Recently, I attended a worship service at another church while on vacation. The worship team led a beautiful song that was new to me. I found myself weeping in the presence of the Lord and singing with all my might, with both hands raised.

I couldn’t wait to return to my church and introduce this song. Imagine my disappointment when our worship team tried it out, and it did not have the same energy. We got bogged down in the arrangement details. Our instrumentation didn’t match the other church’s. It just wasn’t working.

I convinced myself it would be better when the Holy Spirit began to move during worship. But after singing it with the congregation three times — and falling flat on each attempt — I had to accept that the song was not a good choice for us.

When planning a worship service, it is tempting to reach for whatever songs are new, trendy, or personally appealing. Some might even argue that choosing popular songs is necessary to be relevant in today’s culture. However, a song’s popularity is not an indication that it will connect with every congregation or fit the atmosphere of every service.

Song selection should take into account the message of the song, demographic makeup and personality of the congregation, and the skills and experience of the worship team. Selections should also fit how the Holy Spirit is moving. After all, music that appropriately expresses what God is doing in the hearts of those present is always relevant — even if it isn’t the latest tune.

Here are six questions to ask when evaluating a worship song:

1. Is it theologically correct? Throughout history, church music has taught theology to the next generation. Our memories soak up the lyrics through repetitive rhythms and melodies. We need to make sure the lyrics the congregation is committing to memory are based on solid biblical truth.

2. Does it exalt God and point to who He is? Numerous worship songs ask the Lord to come and meet us or express our desire for Him to take care of our needs. The focus of these songs is more on us than Him. While such lyrics have their place, I find the greatest moments in corporate worship happen while we are exalting Jesus and declaring who He is.

Of course, God’s presence is always with us because He is omnipresent. God’s manifest presence has to do with our growing awareness that He is with us. The more we exalt Him, the more we will sense His nearness. And as individuals respond, their worship will testify to those around them that God is in their midst.

The priority in leading worship is exalting Jesus in such a way the entire congregation will know and sense that God is with them. Songs that focus on Jesus and proclaim who He is increase our awareness of His presence more than songs focusing on us and our feelings. As faith rises, so will the expectation that God will work miracles and meet needs — not because we are worthy, but because He is good.

A song’s popularity is not an indication that
it will connect with every congregation or fit the atmosphere of every service.

3. Does the entire worship team connect with it? If the team isn’t excited about the song, it will not lead with passion and energy. The musicians and singers are partners in the ministry of worship. Rather than just directing them, pray with them, listen to their input, and include them in the process.

4. Does it reinforce what God is doing and saying? God has a specific assignment for your church within the local community. We should be mindful of this uniqueness when choosing the songs we give the congregation to express their worship. As worship leaders, we need to take into account how the Holy Spirit is leading our churches and communities.

In addition, consider prayerfully asking God to give you and your team original songs. Even if the idea of writing an entire song intimidates you, ask the Lord for phrases to sing in moments of free worship. Psalm 96:1 says, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” Expressions of worship written specifically for your congregation may connect with people on a deeper level.

5. Does it fit the congregation? Get to know your congregation well. What mix of demographics is in the room? Consider ages, financial situations, family structures, races and ethnicities, nationalities, past religious experiences, and musical tastes.

Know congregants’ histories and make an effort to connect with their memories of God’s faithfulness. Music is a powerful trigger for nostalgia and memory. When you incorporate that old hymn, the older lady in the back row responds not only because it’s her favorite song, but also because it was the song that was being played as she received the Lord as her Savior and at other important moments in her life. It’s the anthem of God’s faithfulness to her.

Some of those praise choruses from the 1980s and ’90s immediately take me back to a place of surrender at the altar as a kid. Ending the song service with just the chorus of an older song can lead to powerful moments of worship. Some songs are lifelong anthems that elicit deep emotions in members of the congregation.

6. Is it practical? It is important to consider the instrumentation, skills and resources of your team. Sometimes the energy of a song on the original recording comes from instrumental or vocal parts that are not easily reproducible with available personnel. Some teams use performance tracks to cover essential missing parts. Or it may be possible to come up with a new arrangement of the song that better fits your team.

We should also consider whether it is easy to learn and sing for the congregation. If a song has difficult rhythms, too many words, or elaborate melodies, it may be hard for the congregation to learn quickly or remember. This could lead to a lack of participation, which takes away from our purpose as worship leaders.

We may really like a song and want to perform it, but if it isn’t within the practical boundaries of skill, instrumentation, resources, and timing, it could become distracting and frustrating.

Although the act of worship can be a spontaneous and unplanned event, when selecting songs for a service, a leader can use discernment in a variety of valuable ways. When you thoughtfully consider the congregation’s makeup and the ability of the worship team, song choice can reflect how the Holy Spirit is moving within your church and bring glory to the One who most deserves all honor and praise.

This article appears in the Fall 2021 edition of Influence magazine.