Developing a breadth of song choice
As I begin to think of prayers, readings and songs I’ll ask/pray ‘Father God, what are you breathing into this event/meeting?’
Here, I ask God for a starting point [or it could be a theme or framework] and begin to think of appropriate songs and readings that serve the theme.
You might, in fact, be serving in a context where you are given the songs beforehand, but I trust the following suggestions are useful for ongoing discussion in your team or group whatever your context
NB: To find more details on particular songs listed – try ‘Googling’ the song titles/composers mentioned or contact me for more details
Getting started
At the beginning of a meeting/gathering I try to use songs and hymns that speak of the qualities and characteristics of our God.
• Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of creation by Stralsund Casanbuck
• We’ve come to praise you by Kate Simmonds
• Worship God by Geraldine Latty
Reflective
Sometimes I’ve used a more reflective devotional themed song to start, keeping the focus on our God, reminding us why we have come together, [hopefully giving that little space at the beginning of a gathering for us to ‘catch up’] Using a reflective song [which invariably has a slower tempo] I would tend to link it with an up tempo song of praise
For example:
• Jesu Tawa Pano by Patrick Matsikenyiri of Zimbabwe – which means, Jesus we are here for you – into…
• Come now is the time to worship by Brian Doerkson
There are other hymns and songs of praise [not necessarily fast tempo] that can help us to walk together into God awareness/ God’s presence.
For example:
- Immortal, Invisible by Walter Smith
- Holy, lift up his name by Nathan Fellingham
- Open the eyes of my heart Lord by Paul Baloche
- Come all you people by John Bell/Iona Community
An aside!
I have found that starting with the focus on our needs, or even on what we can give to God, while important and real, proves inward looking and does not help to build expectation or faith in our God as the focus of our time together.
Any songs/call to worship words at the beginning of our time together that focus on God [God is good, God is faithful etc] are key prophetic statements that encourage our hearts to look to God first.
CATEGORIES
Whatever the starting point – a list of songs given to me, or a chunk of time to fill – the principles I use here remain the same.
Here then are some categories I’ve found useful, [but I wouldn’t necessarily use them all in the same meeting/event!
NEW AND OLD/ HYMNS AND SONGS
I like to use newer and older hymns and songs that list the characteristics of God
For example:
- And can it be by John Wesley
- All my days by Stuart Townend
- You are the sovereign I am by Brian Doerkson
- Everlasting God by Vicky Beeching
- We come in your name by Kate Simmonds
…as well as songs that simply respond to this our wonderful God.
- I will worship by David Ruis
- What a faithful God have I by Robert Critchley
- You are God in heaven by Matt Redman
- Wonderful so wonderful by Tim Hughes
- Be lifted up by Paul Oakley
SONGS OF PRAISE AND CELEBRATION
Pure, abandoned joy in our God
For example:
- There’s a pageant by Fellingham
- Hallelujah, hosanna by Masondo and du Plessis
- I will dance by Matt Redman
- Creation Praise by Sue Rinaldi, Caroline Bonnett and Steve Bassett
SONGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Using songs that family use in their praise and worship around the world, is a way of reminding ourselves that we belong to a worldwide church.
It can be very powerful to sing songs of praise from places such as South Africa, Cameroon and Peru, or to sing the song of intercession that people would have sung in the Philippines having lost everything in an earthquake!
For example:
- Kay Yahweh Ako [I’ll follow my Lord] from the Tagalog/Philippines
- Siya Hambe [We are marching in the light of God] from South Africa
SONGS FOR THE WORLD. CONCERN/INTERCESSION
Looking into the world our God so loves, identifying needs within our own community and bringing them to God in song, perhaps, interspersing songs, prayers and visuals, silence etc
For example:
- Father hear our prayer by Andy Piercy
- Bring your best to their worst by John Bell/Iona
- Jesus – God to the rescue by Godfrey Birthill
- Salvation by Charlie Hall
- Oh kneel me down again by Brenton Brown
- God so loved this whole world by Godfrey Birtill
SPONTANEOUS/PROPHETIC SONG
An improvised song or expression. It may be two lines or have 3 verses! I mention it as a place to explore, to make space for the song that arises from your community.
SONGS OF COMMISSIONING
Refocusing on our place in our God’s world
For example:
- Everyday by Joel Houston
- I’m Gonna trust in God by Steve Earl
- The Spirit of the Lord is on me now by Graham Kendrick
- I the Lord of sea and sky by Daniel Schutte
- Through our lives and by our prayers by Iona Community
- Jesus, Hope of the nations by Brian Doerkson
I’M SORRY [CONFESSION]
Readings/songs that give space to say ‘I’m sorry’, cleanse me Lord
For example:
- Father I have sinned by Geoff Twigg
- Lord have mercy on us by Graham Kendrick
- Wash me and cleanse me by Geraldine Latty
- O Lord our God [Ya Tuhanku] by Iona Community
SONGS OF AFFIRMATION
…not forgetting that as we say sorry we also have a God who says ‘your sins are forgiven – go and sin no more! Space then, for songs that affirm our place in God
- Before the throne of God above by Bancroft and Cook
- You are merciful to me by Ian White
- Wonderful Grace by John Pantry
- In Christ alone by Townend/Getty
HEART RESPONSE
Allowing space to say ‘I love you Lord…’
For example:
- You are God in heaven by Matt Redman
- Santo, Santo [Holy, Holy] – my heart adores you Anon from Argentina
- To be in your presence by Noel and Trish Richards
SONGS OF LAMENT. SONGS FOR THE HARD PLACE
A time to sing, a time to mourn
For example:
- Empty, broken here I stand by Nick and Anita Haigh
- Listen Lord by Iona Community
- Don’t be afraid by the Iona Community
- Lord turn your footsteps by Godfrey Birthill
- Where O where’s your presence O God by Birthill, Lomax and Latty
- Blessed be your name by Matt Redman
- When all around is fading by Tim Hughes
SONGS FROM OUR OWN SONGWRITERS
Do try to encourage those in your gatherings who might be poets, lyricists, melody writers or all three? The songs that come from your community are an expression of the life of God in that place and may be a unique expression of interaction with God! So let those songs blossom.
Don’t forget to have ‘road tests’ a trial run of those songs and do run your songs by different groups of people even if [especially if?] they are not ‘musical’
You might for example ask one who teaches [they may have a stronger grasp on Bible themes and images] or your small group [they will let you know if it’s accessible, easy to sing]
And finally…
Of course we cannot do it all in one event, and that would feed into the consumerist hunger in our culture – but do keep checking your song lists over the weeks/events to ensure that something of the radical, loving grace of God, something of God interactions with us and his world and something of the invitation of God to us to join in, have some space for expression at some point over the year.
PRAYING THROUGH THE SONGS
One additional point to mention is something I learned from another worship leader some years ago. It has proved to be one of the single most effective tools in my preparation.
Having chosen the songs [or using the given list of songs to work through] try praying through each song.
You will find that as you use the actual words of the hymn or song, in the form of a prayer, and pray them for yourself and for the group of people you will be leading, a new dynamic is added. The songs are no longer simply words on a page, but become prayers that God by his Spirit [and in a way that I struggle to articulate] will fill and use.
So, as you lead God’s precious people and join together with them to sing, the songs have already been prayed! A powerful tool in preparing ground, if you like, for God to use the hymns and songs to minister and pour into people hearts, and also into your own!
Geraldine Latty
20 November 2006