Finding songs for worship is easy. There’s no shortage of options in every style and genre and there are new ones constantly coming onto the scene. Finding good songs, however, is a challenge. There are many aspects to look at when it comes to selecting the right songs and through a series of posts, we’ll look at some of the things that make a good worship song.
These are the easiest to look at because they’re the most objective. Here’s some questions to ask yourself:
Here’s where it begins to get subjective. Personal preferences are important, as I believe that God can use them to help guide us to the right songs, but we can’t rely on them alone. You have to look at the whole picture, because it’s easy for us to get in the way. Personal preferences are important, as I believe that God can use them to help guide us to the right songs, but we can’t rely on them alone. You have to look at the whole picture, because it’s easy for us to get in the way.
Lyrics are a critical component of a successful worship song. A church’s theology comes as much from its music as its sermons. In fact, the argument could be made that music is even more powerful for two reasons: 1. because sermons get preached once and songs get sung over and over and 2. because people will often come across the songs in different times and places that help to firm the ideas from the song in their minds. There are a few questions to ask when it comes to evaluating the lyrics:
While those are the two big questions to ask about individual songs, there are a couple other questions that you should ask when looking at your overall repertoire:
Choosing good songs for worship is as much an art as it is a science. Through careful study, prayer and even trial and error, you’ll discover the styles and songs that resonate with your church and foster an atmosphere of worship and participation where God is praised and his people are built-up.
Matthew Sterner is a guest blogger for Musicademy. He blogs at Beyond the Noise: Thoughts on Life and Worship.
Other posts you might like:
10 things to avoid in songwriting (Vicky Beeching)
Lyrics and storytelling (Mia Fieldes)
Writing great melodies (Bob Kilpatrick)