The Uphill Climb: Music in the Context of the Western Evangelical Church
“I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!”
This is the chorus of Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel Music. These words have been sung in countless churches and listened to on a variety of streaming services by thousands and thousands of people, especially in the western evangelical church. Upon further examination of the song as a whole, the listener can clearly see the lack of creativity, meaning, and theological richness present in the work. Ultimately, the song is boring, overly repetitive, and littered with cliche. Why is everyone always in the middle of a storm? Are there no other ways to describe being in the midst of a trial? In my own experience I have heard a defense for this song, something to the tune of, “We need uptempo songs to start the service and this one is decent.” Decent? Why is the church settling for decent when the greatness of Christ demands so much more than that? Followers of Christ are called to work with all of their hearts in whatever they do, working for the Lord and not for man (Col 3:23). How many songs, sung or listened to, in the western evangelical church today are actually written for man’s approval as opposed to being written as an act of worship to God? Does He not deserve more than decent? An epidemic of decent songs has been permeating the life of the church for far too long, and if nothing changes, decent songs will continue to dominate the culture of western evangelical music not only in the local church, but also in the leisurely listening habits of those who attend. Where are the more-than-decent songs that hold depth, meaning, and creativity? In a predominately cliche driven culture of music in the western evangelical church, songwriters who are followers of Christ are called as image bearers to reflect their creative God by writing to cultivate creativity and meaning.
Songwriters are writing bad songs.
This epidemic of decent songs in the western evangelical tradition has several characteristics, but two major characteristics are a lack of theological richness and a lack of creativity.
Theological richness
This characteristic, arguably the most important characteristic, is oftentimes excused due to the content of the song “still being about Jesus.” Even in the example of Raise a Hallelujah, people defend it, because “it’s about Jesus and that is all that matters.” But what if this song does a bad job of representing the Lord in fullness of truth; what if it is a weak expression of who Jesus is?
Let us first look at music that is typically sung on a Sunday morning service at a local church body.
A blog post written by a worship leader lists her top 10 least favorite songs sung in church, and number one on the list is I Could Sing of Your Love Forever by Michael W. Smith. She states that even though the chorus of the song that repeats the phrase “I could sing of your love forever” is not inherently bad, it relies so much on repetition and less on truth. What about other attributes of God? Instead of mindlessly repeating the same phrase over and over again, not knowing when it will end, why not admonish God for other attributes He possesses?
Another example of a lack of theological richness can be seen in a songwriters lack of intentionality presented in their word choice. One song I think demonstrates this characteristic is Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. Specifically in the word choice of the title of the song, so many people are put off. With just one word, the whole meaning of the song changes for countless people. This does not mean that songwriters should be walking on eggshells when writing songs, but it does mean that there is a level of wrestling that is essential to the songwriting process that includes an immense amount of intentionality when it comes to word choice. Another song mentioned by Elizabeth Spencer in her blog post was the song Trading My Sorrows by Darrell Evans. The song directly implies that a follower of Christ can only have sorrow OR the joy of the Lord, not both, which is incredibly false. In Romans 5, Paul talks about having joy amidst sufferings, clearly stating that both can be, and hopefully will be, had at the same time. This is just another example of a lack of intentionality in word choice.
When it comes to the focus of the song, it would be assumed that most songs sung on a Sunday morning would be narrowed in on the character of God, describing His attributes or praising His name, but so many songs actually focus on the individual more than they focus on God. One example of this is Who You Say I Am by Hillsong. In looking at the lyrics in this song, it can be easily seen that the focus of the song is about the person singing the song, not about the Lord. The goal of singing as a unified body on Sunday mornings should be to worship and praise the Lord, not to make the person who is singing feel better about themselves. In looking outside of corporate worship songs that are sung on a Sunday morning, the need for theological richness looks different. Songwriters who are also followers of Christ still need to theologically wrestle with the content they are putting out, but that does not mean that they need to “Jesus it up” in their songs. A song that does theological richness well without absentmindedly “Jesusing it up” so it can be accepted is How to Be Yours by Chris Renzema. At first glance, the song looks like a love song written from the perspective of an individual that does not find themselves worthy enough of love from their partner, and eventually in the bridge, the partner declares “Love me or hate me, I’m not going anywhere.” Looking deeper, this song could also be applied to a relationship between a parent and their child, indicated by the line “you still bear my signature.” Ultimately, Renzema is describing the love the Lord has for him, and how he feels so undeserving of that love that he, “doesn’t know how to be yours.” This is a prime example of a song that holds theological richness without even mentioning the name of Jesus.
