WorshipCentral

Hey Thea! It sounds like you and the band are at a bit of a crossroads. I’d not presume to tell you what to do. But if you’re writing music the band doesn’t appreciate; or if you’re wanting to write music more as a service to the church, and they want it to be more expressive, things may not work out. I’m reading into it a bit.

If there are people around you, like worship leader guy Matt :), who you can talk to about this I’d recommend seeing if they have thoughts to help you make a decision. The thing with writing worship music is, you’re not going to “get it out” in the same way as if you were in a Christian rock band. That is something to consider as well.

Thanks Marc, sounds good!
I guess it's not the end of the partnership for 3sixteen because some of the stuff I write for them is fine...
Thanks

Hi thea!
Well from my position.... is sort of go at it two ways! one go for this band 3sixteen.... support them encourage them and keep writing songs for them. Another is just write songs to God from your heart and keep 'em as songs in your own worship time to God. If you think they could be used as congregational.... then talk to matt... or DAVE SMIFF!!!!!!! Apparantly he's recording an album capturing the heart of worship from the youth of winchester and is looking for people to co-write songs with, to get them on board... to make an album full of music to God. Above all im sure he'd be 110% up for listening to your song and looking to lead worhsip with it if he feels called by God to!

Hope this helps

all the best

Hey david

Thanks, thats really amazing, I'm sitting in Key skills and it totally made my day!!! I totally think DAVE SMIFF is an amzing guy totally full of God and an amazing worship leader!! Actually I'll see him tonight!!!

small world huh!!!

lots of love .... to you STRANGER!!!
x x x x

Hi Thea

I thought this was a great question, because practically when you write a song it's a big step to show it to others (you're always putting a bit of yourself on the line), but often a bigger step to then get what you've written heard by others. With this in mind it's good that you're past this hurdle and involving others at church, but also it's a massive bonus that you've got an outlet to work on songs via 3sixteen too.

You said it's congregational stuff your writing so I'd agree with the previous entries that the obvious step is to speak to whoever is in charge of worship at Christ Church (either worship group leader or whoever heads it up), and perhaps run a couple of your songs past them. Is there a process for introducing new songs to the church, if so, try and work within what's already in place.

I think it boils down to prayerfully pushing some doors, and seeing what opens up. God cares about His praise infinitely more than we do because He fully understands how great He is, and so if He wants to involve and use your song writing to bless your guys things will start opening up. Try not to dwell on negative responses either and keep knocking.

I was drawn to your question as I'm Winchester based too (I head up worship at the Family Church) and have gone on a similar journey to yourself. I know looking back at my early writing, a lot of it was quite inward looking and as David mentioned above, was really only for my own worship times with God. But over time this developed and matured, and as I've caught hold of a vision to write for the church I'm serving in, I've seen this gift used and released.

Having a passion to serve your church through worship and through song-writing is a great thing so keep using and honing your gift; God will use it in His perfect timing.

Blessings

Jon

One perhaps obvious thought I had, but I'll share it anyway, is that a worship song is written to bless God's heart; so to answer the question "how do I get it heard?", you simply play it to Him earnestly - He is, after all, the only audience that matters.
I do not mean to devalue sharing your works with others, but if you can't be happy with the audience of One (God), then you won't ever be happy even if you got to play it at a Live Aid sized gig.
I've just seen too many songwriters get annoyed, frustrated, some even jaded and bitter because other people don't appreciate what they done... but the sad thing is that means they have missed the key point.

Excellent comment from Nath - really hits the nail on the head.

Don't strive too much in your own energy to "get songs heard", if God has a plan for something He has inspired you to do beyond sharing your gift with Him, then doors will open and things will happen regardless of any apparent obstacles. That said, we do have to put one foot after the other on the path that He makes for us - so Integrity Music aren't just gonna call you out of the blue on their own are they?! ;)

Some thoughts: ask your minister/pastor to check the theology of the songs you write...it will help develop your craft and also make them aware that this is something you are doing.

Think of introducing it to a small group rather than the whole church at a corporate worship event (cell, house or youth groups?) that way you'll also get a feel for how easy people think it is to learn or sing along to.

I've written a lot of songs over the years; most of them are dross, others are unfinished, others are just between me and my maker and others I have wanted to share with my brothers and sisters. Pray about it, sing them often in private and ask people casually rather than "You guys!!!! You HAVE to hear this!!!"

IMHO I hope that helps a bit too :)

http://uk.myspace.com/lorenzotunes

John 3.16 --> 1 Jn 3.16 This is love.

Thanks guys, really helpful... I think God is definatly my most important auidence and I will definatly remember that, it's so easy to forget when the world arround you says fame and fortune!! really apprecaite that actually thanks guys!!!

Thea x