As worship leaders, we make many decisions when it comes to choosing songs - what songs we will introduce, what songs will be a part of our set list, what songs will make it to our master song list, and what songs will roll out of rotation and frequency.
The church I serve belongs to a network of churches that has very clear convictions around the kind of songs - but more specifically, the kind of writers - whose songs many of the network churches are willing to use. As I understand it, the concern is essentially that using a song from a particular church or movement is viewed as an endorsement of its theology. Don’t get me wrong, songs matter, and so does theology. Songs often function as portable theology for our congregations. And so therefore we should be discerning about what we put in the minds, mouths, and hearts of our people. But our primary responsibility is not to be gatekeepers of songs, but disciple-makers. We need to teach, lead, and serve in such a way that our people become increasingly discerning of the diet of songs they listen to and love.
As I have developed my own philosophy of worship, and frankly, as worship songs have become an industry saturating our choices as local church worship leaders, it has become harder for me to listen to an album and want to introduce every song to my congregation. Because I am often considering the holes in my master song list, I become less convinced that just because this is an artist I love, and with whom I am theologically aligned, does not mean that every song they send into the world is one I will receive.
Let your convictions guide your choices. If you feel convinced that songs from churches you would not attend will be more harmful than helpful for your congregation, then do not use those songs. My conviction is that we need songs that are deep theologically, and emotive responsively - seldom do those two factors exist in a single song. So that shapes the songs I choose to introduce and the way I construct my set lists.
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