This weekend, I volunteered at a youth event called Youth Extreme that brought together hundreds of junior and senior high students for an evening of games, extreme sports events and music, as well as a message about Jesus. It was a great time, and almost 40 students decided to pursue relationships with Jesus. (I say that because I hate the number counting about who “got saved;” instead, I like to think that students were awakened to God’s spirit and conciously began to pursue a relationship with Him.)
I’m always interested in local Christian bands, what bands are new, what bands are still around after years, and why these musicians do what they do. And I was reminded this weekend about how important your local Christian band can be to your ministry.
A lot of times, churches and ministries are looking to do big events and try to bring in big name bands. There’s the thought, sometimes correct, that a bigger name band will draw more people to an event. But if you’re looking to really impact the lives of your students, here are three reasons why you should bring in the unknown band that’s right in your backyard.

1. It costs less – If there’s one thing that drives me nuts, it’s when ministries think that bands should play for free. Even musicians have expenses (and even if they’re still just in high school) and if someone is willing to work, they should be compensated for their time and effort. Having said that, there are dozens of up-and-coming bands in your back yard who, because their expenses are lower than a national touring band, would be willing to play your event for gas money, the chance to sell merchandise, and maybe a love offering. You don’t need to fork over thousands of dollars to hire a band for your event. Work with your local band to come up with compensation that fairly pays them and also works with your event budget.
2. You get to work with great artists before the rest of the world catches on – Every great national band starts as a local group, often in the basement of a church or in the drummer’s garage. I heard about rapper KJ52 a couple of years before he broke onto the national scene from a girl in Florida who heard him at a local church. And don’t think that just because you’re hiring a group of high schoolers that you’re getting subpar entertainment. The last band that played at the Youth Extreme yesterday was Syracuse’s Faze Shift. They had a Relient K pop/punk sound that may not be breaking new musical grounds from an industry perspective, but they were really, really good and a lot of fun. You don’t need to book Relient K when you have Faze Shift in your own backyard.

3.Most importantly, your local band continues to impact your students long after they’re off the stage. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that they impact your students more when they’re off stage. Your kids see these artists in the grocery store, in the church fellowship hall, in gym class. They get to see how their faith is lived out on a daily basis. This weekend, for example, The DIG Project performed at the Youth Extreme event. This band has a strong following among youth groups everywhere they go, because they let the kids come onstage to sing, dance, and even play their instruments. Offstage, they’re available to chat, play, and hang out. Over the years, kids have learned that if they need to talk, they can contact the guys in the band.
And don’t think that you’re the only one who benefits from booking your local Christian band. You have a unique opportunity to offer your local Christian band guidance, support, and encouragement, as well as, for new bands anyway, the chance to perform in front of a crowd and hone their musical skills.
The one thing that I can say about all of the bands that performed this weekend at the Youth Extreme – Havelock, The DIG Project, Paid In Full, Faze Shift and Enough Said – is that they take their partnerships with local ministries very seriously. They know that kids will listen to the guy with the guitar sometimes before they listen to their own parents or even youth leader, so they’re committed to being godly examples and supportive ministry partners. When you’re looking for ways to connect with your students, don’t overlook the valuable resources you have, right in your own backyard!
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