Principles for choosing new songs 2

Principles for choosing new songs part 3 Principles for choosing new songs New song - Mighty to save New Song - My soul finds rest (Ps 62) New song - Mystery by Charlie Hall New Song - O precious sight New songs - Keith & Kristyn Getty leading in Glenabbey

19th January 2009

Last time I shared some quotations that helped us to think about the importance of choosing songs wisely and I finished with some facetious suggestions by Graham Kendrick as to why we might actually choose certain songs. This time, we'll look at some principles that can guide us as we're considering the overall song diet of our church.

• Songs teach…
Col 3:16 says ‘…let the word of God dwell in you richly as you sing…’ Throughout scripture and church history, songs have been used to convey truths about God and us. But songs don’t only declare truth, they are a means for that truth to be embedded deeply into our hearts and minds. Our songs not only reflect a theology of how we should relate to God, they shape it. They exercise a formative power in our understanding of God. We must be sensitive to this when considering lyrics.

• …whether we expect them to or not!
Not everyone would agree with the idea that songs teach. In fact, John Wimber has said, ‘These are not songs about Jesus, they are songs to Jesus: intimate and personal.’ But I don’t think we can make such a neat distinction between the functions of songs. As Bob Kauflin remindes us, even songs of expression (ie those stating our love for God) create an impression on the singer. In other words, the very language the songs use to express our relationship with Christ teaches us things about the nature of that relationship.

• A healthy song diet will have breadth and depth
Scripture is diverse in the themes it covers; life is diverse in the circumstances and experiences we encounter. What of our song diet? Do we have songs that cover a wide range of themes and life experiences? What about mission; the persecuted church; the unity in diversity of the body of Christ; lament; repentance; the justice of God?

As for depth, are we giving people truths stated in a way profound enough to help them as they face the challenges of life? Do our songs articulate the objective truths about God as a foundation for our subjective experience of God? For someone experiencing fear and uncertainty, what would be the difference for them if we were to sing ‘Over the mountains and the sea/Your river runs with love for me’ as opposed to ‘No guilt in life, no fear in death/This is the power of Christ in me/ From life’s first cry, to final breath/Jesus commands my destiny’. There is of course a place for simple expressions of truth, but simplicity is not the same as shallowness or vagueness.

Musical breadth is good too. A diversity of styles reflects the unity in diversity of the people of God united by the gospel as well as giving as wide a voice possible to the express the multi-faceted nature of God whose character cannot be contained within one musical style.

Next time we'll look at some practical pointers that emerge from this principles as we're thinking about individal songs and whether or not to include them in our song diet in church.

Alistair Hamill