[From David: This is a guest post by Arny Sanchez, who blogs at The Analogous Truth. You can follow him on Twitter here.]
If you’re a worship leader, theology is important. Massively important.
Especially if you want to write worship songs. Without a steady diet of immersion in God’s Word, our songs will easily degrade into self centered memoirs to our own passion.
I’ve been leading and writing songs for about 7 years now and there are a couple of lessons I’ve learned about writing songs for corporate worship.
Jesus said that the Father is seeking worshipers who worship in spirit and truth. The Word of God is spiritual, alive, and the absolute truth.
It’s no wonder that the most famous, memorable worship songs were taken right from Scripture.
10 Songwriting Ideas For Worship Songwriters
Here are 10 topics to assist you in writing worship songs:
1. The ONLY
Worship the God of “The Only”.
The only King of Kings, The only Lord of all, The only creator of the universe, The only one without a beginning or end.
This truth stands out in the Psalms and in Isaiah. There is no on like our God. There is no other God besides Him.
2. The Power of God
How great and powerful is our God? With Him, nothing is impossible.
He opened the Red Sea. He knows the number of stars in the sky and calls them by name. His voice is in the thunder and his glory moves in lightning. He even knows the number of hairs on your head.
It’s a wonderful reminder to his people that He is in control and that all things work for the good of those who love him.
3. The Cross
The cross is where Jesus nailed our sins. The Cross makes a way for us to draw near. The cross is where Jesus was obedient unto death. Without the Cross, there is no forgiveness of sins.
Write about the cross. Sing about the cross. Never lose the wonder of the cross.
4. The Blood
I get goosebumps every time I sing about the blood. His blood was the cost for us to enter the Holy of Holies. The very presence of God.
When we come face to face with the blood of Christ in worship, we have to come face to face with our sin. The blood of Christ washes away our sins in order for us to worship the way we were meant to worship…freely. In spirit and in truth.
“O Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow! Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!”
5. The Word
“Blessed be the name of the Lord” wasn’t written by Matt Redman. It was written by Job after he lost everything.
“Not To Us” wasn’t written by Chris Tomlin. It was written by King David.
His Word goes forth and never returns to Him empty.
6. The Gospel
Is the Gospel central in your life? Its truth should never grow old.
While we were still sinners Christ died for us. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved.
There’s most likely new people at your church every Sunday that are not Christians. Write and sing about the Gospel.
7. The Love of God
The love of God never ends. It has no limits.
There is no greater love than he who lays down his life for his friends. Jesus is the essence of love.
In your songwriting, focus on the nature of this love.
8. The Grace of God
We all need a reminder that it’s ok if we have failed. Chances are, we all feel like a failure as we approach the throne of God in worship.
But there is grace. There is forgiveness.
Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. His grace is sufficient.
9. The Presence of God
Psalms 22 tells us that God inhabits in the praises of his people. Let the congregation know that God is there.
Jesus said if 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I am their in the mist of them.
Corporate worship isn’t just about singing songs about God to one another. God is in the room.
10. Jesus
Need I say more? His name is above all names. Every knee shall bow and proclaim that Jesus is Lord.
Here’s a challenge: write a worship song that doesn’t mention you or your passion at all. Simply talk about Jesus. Describe Jesus. Worship Jesus. These are the best worship songs.
Do you feel it’s important to write theologically sound songs for corporate worship? What else would you add to the list? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Great post Arny. Most of “worship” songs today are very anemic in their theology. There is a mix of great truths with blatant self seeking noise that aims to move the body before the Spirit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still music. But it’s not worship. Today, I consider a lot of it “Christian music”, and the very few “worship”.
I think you are on to something here Moe…and you’re right…we can confuse “Christian Music” and “Worship Music” in the church…we need to learn the difference…
woship is forgetting self and surroundings and bowing in reverence and awe IN HIS presence…
if we can even speak at all…it’s Thank You and You are Incomparable.
not a word about us…
unless it relates to the Cross.
Good point, Moe. “Anemic” is a good word. As songwriters, we can’t settle just for what sounds good or even what’s “true to ourselves”. We need to be true to the Bible.
Not only that, but I argue that this lyrical weakness helps keep us divided in between ‘traditional’ and ‘contemporary’ worship. This is something I wrote on the subject.
http://www.weekendwarriorworship.com/can-keeping-the-main-thing-the-main-thing-help-bridge-the-worship-generation-gap/
11. the gifts / fruit / baptism of the Spirit. there are lots of songs addressing God only as the Father or the Son. not as many that speak exclusively to the Holy Ghost.
This is very true Wahba!
We sing songs at my church for the Holy Spirit to move…
Reall Good One!
