Why The Songs We Sing Matter More Than You Think
We all have moments in church when the music doesn't quite connect, when the lyrics feel lifeless or the tune feels tired. But have you ever wondered where that tension comes from? Why church music can spark such strong emotions and opinions?
As someone who’s spent years leading worship and studying church music, I can tell you this isn’t a new issue. In fact, it's been around for centuries.
Let me introduce you to a man named Isaac Watts; a pioneer of what we now call church music. Back in the 1700s, Isaac was growing up in a time when singing in church meant reciting the Psalms or other Scripture, word-for-word, set to rather uninspiring melodies. For him, it felt rigid, dry, and emotionally disconnected from the joy and power of the gospel.
Isaac didn’t keep quiet about it. He actually complained to his parents, saying corporate worship lacked passion and didn’t reflect the beauty of what we were singing about.
His father, instead of shutting him down, gave him a challenge: “Why don’t you fix it?”
How One Songwriter Changed the Church Forever
That challenge led Isaac Watts to write over 750 hymns, many of which are still sung today. If you grew up in church, you’ve probably sung at least a few:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Joy to the World
Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
His lyrics didn’t just rhyme or sound poetic. They dripped with theology. They told the story of Jesus in ways people could remember, sing, and actually feel.
But not everyone was thrilled.
Watts was called a heretic by many in his time. People were deeply uncomfortable with the idea of writing new songs that didn’t quote Scripture word for word. They hated the idea of using popular melodies, even some adapted from bar songs, to sing about Jesus.
Sound familiar?
Today, debates still swirl around contemporary Christian music versus traditional hymns. But the irony is that hymns themselves were once the "contemporary" music that disrupted the status quo.
The Power of Music to Pass Down Faith
Here's the big idea: church music is one of the primary ways faith gets passed down from one generation to the next. It’s more than background noise before the sermon. Music sticks. Lyrics shape belief. Melodies help theology take root in our hearts.
Watts understood that. And so do today’s worship leaders.
For those who sang from the hymnal, Isaac Watts was your revolutionary. For my generation, it was people like Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Phil Wickham. They’re doing what Watts did: writing worship songs with depth, beauty, and clarity, songs that teach us who God is and remind us what we believe.
And just like in Watts’s time, not everyone’s happy about it.
But maybe, instead of complaining about what we’ve lost, we can start celebrating what we’re gaining. New songs don’t erase the old ones. They continue the legacy. They’re another chapter in the long story of God’s people singing their hearts out to Him.
Don’t Just Sing, Engage
It’s not just about what we sing. It’s about how we sing.
Watts once wrote that when people sing without emotion, it might cause a “charitable observer” to wonder if they really believe what they’re saying. That hits hard.
Whether you’re singing an ancient hymn or the latest worship release, the question remains: Do you mean it? Do you believe it?
Music in church is not about style, but about substance. Let’s not settle for lifeless worship. Let’s sing like it matters; because it does.
Champion What’s Coming
So next time you're tempted to complain about a song that doesn’t feel familiar or doesn’t "sound like church," remember Isaac Watts. Remember that innovation has always had a place in worship. And most importantly, remember the goal of all church music: to declare the gospel clearly, powerfully, and passionately.
Let’s be people who champion what’s coming, not just cling to what’s been. Because when we do, we help ensure the gospel keeps reaching the next generation.
