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.
Notice The Amazing
I’m a firm believer in local church songwriting.
It’s not that every song needs to become popular and every worship leaders needs to become a superstar. Far from it. Our worship culture lends to that. But far more important than superstardom is giving voice to what God is doing in your church, your region, your community.
There’s more than the CCLI top 40.
We all look to Hillsong and Bethel and say, “Wow, God is doing amazing things there.” And He truly is. It’s remarkable.
But have you ever paused to see the amazing things God is doing in your church, in your life, in your people?
That’s the stuff songs are made of.
Bethel and Hillsong may fill stadiums and have a wider reach around the world, but how does that nullify the beautiful work God is doing in your community? Your house church? Your small group?
Some of you need to stop reading this and say out loud: “God is doing an amazing work in my local church. I am at the right place at the right time to see His kingdom come.”
Go ahead, say it again.
Stop coveting other’s success and songs. Stop wishing you were elsewhere. Open your eyes and notice the amazing.
Hillsong and Bethel are amazing because of people who chose to make it so. They owned it. They went for it.
It’s your turn now.
We Need More Songs
Some people say there are too many worship song out there.
I say we need more.
We need more writers.
We need more creatives with compassion.
We need more prophetic voices.
We need more worship leaders who are willing to go before their people, love them, serve them, and give voice to the cry for God in their hearts.
This has nothing to do with songwriting fame.
This has nothing to do with popularity.
This has nothing to do with who wrote what song and getting recognized for your brilliance.
It has everything to do with the glory of God and the good of His church.
The worship music industry has created a vacuum where we only hear from a handful of talented songwriters. The same songs are being sung in churches all over the world. We look to a few incredible writers and feel we are off the hook, leaving the songwriting to the “pros.”
The truth is, there are thousands of you who are sitting on the sidelines when it’s your responsibility to get in the game. You need to hear this:
Songwriting success doesn’t equal a record deal.
Songwriting success doesn’t equal a global tour.
Songwriting success doesn’t equal getting discovered.
Songwriting success is…
- Giving voice to your church.
- Providing a theological anchor for the single Mom in the midst of her storm.
- Giving voice to the lonely widow on the front row.
- Fostering unity in your church family.
- Connecting the generations.
- Loving people.
- Serving people.
- Spotlighting the perfection of Jesus.
- Hearing His still, small voice
Hear me out. This isn’t an “industry is the enemy” article. Famous songwriters and record labels are doing the right thing – stepping out and shipping work that blesses people. I’m not here to say they should stop.
But I am here to say it’s your responsibility too. Not to become famous…but to write.
To develop the discipline not just for yourself, but for the people you are called to serve.
End The Excuses
Even if your songs “suck.”
Even if you aren’t old enough, young enough, good-looking enough, trendy enough, skinny enough, educated enough. Even if you don’t know how to craft a synth based, EDM worship song.
Excuses are funny, right? We’ll do whatever it takes to get ourselves off the hook. But all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable. You’ve been given one life. The time is now to step out. Stop procrastinating your influence.
To be honest, that’s exactly why I wrote The Worship Songwriter. It’s not about getting your songs published, discovered, or making a career out of songwriting. It’s about the discipline, the craft, the start, the finish, the compassion, the love, the people.
Funny how that works. Oftentimes the career follows the craft. The more disciplined you are with your craft, the more career opportunities seem to rise to the surface (But that’s for another post).
So be encouraged. Be confronted. Be challenged. Receive this as a fist bump or a kick in the pants to get going.
We need what you have to say.
Question: Are you a songwriter? Have you embraced that identity for yourself? Why or why not? What are your greatest challenges? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
Thanks for your thoughts this morning. It has encouraged me to pick back up something that I had set aside. One of the men in our home church felt inspired to write a poem after the message on Sunday and gave it to me. I told him I would try to write a song with it. Your words today have struck a chord in my heart. Thanks.
Wow! What a great, motivational article. I’m convicted because I struggle with people accepting the songs I write. But I know in my heart they have come directly from God and He wants to speak through me. It’s all for Him, to Him, about Him!! Thank you for the charge.
For sure. I will say this – song seeds can come from God but it’s our responsibility to grow them. We have to own their development and completion.
Amen AND AMEN! Agree 100%! Most of what I’ve penned these past 12 years writing corporate worship songs has bled directly from impactful sermon messages, Bible studies, & retreat themes – as those things took root in me & became songs, they then solidified those themes in our congregations as those songs took root. It’s only icing on the cake that a few of those then went on to impact other churches. I love your writing, by the way – keep it up!
Exactly man! You’re precisely what I’m talking about. Writing well and writing consistently for the people you serve. Keep up the good work!
I appreciate someone has this sentiment as well. Christians can get too caught up in comparing and become discouraged. Thanks for the encouragement…people need to be reminded of this message. Being creative involves the ability to create regardless of the reach of your art. I’m reminded of this quote:
So go create.
Take photographs in the woods,
run alone in the rain,
sing your heart out high up on a mountain where no one will ever hear
and your very existence will be the most hypnotising scar.
Make your life be your art.”
― Charlotte Eriksson
So just write.
This really hits home for me. I have just started writing. I’ve wanted to for a long time but honestly, just didn’t feel qualified. I wasn’t sure where to start, if I had to write out a melody or just chords/,tabs, if I would be too self conscious to ever sing them publicly. As I thought through it though, I realized those were not the real issues, the real issue is much more basic, writing songs makes me vulnerable, and vulnerable is hard for me. I can sing other people’s words with a sort of disconnect, and still worship but to sing my own puts it all out there for everyone to see … My fears and faults and feelings, my dealings with the Holy Spirit…And for someone like me, who likes having it all together (or appearing so), that’s hard. The Spirit’s work in my life has been so massive but so personal, that to share it almost scares me., it makes me vulnerable. (I even avoided this particular blog article when it came across my email telling myself, no way, I’m not ready to go there). But I am learning that’s exactly the place God needs me to be, that’s exactly what He’s working on in my life at this moment, and if I want to continue to grow in Him, if I truly desire for the Holy Spirit to move in and through me, I had to allow myself to be vulnerable. So I have just begun to write, literally two weeks ago., and just came back to this article, it was good, as always, and convicting. I will continue to write and learn all I can about the process, even if that makes me a little uncomfortable with what I create. Thanks for your words, they are encouraging to me.
For sure, Tandy. Vulnerability is a scary thing but it’s the only way to make art that connects with people. People connect with transparency. Keep it up!