Some in my congregation enjoy coming to me with songs that they want to suggest for our corporate worship services. The songs they suggest may be new songs they’ve found on the radio, songs they’ve discovered in their private worship time, or timeless favorites from their past. Each time one of these interactions takes places, I am left in awe of those who choose to take an interest in worship planning.
Discussing worship with each of them is truly one of the many joys of my calling. I love hearing what God is using to move and change those who are seeking Him. The only setback to these encounters is the lack of available space in each worship set to plug in their requests. I wish I could utilize each song suggested to me, but, unfortunately, time does not allow for that.
Worship leaders are one of the top theologians of their congregation. The messages delivered in song can encourage or hinder the personal theologies of hundreds each week. What a huge responsibility! As worship leaders, we will one day be held accountable for the messages we present in each worship set. What are your songs telling your congregation? Are they lifting up the King of Kings or merely sending out a sweet, but meaningless, positive message?
I choose to utilize the BEST POSSIBLE songs each time I step on stage, that means they must sing of King Jesus and His love for us.
A little background for those that are less familiar, a lot of thought and prayer goes into selecting songs for a corporate worship set. Many different attributes of each song are considered when organizing a corporate worship service, including: theme, key signatures, flow, personnel available, etc. More than that, each song must hold up to the standards set in Scripture. Above all, if the song is not biblical, I will not utilize it in worship. Period.
While there are thousands of songs that fit the above criteria, I can further narrow those down to the songs that are the best fit for our worship context. Those will include songs that are vertical in their worship (their main subject is God and not man) and those that fit the theme for our specific Bible passage for the day.
On the contrary, many songs fit the above criteria, but not every song translates well to the corporate worship setting. For instance, take “You Will Be Found” by Cory Asbury & Natalie Grant. I saw “Dear Even Hansen.” It’s a great story. The song is powerful in the context of a secular musical. It’s uplifting and positive…it also does not mention the name of Jesus. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, take “In the Garden” by C. Austin Miles. It’s a beautiful, timeless song. However, it speaks to one’s individual walk with God. With lyrics like, “I come to the garden alone,” or “None other can ever know,” it’s hard to integrate that into a corporate message. As a worship leader, it’s my job to utilize the BEST songs for each individual worship service context. It’s not a responsibility I take lightly.
Why do I write all of this? My point is, KEEP IT UP! Please share with your worship leader what God is revealing to you through a particular song. Don’t be discouraged when they don’t include a particular song that you suggest. They are up against pressures and standards that many will never understand. Your worship pastor genuinely wants to know how God is working through you. I know I do.
Sources and Further Reading
The Berean Test-www.thebereantest.com
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/hey-worship-leader-are-you-a-theological-lightweight/
thebaptistpaper.org/amid-music-minister-shortage-training-shifts-to-emphasis-on-theology/
Earnest Worship 
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