Creativity
This characteristic is more subjective than the first, yet it still holds a lot of weight purely based on the fact that as image bearers, songwriters are called to reflect the one whose image they bear: the Creator of the universe. God is the author of all things created (Col 1:16), and followers of Christ are called to reflect that creativity. When it comes to music sung in the church, so many songs sound the exact same. The same structure, same four chords, and same cliches are repeated time and time again. Structurally, the verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, big chorus, and finally down chorus can be found in a vast amount of songs. When it comes to the chord progression, 1 5 6 4 (G D Em C) is a classic and is used in many songs, one being 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman. In doing a quick search of the word storm on Song Select, the “definitive source for worship song resources,” 5,387 songs pop up with either storm in the title or the lyrics of the song; that is not a small number. These structures, chord progressions, and cliches, used over and over again, are causing immense amounts of damage to the cultivation of future songs, specifically ones written for a Sunday morning.
When it comes to songs written outside of the corporate worship, Sunday-morning context, it seems that over the last 10 years the culture surrounding songs written by Christ followers has become more creative. It has gone from Francesca Batestelli’s Free to be Me to Andrew Peterson’s Be Kind to Yourself. Both proclaim a similar message (the fight against wanting to be someone else or striving for perfection) yet Peterson’s song holds metaphors and beautiful melodies in wonderful balance, creating an overall more meaningful articulation of a very delicate subject. Batestelli’s handling of the song is a more light-hearted, mid-2000’s style of what some might call “overly happy” in an attempt to say “everything is gonna be alright,” even though the deeper meaning of the song is more weighty than that; the song seems to brush away comparison and self-dislike as a silly thought that should be forgotten as opposed to a deeper matter where the individual needs to sit with the Lord to feel seen.
Both theological richness and creativity have been missing from songs both inside the church and outside the church when it comes to songs written by Christ followers, but why does it continue to take place? Why are bad songs continuing to permeate the culture of music in the western evangelical church?
Here’s the why…
It is easier to write bad songs than it is to face the fear of “doing something wrong.”
Songwriters who are followers of Christ have power to define the culture of music in the western evangelical tradition both in the church and outside of it; the problem is that these same songwriters are being groomed into writing bad songs. This situation happens a lot in songwriting; someone sees the way something is “supposed to be done,” and they try to imitate that method so that their work is also accepted. They look up articles like Write a Hit Song or Write a Song in 5 Steps so they can “do it the right way.” Songwriters are afraid to wrestle. They are so caught up in this cult of technique (focusing on the how something is done rather than the why something is done) they lose sight of the necessity in wrestling.
I have seen this even in my own life. A couple months ago, I was tasked with writing a song based on the theme Gethsemane. I sat on the floor of my dorm room, speechless, trying to articulate so perfectly a song that would represent the theme well; I waited and waited, doing research, reading the passage from scripture, and writing little stanzas of “what I think I want to say.” I finally began to write, and what did I write about? I wrote about the need for wrestling! Still, I could only write the first two verses and chorus, though I needed a full song! I came back to it the next day and somehow managed to write another two verses, yet I still needed just a little bit more. Hours before, on the day I had to perform it, I took the bridge from an unfinished song of mine and decided it fit together well enough with what I had. It was a complete song, but in no way did I feel proud of it. The song did not just come to me, like some songs had in the past; this song felt like it was going against the “right way.” Even in writing about the importance of wrestling, I felt the pull of the cult of technique telling me that I did not do it “the right way.” This way of thinking is so ingrained in the minds of artists, especially those who grew up in the western evangelical tradition.
Oftentimes this “right way” in the western evangelical church is actually just the cult of technique. Individuals who get so wrapped up in the “how” that they forget the “why.” This concept can be clearly seen in churches such as Willow Creek; a church that self-admittedly got so wrapped up in the “how” church is done that they lost sight of “why” church is done. The cult of technique becomes a crutch for people, or bodies of people, who are afraid to fail. Similar to Samson in Judges 15, artists and churches take it upon themselves to “be the best” or “do things the right way,” all the while forgetting that the Lord is holding them every step of the way. This is not to say that songwriters should throw out striving for beauty, honesty, and excellence, but it is to say that they should feel confident in the Lord’s hand that they can wrestle through their work, an act that involves immense patience and a consistency in showing up. Andrew Peterson in his book Adorning the Dark quotes songwriter Rich Mullins who said “Songwriting is like fishing. Sometimes you sit at the pond all day and never catch a thing. But sometimes you snag something beautiful. The point is, you never know unless you go to the pond and wait” (Peterson 76). Peterson also talks about the need to write bad songs; good songs will never be written unless bad songs are written first. One has to feel the freedom to fail if they ever want to succeed. In an overused, yet strikingly true quote, Babe Ruth said “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” So many songwriters, especially ones in the western evangelical church, allow their fear of failure or rejection to keep them from writing better songs! Let us not forsake excellence in an attempt to reject the cult of technique, yet let us not also be so focused on excellence that we forget why we create in the first place.