I can’t believe that one slipped me. hmmm. since I just wrote a song about the Holy Spirit a couple weeks ago too!
Thanks for Reading…
God bless!
I think we need more songs about the Holy Spirit. It was refreshing to hear the new Worship Central album, ‘Spirit Break Out’. Some great songs on there.
This post literally helped me pull together some lyrics I’ve spent 6 months struggling with. Thank you Jesus! Thank you Arny and David!
JJ, that’s awesome!
heck yeah!!!!
keep it up JJ!
Maybe for another post you could address the easiest and best way to demo worship songs? I know sometimes the best way is not the easiest but you get my drift 🙂 Thanks both for your help. God bless.
Great idea, JJ. I’ll look into putting that together. Thanks!
JJ, Here is a blog I wrote on that topic:
http://howtowriteasonghq.com/indie-music-business-corner-%E2%80%93-your-demo-recording-%E2%80%93-the-first-platform-for-your-song/
It doesn’t tell ‘the best way’ it talks about the pros and cons of the different approaches. Hope it helps.
Hey Arny great to see you guest post here! Awesome ideas.
Here’s a few more topics:
12) Holiness: God’s Holiness, and our need to be made Holy by Jesus Christ.
13) The Return of Christ. This is so overlooked, but we need more eschatology and, honestly, fear of the Lord in our worship lyrics.
Thanks for a great post brother!
I agree with you on “the return of Christ”, Rob. We need to capture more awe and wonder.
Hey Arny,
Thanks for the post and the focus it provides. I have found that a discipline of reading through the bible, and letting thoughts dwell that are found as you read is a great starting point to a song. Often, the song can then come from the passage almost directly, or by linking similar thoughts from related passages together.
By doing so, the songwriter can find ample material for variety while preserving the poetry, rhyme scheme, alliteration, and other elements of song structure that make a great song great.
Its not that what comes out from our ‘creative’ side is all bad, for it isn’t. God wants our creativity, and it is a reflection of who He is. We would be nothing and our creativity nothing but for his Glory that we reflect. And where has He revealed Himself to His Body in a universally accepted way? His Word. That’s why theology and the Word are where we should be grounded as we seek to act as muses for the worship of His church. Thanks again for highlighting that.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (song to the thirsty)
“As the rain and snow come down from the heaven, and do not return to heaven without watering the earth; making it bud and flourish, making it bring seeds for the sower and bread for the eater, so is the Word of God that goes out from His mouth, It will not return to Him empty. God’s word will accomplish what he wants and will achieve the purpose for which he sent it. You will go out in joy, and be led forth in peace. “
I would add the fear(knowing) of God in His justness as well as in His grace, but that is hard for me to say right. In blindness, bondage, sight, freedom, challenge, free for all, faith, doubt… all times and situations.
Matthew 24:12 “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”
Exodus 20:24b-26 “Wherever I cause my Name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. If you make an alter of stones to me, do not use dressed stones for Me, defiling it with a tool, and do not walk up the steps of it, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.”
Greatest Love of all the ages transcending time and space, yet within it holding mankind accountable,truth shining all the same among the fails and overcomings. Maybe that last part is not doctrinal..
Dead on, Mr. Arny! 🙂
I like this idea that if it’s about only our passion and not who Jesus is, then we’ve missed the point. May He be the point and the center of attention in our worship and in our lives this morning!
Amen!
Arny, I’ve never written and probably never will write a worship song. But, I have so much respect for those who pen good songs, that are theologically sound and meant for CORPORATE worship. I would love to sing about any of these topics. 🙂
Thanks Keri!
maybe you’ll sing one of my songs one day!!!
GOLD! Thanks for the tips Arny. A good reminder to keep the ‘main thing, the main thing.
I also find a lot of the current ‘popular’ songs have too general a focus on God. More clarity on the Trinitarian God, would give us a richer, deeper and more accurate portrait of the God we find in scripture.
Another tip would be collaboration in writing. But that is another blog topic I suspect 🙂
Great list here, Arny. I’m hosting a songwriting workshop next week and I’ll definitely use this list for inspiration.
Something God’s been speaking to me about recently has been coming back to the simplicity of how awesome he is. I’ve felt like we complicate our worship with stuff, make a lot of it about us, and neglect to just be in awe of Christ. I’m hoping to go that direction with the songs I write.
Thanks so much for this reminder! I am not a song writer, but I lead worship. What a great reminder for those of us who choose songs each week – to keep them focused on these “God” themes and not always on “I,” “me,” “my.”
Thanks, Ann! God-centered songs are the best aren’t they?
Awesome! Love this! Thank you so much for this.