Building a song writing culture for a new generation.
5 principles for developing a healthy songwriting community at your church
Some people may deny it, push against it, or simply refuse to believe it…
But, from the beginning, our God has been a singing God.
Turn to Zephaniah 3:17 and you see it paints a picture of a Father rejoicing over His people with singing. Even before creation, the stars sang together at God’s command as Job 38:7 seems to describe. And from the first page of Genesis to the visions of Revelation, song threads through the story of God’s people together.
Song isn’t incidental; it’s woven into the fabric of who God is and who we are called to be.
We are, by design, a singing people!
Moses and Miriam celebrated God’s deliverance at the Red Sea with a song of victory in Exodus 15.
Deborah and Barak lifted a hymn of triumph in Judges 5, recounting God’s faithful acts.
David’s Psalms overflow with lament, praise, thanksgiving, and prophetic longing.
Even Jesus sang a hymn with His disciples before heading to the cross (Matthew 26:30).
Across the history of the Church, song has marked moments of rescue, celebration, longing, and devotion.
But song is more than history or ritual isn’t it?
Our singing is a reflection of the God who sings over us. He is a singing God and we are a singing people.
Singing Image bearers.
Well known theologian D.A. Carson says;
“The church is never more than one generation away from extinction. The baton must always be passed, the story always retold.”
Every generation must carry the story of faith forward. And how does this happen? Not just through words, or teaching, but through the songs we sing.
A new lyric, a fresh melody, a stirring rhythm can capture hearts and imagination in ways that last. From Forrest Frank, Elevation Rhythm, CXMMXNS, to CityALight and Matt Maher , we see the power of music to translate timeless truth into sounds that connect deeply with people today.
A new generation of worshippers
In our community at The Local, we’ve been inspired watching young people find the Lord then respond in song. Young writers stirring their faith and finding their voices. They’re creating in response to God.
Writing songs that pierce hearts, tell enduring stories, enliven the church. And in turn, they’re finding their place in the next era of the Church that has been doing this for centuries.
But this does just happen.
Songs for the church don’t just happen. The ability to write memorable melodies and well-crafted, truth-telling lyrics is for sure a gift… but it also takes hours of dedicated, focused attention. It works. And it requires a commitment that few a will to take on.
Those that do take it on are often left to fend for themselves. Sometimes viewed with suspicion and their motives judged. This can’t be! The gifted, committed and hard working song-writers amongst us need shepherding, leading and guiding.
The work of nurturing songwriters is not optional; it is essential.
So how do you do it?
Over the years at Hillsong Church, we’ve been a part of developing a song-writing culture. One that values the songs, and does it’s best to nurture the writers. There’s a method. There are clear principles that are needed.
Here are the five key principles we know matter deeply for creating a thriving and healthy songwriting culture in your church: