Worship Podcast & Blog
It’s a scary thought, isn’t it? Considering the moment where you’ll sing a song you or your team has written on Sunday morning. In front of your church. For real people. Your song.
I know the feeling. It’s easy to gloss over the idea of leading an original song and just stick with what is popular; what is working.
But why not the songs of your team? What is holding you back?
Who wants to write better songs?
I doubt anyone would answer “no” to such a question. If you’re a writer, you want to write better lyrics, better melodies, better songs – songs that connect, that minister, that set hearts on fire.
Much easier said than done, right? Great songwriting takes time and a tenacity to not finish until it’s, well…finished.
That’s why I want to pull back the curtain on my own writing a bit and share with you what I’m learning.
I love to study songwriting. Not just great books on songwriting, but listening to songwriters and studying how they write songs.
As a songwriter, I’m always wanting to develop and find new ways to craft lyric and melody. In the early days, I was all about the lyric.
I’m probably not the guy to write this post.
I don’t have any hit songs. I’m not famous.
But I am a songwriter. It’s part of what I do and I feel I’m successful at it for reasons that may be different.
Think about it. What defines a songwriter? It’s the writing, right? Songwriters write songs. Some of you just need to embrace that identity even if you feel your songs are terrible. Even if you feel like you’ll never measure up. Even if no one knows who you are.
Guess what? You’re not off the hook.
There’s no hiding that I’m a fan of worship leaders writing original worship songs.
I wouldn’t say it’s a distinguishing, necessary skill for all worship leaders. You can still be an incredible worship leader in your church without ever writing a song.
However, I encourage everyone to try. You never know if there may be a gift inside that you’ve never allowed to grow.
With that being said, leading your own songs can be a sticky situation. So many doubts rush through our minds: [Read more…]
You know what the biggest problem with songwriters is? Simply put, their songs don’t get done.
Whatever the reason, notebooks remain filled with ideas, dreams never see reality, and the thoughts about “one day” recording a song continue.
While we’re talking about excuses, let’s add some more: