By Judah Williams, Development Director
During a boy’s time at Youth-Reach Houston, he will learn many skills and practices to aid him in his future. One unexpected skill that several generations of boys have embraced is playing music. From guitar to bass and drums, this contagious trend has taken the home by storm. It has brought joy and engagement to nearly every boy who has come through our home over the years.
Several of our staff members are musicians. What started as genuine curiosity about the instruments they saw us playing turned into introductory lessons and a strong desire to improve their skills. While the early stages of learning any new skill can be daunting and uncomfortable, it has been impressive to see how these young men persevere and stick with it. It is not uncommon now to see boys teaching each other new songs and musical techniques.
Each week, the boys engage in a music class at school. Most evenings are also filled with the chorus of a piano and a handful of guitars playing all at once. Once a year, we even have a music contest for the boys. They are tasked with composing an original song on their preferred instrument and performing it for the whole group during one of our monthly family nights.
While all of this is amazing to see and hear, the greatest result is that several of our boys are now using their talents on the worship teams at their Wednesday night youth groups. We believe that every gift the Lord gives us should be offered back to Him. For many of these boys, this is often their first example of doing just that. Not only is the Lord shaping each of these boys into godly men, but He is also shaping them into strong and passionate worshipers.
