches, my father will come to the main church only for giving a message after finishing the services in our branch church. So, he has appointed some youths to conduct songs, praise, and worship. But these people do not have any knowledge of music. They will simply sing in any old chord, other than what I am playing during worship. So, it doesn't sound nice. I have a great passion to conduct worship. But I am young. I mean, I am just 17 years of age. So I fear whether the believers will follow me.
My question is whether I can conduct the worship. Can guys of my age conduct worship? Is that written in the Bible that small children should not conduct worship? Please clear my doubts.
Answer:
You bring up so many side issues that are simply wrong that it is difficult to focus on your main question.
The concept of belonging to multiple churches is not found in the Bible. People moving to an area joined themselves to a church (Acts 9:26). A preacher should be working with a church and joining with the brethren he works in worship. The idea of popping in just long enough to deliver a lesson is not something you would find in the New Testament.
You also speak of playing instrumental music, but this too is not found in the New Testament. All you read the early Christians doing is singing. "Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19, see also Colossians 3:16). What you find in these passages is an emphasis on the words being sung and not on the melody. A nice melody might be pleasing to the ear, but it is not what the Lord has asked of His people. Your emphasis on the sound and not the meaning shows your heart is in the wrong place.
I guess that is what bothers me the most. I recall your earlier notes when you spoke of the fornication in which you were involved. I wasn't left with the impression that you realized that it was sinful or that you have changed your ways. It reminds me of Eli's sons who served at the tabernacle but did not know God (I Samuel 2:12), going so far as to have sex with women coming to worship (I Samuel 2:22). A man involved in sin, no matter what his age, has no place in conducting worship.
In regards to worship, there is no age limit regarding who is involved in the worship. What is required is that the man is a child of God -- that is, a Christian -- and that he is willing and capable of serving in the capacity needed. Timothy was a preacher, but he is called a youth in I Timothy 4:16 and in II Timothy 2:22 Paul told him to flee youthful lusts. Most commentators assume Timothy was in his teens when he first began working with Paul.