Songwriters who are followers of Christ are writing bad songs, characterized by a lack of theological richness and creativity, because they are afraid of failure and rejection. This ongoing pattern is incredibly harmful for the church, because music matters… a lot.
Music matters
Music has been named by some as “the language of emotions” (Panksepp and Bernatzky 134). Another said that “music triggers memory, allowing you to remember a past experience” (Gard). On a base level, music stands as a tool for both communication and remembrance. When looking at the bible, “music is at the center of key moments in life throughout the narrative of God’s people” (Kammerzelt 5). Jesus Himself sings with his community in Matthew 26:30, and His followers follow suit in Acts 16:25, some time after His ascension. Even in looking at the New Testament, large portions of it are references to the Psalms (songs, poetry, creative expression); this is indicative of the apostles' need for songs as a critical part of their worship and devotion to Jesus. Music matters, and therefore, bad songs are harmful. Songs create culture, and if the songs being written are characterized by cliche, then the culture will begin to be characterized by cliche as well. In an article by Jen Wilkin, she begins by asking readers to recite the alphabet, quickly pointing out that the reader probably had a hard time refraining from humming. This is her defense of a concept summed up by Gard’s previous statement that music triggers memory. The point she goes on to make, after asking the question, “does our sacred music merely move us in the moment or form us for a lifetime of faithfulness?” is that “To presume to write, select, or lead our sacred music is to presume to teach. It is not a question of if our songs teach, but what” (Wilkin). The songs being sung, especially on a Sunday morning, are immensely formative in the hearts and minds of those partaking in communal worship, because what is being sung is what is being taught. This is why it is absolutely essential for songwriters who are followers of Christ to be writing songs that are theologically rich, creative, and ultimately meaningful. By neglecting the call to write better songs, songwriters are saying yes to the further formation of a cliche, shallow culture in the western evangelical church.
The Mountain
When looking at this from a singular songwriters perspective, this battle seems like an uphill climb, and honestly, it is. In the book Letters from the Mountain by Ben Palpant, daughter Kialynn writes the foreword of the book, and in it she describes a hike that she went on with her father and younger sister. She paints a striking image of the struggle that took place on the way back up the mountain where she had to carefully follow her father’s footsteps and handholds to make it to the top. Without him going before her, she says there is a chance she would not have made it up the mountain, yet with his guidance and direction, she was able to make it to the top. She then compares this image to her own life, speaking of her father’s climb forward in life as a writer and how his climb made her climb as a writer possible. This is why songwriters need one another, and as followers of Christ that commonality rests in Jesus.
Only in Him
As a follower of Christ, there is a call to, as Peterson states, “proclaim God’s dominion in every corner of the world--in every corner of our hearts, too.” (Peterson 18). This dominion, like Peterson says, has to also be proclaimed in every corner of our heart; this is a continual practice that needs to occur. In John 15:5 Jesus says “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” These words, straight from the mouth of Jesus, proclaim the absolute need that His followers have for Him. He states that only in Him can they do anything. This is absolutely true for the songwriter who is also a follower of Christ. How do they write with theological richness, creativity, and meaning? By being rooted in their identity in Christ. That is why Andrew Peterson says, “it’s so silly (and perilous) to use your gifting to clothe yourself with meaning. Those clothes will never quite fit” (Peterson 19). This concept is something I have wrestled with personally, especially when I started writing music. For much of my life I was terrified to write. First of all, I never thought I would be a songwriter; I never saw myself as capable of something like that. Secondly, I was afraid that, if I somehow figured out how to write a song, people would see my songs as me trying to bring attention to myself. Even though this might seem humble, it was actually extremely filled with pride. I was finding my identity in my music and what I could create, not in the Lord. A few months after I began to secretly make an attempt at writing songs, I saw a friend of mine so freely sharing her songs and her voice, in the name of the Lord. Being incredibly afraid of “clothing myself with meaning” was hindering me from doing what the Lord has made me to do, which is to write songs. All the pressure was gone! Because I am united to Christ, he is my identity, and when it comes to songs, all I need to do is obey and write them. No amount of my striving can cultivate the peace that comes from true communion with Christ, being united to Him. He has given me the tools, ability, and imagination to create beautiful things, and every time I fail, He remains the same. There is a comfort in knowing there is nothing to prove. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinth 12:9).
God has so generously given us Himself, and therefore we should act in that same nature, even with songwriting. Ben Palpant speaks on this concept of generativity saying, “The world is full of spiritually-starved people...When you write, keep your audience in mind without caving to vanity. You’re not writing to be adored, you’re writing to serve” (Palpant 7). This service is only made possible by being rooted and grounded in who Jesus is. If a songwriter's identity is only in themselves and not in Jesus, they will be endlessly searching for fulfillment and approval trying to “clothe themselves in meaning” until they realize those clothes will never quite fit; something in them will always feel unsatisfied. Philippians 2:3 calls followers of Christ to do nothing out of selfish ambition, living lives focused on one another and not themselves; this translates to songwriters! Palpant gives three ways to embody this charge:
- Aim to enrich the future--not just the present.
