Top Tips for Good Song Selection

The Valentines Menu

I went to a reastaraunt recently and they were advertisting their Valentines Menu in an attempt to encourage people to book their table ahead of the big day. However, their menu (some of it pictured above) was a source of much amusement! Here are some of the Valentines themed meals available:

'Together Forever - Buffalo Mozarella, Basil and Tomato Tian served with Creme Fraiche'

'A Midnight Dip - Sweet Chilli Roasted Duck on a Herb Mash with Roasted Plumb and a Rich Port and Brandy Reduction'

'Hugs and Kisses - Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Pod Ice Cream'

(Have a look at some of the other meals on the menu above)

What made it so funny was the lack of connection or relevance between the name of the meal and its actual description. Knowing that the meal is called 'Together Forever' I certainly wouldn't expect Buffalo Mozarella to turn up on my plate!

Bad Song Selection

So how does this relate to worship song selection I hear you ask? Well, if we are not careful or deliberate with our song choice when compiling a set list for the service our songs have the potential of becoming the Valentines Menu!

• If the songs we choose have no thread of continuity or no obvious link with the topic of the sermon;
• if all we are interested in is playing the Christian Top Ten from the CCLI Charts;
• if the width and depth of themes within our song database is very narrow

 - you could be serving up some very unexpected Buffalo Mozarella!

How To Make Your Song Selection More Palatable

Here are some thoughts and choices I am faced with when selecting songs for a church worship set list. These may not all apply at the same time, but are worth having in the back of your mind when choosing songs for a coprorate worship service:

• Pray - first of all, ask God what He will be doing during the service. What themes are on His heart?
• Consult - have a conversation or send a few emails to the preacher. Where do they think the theme or topic is going?
• Read - if you have accessd to the particular passage of scripture being taught, read it, think about it, pray about it. Do any songs spring to your mind when you engage with that part of scripture?
• Try to choose songs that support the main theme or points of the preaching in some way.
• Not all songs have to match the theme, but some should.
• Some themes are easier to find songs for than others - when the theme is a particularly difficult one such as: 'Peter and Simon the Sorcerer' (in the book of Acts), it is even more important to speak to the preacher. For example, in this instance, the main focus was The Holy Spirit so therefore easier to find songs for.
• If you find no songs about a particular theme, perhaps you or your team could try to write one? Plug the gap!
• New songs - decide whether this particular theme / week is an appropriate one to introduce that new song you have been working on or not?
• Plan in advance - for example we have already started learning a new song that will be a great one for Easter!
• Try to select songs that vary in pace / tone - in order to get that ebb and flow through the worship, try to select a variety of songs that range from an up-beat call to worship, to some more medatative and reflective songs. I know at my church we like to end with an up-beat song if possible.
• Try to select songs from a range of time periods. I know this is not always possible and may clash against some churches music style. But even if you re-work some old hymns with a more modern sound, it would be worth doing. I believe it is important to maintain a sens of balance bewteen the ancient and modern (and not-so-new-anymore) songs as this helps to keep our worship in the perpective of the global and historical church. We are not the first ones to believe in Jesus. We are part of a deep and wide history. God has moved in the past, so will move again now, and in the future.

Over to you.

Have you got other tips or advice to add to the suggestions above? What has worked for you? Please feel free to share your ideas below in the comment section. Thanks.

Related Article: How to Introduce New Worship Songs

Related Article: How To Create Song Order in a Worship Setlist