Home  ›  Blog  ›  Choosing Songs

Choosing Songs

Dear EBC family,

I had the privilege of leading worship last weekend, and while I always enjoy it, I was particularly fond of the set of songs we sang. After the service, someone asked me, “Who chose those songs?” I hesitated a moment, wanting to say, “It depends. Did you like them?” But I owned up and was relieved to hear him say, “I like that last song.” Whew.

I like that last song too, of course, but did you know that the song leader’s preference is only one of many factors in choosing a song set? I find the task to be both enjoyable and difficult. In case you’re curious, here are some of the questions I ask when choosing songs.

1. How helpful are the lyrics? I look for songs with themes that complement the primary truth of the appointed Scripture. This is challenging because some themes are not well represented. For example, there are countless on the love of God, but not many on our need to obey Him. (sad) I also prefer songs with theological depth and poetic beauty. “There is thunder in his footsteps and lightning in his fists.” Thank you, Rich!
2. What is the feel of the song? I like to ease people into the worship service with a song that begins quietly and doesn’t get too big, but I like the song before the message to be high energy and celebratory to help people listen to the sermon. Right after the message, I want a song that not only has the right content, but an emotional tone appropriate to the response, and the following songs to flow well from one to the next.
3. How often do we sing it? There are many great songs, and we try to avoid singing the same dozen songs all the time. All My Hope is one of my favorite songs, and I have to remind myself not to choose it every time.
4. Can I and my team play it well? Glorious Day by Passion is one of my favorite songs, but I don’t have the chops to pull it off. There are many great songs I simply must to leave for others who can lead them well and choose songs I am confident I and my team can do.
5. How old is the song? I’m the oldest of our worship leaders and grew up singing out of a hymnal, so I naturally lean toward the older stuff. Last weekend, our first two songs were both over 300 years old, albeit with updated arrangements. But the next two were about five years old. Then there was the last one, Awesome God. It was in the top five of most sung songs in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has lain in the archives for a decade or two. But like any valuable asset, it has not been completely idle. It has been earning interest, and last weekend we collected the dividends! Many people told me how much they appreciated that song, like seeing a dear friend after many years.

I readily acknowledge that my personal preferences have significant impact on my song choices, and that my taste may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But I hope this sheds a little light on the special task our worship leaders have. I trust we all praise God for the gift of music he has given us.

Pastor Toby