- Work hard to inspire spiritual depth in others.
- Give everything--including time and energy--to serve others.
These tasks would be completely impossible without an identity rooted in Jesus Christ, and along with that, a community of believers.
We need one another
God did not put us on this Earth to be alone; God gave Eve to Adam so that he was not alone (Gen 2:18). A common phrase spoken in the western evangelical church is “all you need is God.” Of course God is the one who sustains, along with being the one who gave life, yet that all too common phrase downplays a believer's need for fellow believers to come alongside them for encouragement, accountability, and fellowship. Creating cannot be done in complete isolation. Songwriters must be creating in community. One of my favorite examples of this “creating in community” concept is a ministry created by Andrew Peterson called The Rabbit Room: “a gathering point for Christians with a similar calling to try and tell the truth beautifully--and part of the point is that none of us can do it alone” (Peterson ix). A large part of Peterson’s thesis for his book Adorning the Dark revolves around the idea that the best art flows out of doing life together, not isolated. This concept is best demonstrated in his chapter on Behold the Lamb of God which is a Christmas concert tour put on by Peterson and some of his closest friends in smaller venues across the nation. Peterson and his friend Gabe came up with the idea, because they wanted to create a new, beautifully intimate experience that revolved around a Christmas concert purely about Christ. The Christmas tour had humble beginnings, like most creative endeavors, but has since grown into a beautiful, rich experience of story through songs, featuring friends such as Laura Story, Fernando Ortega, and Ben Shive. The Behold the Lamb of God Tour is absolutely magnificent and incredibly moving, and so much of that magnificence is rooted in the commonality that is present on the stage; a group of songwriters and musicians who all have the same goal of proclaiming the truth of Christ beautifully.
There is a better way
In a predominately cliche driven culture of music in the western evangelical church, songwriters who are followers of Christ are called as image bearers to reflect their creative God by writing to cultivate creativity and meaning. This culture, characterized by being cliche, shallow, and decent, is not too far gone; there is a way forward, and it starts with the shared commonality in Jesus Christ. Songwriters who want to write timeless, theologically rich, creative, and meaningful songs must first be rooted in who Jesus is. This is not to say that all the songwriters critiqued above are not rooted in Christ; it just means that songwriters who are rooted in Christ have the freedom to wrestle, fail, and try again. The mold of cliche, shallow, and decent needs to be broken, and the best way to do that is by rejecting the cult of technique, resting in the person of Christ, and writing in freedom knowing that the goal is to serve people well. No one sees the world the exact same; everyone, every songwriter, has something unique and beautiful to offer. A song will never be perfect, therefore songwriters need not place that pressure on themselves! But, songwriters who are followers of Christ should be intentionally thinking about what kind of songs they are writing for the church on a Sunday morning; theological richness and creativity are essential to the songs being sung, because these songs are formative to the people who are singing them! The Lord has given us Himself so that we can in turn give ourselves to others, and only in Him can we accomplish that goal.
To the songwriters,
Write often. Show up at the pond time and time again with patience, knowing that sometimes bad songs will be written, and that is okay. Write the bad songs so that the good songs can one day be written.
Find community! Look for people who have gone before you, guiding you up the mountain. Community is so necessary. The Lord gave us one another for a reason.
Lean into the Lord. Burnout is real, and it becomes so much more of a threat when you are relying on your own strength rather than in the power of God. This does not mean you will do it right 100% of the time…
Wrestle well. Resting in who God is, and your identity in Him, gives you ample amounts of freedom to fail time and time again, knowing that it’s not all on you.
Critique by creating. The best way to break the mold of cliche is to continue to create better songs; the Lord deserves so much more than decent.
Works Cited
Gard, Carolyn. “Music n’ Moods.” Current Health 2, vol. 23, no. 8, Apr. 1997, p. 24. EBSCOhost,chilib.moody.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,uid&db=hxh&AN=9709045452&site=eds-live.
Palpant, Ben. Letters From the Mountain. Nashville, Rabbit Room Press, 2021.
Panksepp, Jaak, and Günther Bernatzky. “Emotional Sounds and the Brain: the Neuro-Affective Foundations of Musical Appreciation.” Behavioural Processes, vol. 60, no. 2, 2002, pp. 133–155., doi:10.1016/s0376-6357(02)00080-3.
Peterson, Andrew. Adorning the Dark. Nashville, B&H Publishing Group, 2019.