By Bob Kauflin
Director of Worship Development, PDI Ministries

Crosswalk.com Spiritual Life Channel - As new CDs find their way to my CD player each week, I've noticed that an increasing number are advertised as containing "worship songs." Given the unusually broad range of styles and topics found in these songs, I'm forced to ask myself a basic question: What in the world IS a worship song?
Any song can be a worship song in the broad sense, if it is written or performed for the glory of God, or listened to for the purpose of exalting God. As I've listened to a Beethoven piano sonata, I've found myself praising God for the beautiful harmonies, moving melodies, and creative rhythmic structure. Should we therefore call it a "worship song?" I don't think so. The term "worship song" is probably most helpful when it is confined to describing those songs that God's people use when praising Him corporately.
Good worship songs, then, should have certain characteristics that enable God's people to declare his praise together. Here are three elements that come to mind.
First, the lyrics of a corporate worship song should be clearly related to biblical truth and a scriptural worldview. Worship songs are not simply the outpouring of my feelings or thoughts about God, however intensely I might be experiencing them. Even the emotional outpourings of the Psalms are nearly always accompanied by a clear reference to the character or actions of the God who is being addressed. Worship is God's idea and God's gift to us, made possible through the atoning sacrifice of His Son on the cross. It is my right response to who God is and what He has done. A good worship song, then, should contain some aspect of who God is or who we are in Christ, and it should be expressed in a way that everyone can understand.
Second, worship songs should be easy-to-sing  (more or less) for almost anyone. A song can inspire me to worship God but be ineffective for use in a congregation. More than once I've introduced a song in my church that ended up being too difficult for people to learn. On the other hand, when an unfamiliar style has made a melody seem impossible to learn, repetition has sometimes enabled the congregation to adapt. But care should always be taken to write and present songs that people can enjoy singing together.
Third, good worship songs intentionally and successfully exalt God over against our own creativity. While we want always to be seeking fresh ways of communicating eternal truths, "there is a level beyond which literature cannot rise if it is to be good hymnody” (Erik Routley, respected 20th-century hymnologist). The same can be said of music.  In corporate settings of worship, art in general, and music in particular, should direct our attention and focus immediately to truths about the God we worship. Worship songs cease to be effective when creative lyrical or musical hooks dominate our thoughts and distract us from focusing on the One whose praise they are meant to inspire. This can be a tough lesson for gifted musicians to learn; it’s why sometimes a lesser musician can actually contribute more to a worship team than a better musician who has yet to “get it.”
Biblical words, easily sung melodies, and focused creativity: while certainly not a comprehensive list of what makes a good worship song, this gives us a place to start as we begin our discussion of the praise and worship movement.
Next time we'll look at the ways we've benefited from the recent outpouring of praise and worship songs.