This ministry began with an overwhelming desire to serve Christ and His Kingdom as well as a lover’s quarrel we had with some of the songs being used in the evangelical church. There is so much that is praiseworthy, but also a few problems in how we sometimes approach worshiping God in song. As the old proverb goes, when you see a problem you can curse the darkness or light a candle, and so we’re trying to do the latter.
Over the years, we’ve sometimes been surprised by the thin biblical basis of some worship songs and what seemed to be an obvious elevation of emotion over reason. It’s not that we don’t believe in emotion (we’re songwriters after all!). It’s just that the goal ought to be to love God with both our hearts and minds. It’s not one or the other.
We actually have a good friend who attends a larger church in our area who makes a point of arriving late and skipping most of the singing on Sunday mornings. Although the sermon is usually good, she finds the content of many of the songs to be vapid, uninspiring and irrelevant. We’re definitely not recommending missing part of a church service on purpose, but she has a point.
So often, lip service is given (in most churches) to the authority and majesty of the Word. And certainly an evangelical church would typically never tolerate a Bible-free sermon.
But somehow all bets are off when it comes to what we sing. When a song lyric is clearly misleading, there’s no sense of alarm but usually an “oh whatever, it’s no big deal” attitude.
No one memorizes a sermon, but any song sung often enough is automatically memorized. Worship content matters. And if that content is Joe’s thoughts about God, it may be helpful or even at times inspiring, but it can only take you so far. But only if it is inextricably tied to the Word does God promises this: His Word—including when it is in song—will never return empty but will accomplish what He desires. (Isaiah 55:11).
Moses finished reciting a God-inspired song to the people of Israel and then said these words:
“Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today,that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you,but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” Deuteronomy 32:46-47
We too will soon cross over the Jordan. How deeply rooted will the faith we pass on to our children be? Is the Word of God an empty trifle to us or is it our very life?
The church needs music from the Word that deeply engages both head and heart. It’s head without heart when you sing a dry choppy hymn that leaves you stone cold. It’s heart without head when you sing an emotionally evocative and endlessly repetitive song where you’re required to check your brain at the door.
The recent resurgence of the great hymns is a refreshing development and helpful corrective. But we don’t believe the answer is solely in recovering the treasures of the past. The Word itself commands us over and over, “Sing to the Lord a new song.”
We’re so happy to know about the growing number of musicians and writers today in groups like Sovereign Grace Ministries, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Kristie Braselton, Matt Papa, Stuart Townend, Red Mountain Music, Indelible Grace, and many more like minded ministries.
And this is what we hope you’ll always find here: songs and hymns that engage with the Word in an intelligent and heartfelt way to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
To read more about the blessings of worship from scripture, click here.
