ac·ces’si·bil’i·ty: easy to approach, reach, enter, speak with, or use.
I’m
the kind of person that loves change and variety. I get bored with
things quickly, especially when it comes to my music. The invention of
the ipod is a gift from the heavens. I can take a lot of music on a
trip without lugging around the big CD carriers. When it comes to
worship music, you definitely hear a lot of the same out there. There
are definitely amazing songs still coming out for sure, but there is
still a little blandness that seems to seep onto the radio every now
and again. And with my discontentment with "more of the same", I tend
to use the ipod more.
With all that being said, when it comes to
writing songs for the church, what is important? Lyrical content is
what brings meaning to a song. The lyrics speak the message of the song
clearly. I heard
Tim Hughes
at a conference one time. He reminded us to write songs that make
sense. Look carefully at your lyrics, and make sure they are truth. I
put my songs in front of several people that I trust, and ask for an
honest proof and critique. When it comes to the music, there’s only so
many chord progressions available. The melody line is where we can find
some distinction. The melody line, for me, is the most important part
of the music. This is where we can create a unique piece of art. The
melody line is also a definer for the accessibility of a worship tune.
When
I first started writing worship songs, I definitely wasn’t thinking
about accessibility. I would try my hardest to write a really cool,
unique and sometimes challenging melody. The problem is that worship
songs are primarily written as hymns for the local church to lift up in
praise. The crowds that we lead are not ruled by trained vocalists, so
naturally, we need to think about them as we write.
Mark Roach
said something to me that I haven’t forgot. He said that he has to
force himself to write a little boring sometimes. At first, it sounds
like you have to limit your skill level, when writing worship tunes,
but it’s actually more of a challenge. To write a song that is simple
and accessible, yet something that still has it’s own personality and
distinction is a real challenge. To me, Chris Tomlin and Paul Baloche
are great examples. Writing worship songs well, is a quite a beast,
because you’re writing them for others to sing, not just yourself. It’s
also an amazing motive. Writing worship songs, when done well, can
truly be a selfless art, especially if you’re keeping the accessibility
of your people as a top priority.
There is certainly a balance
to seek, though. Primarily, we want to make our worship services as
accessible as possible, but there’s also something to be said about
stretching our crowd and helping them grow.
How do you find that balance as a worship leader? What songs are good stretchers, yet still accessible?
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Gary Durbin
