These are the top 10 worship songs being sung in churches across America according to CCLI. Is it just me, but aren't these songs kind of old?
1 How Great Is Our God
2 Here I Am To Worship
3 Blessed Be Your Name
4 Open The Eyes Of My Heart
5 Shout To The Lord
6 Lord I Lift Your Name On High
7 Come Now Is The Time To Worship
8 You Are My King
9 Forever
10 Holy Is The Lord
They are old (if you consider 5-7 years old kinda of outdated), but I think that's how it works; the average church by very nature is a very conservative organization that does not change very quickly. Christian sociologists say that churches (at least in the past- I think this is changing) are usually 2 generations behind common culture- which is both good & bad: are values are timeless & unchanging, but that can make us overly commited to the way things are currently done.
That's why in the media, we don't go a month without reading some story where they are shocked, shocked that some churches use the latest in technology, have cutting edge Children's Ministries, or that the pastor uses lots of pop culture references in his sermons- that's what they're used to seeing from us.
You being surprised that we are using 5 year old songs tells me what I knew about CF: you are cutting edge, progressive, and constantly evolving. However, most churches are not like that- not that there's anything wrong with that (tip to Seinfeld!)
Posted by: Luis | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 07:58 AM
Luis,
I'm fine with churches playing older songs. We play 3 of the 10 in our rotation (or whatever you want to call it). I guess it's the really older songs that took me back: Lord, I lift your name on high. I was really shocked that this song was still in such heavy rotation after 25-30 years. I was surprised that "Shout to the Lord" was still getting so much play as well.
I agree with your comments about churches tending to be a bit behind culture in general. Although, the stories that get printed are encouraging that there are churches that are a bit ahead of the cultural curve.
Posted by: Bob Franquiz | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 08:53 AM
I still remember the hand motions for Lord I Lift Your Name on High from being in VBS as a kid. Wow.
Posted by: Bill Streger | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 09:39 AM
*S* Yea, this list made me think....When I was in my twenties, these were the cutting edge..well, at least most of 'em. I remember the outrage in my old church when our worship leader brought some of these into rotation! (I was a layman then). Now, we're rotating these as the oldies in the church I pastor now... Yea, I'm only 40 but I'm feeling old now...
Posted by: Scott | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 10:05 AM
They're older than what we sing at our church... But I think they're quite a bit hipper than what a pile of churches are doing. But those are probably "la iglesia de to abuela..."
Posted by: bryonm | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 10:31 AM
One more thought on what I was trying to say: in the church where I committed my life to Christ back in 1992 in London, it felt like you were going Marty McFly & time traveling back to the 1800's, with Sister Lisa playing the piano & asking us to turn to Page 142 to play "In the Garden". Yes, the Spirit of God was there, but there was a sense that unless you were "initiated" (which most poeple in our culture are now not), you didn't understand what was happening. There is nothing wrong with going old-school on music; my favorite Christian song of all time is "My Jesus, I Love Thee", but I just think that to speak to this culture, you have to play music they identify with. It's no different than DL Moody & Ira Sankey introducing the Waltz to Christian music at the height of their ministries, when Waltz was considered by some in the church as carnal & ungodly. Is that a crazy thought?
Posted by: Luis | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 10:56 AM
In a few years... people will begin criticizing churches that are using these songs. They'll call me out of touch with culture.
Then you'll have big fights break out over which kind of music "belongs" in church.
The worship war circle keeps turning.
Posted by: Kirk Longhofer | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:02 PM
I agree it seems like what is on the cutting edge always catches up to the rest of the church world five years later.
Either that or the guys who make this list are out of touch with what is current.
Posted by: Jason | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:17 PM
I get to hear the old worship songs every time I go to South America.. remember the old "Integrity" stuff. All the charismatics played these songs.. w/the Jewish beats.. back in the 80's? They're still big in Bolivia. I hear some of that stuff when I go to Nepal too.
We do one song off that list. My worship leader is a bit more dated than me... but he keeps the songs fresh. Occasionally, we do an older song. I love "Days of Elijah".. that's in our list forever.. plus, we do a lot of original stuff.
But wow.. I'm surprised too. Sure, I understand these songs being sung regularly.. but to still be top 10? That means.. many churches are playing the same ol songs.. over and over again.. for the past 15 years or so.. Wow.. I'd go find a hymnal! There's some serious variety.
Posted by: simplemindedpreacher | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 06:31 PM
These past 10 years, the creativity of worship music has been amazing. I think we're about to lose it if something's not done. David, Crowder, and Band can't be around forever...
Posted by: Chris DiDonna | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 08:11 PM
Kirk,
Hey, relax, there's no worship music war or attacking anyone's tastes for the type of praise music they like; all of us love the old songs as well as the new. We're just commenting on trends we see in the music we worship to.
Posted by: Luis | Monday, March 19, 2007 at 06:54 AM
what about jehovah jirah
Posted by: chris g | Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 09:52 AM