CCLI (an organization that licenses lyric display for churches) announced yesterday the new rankings of the top songs used in worship services:

1. How Great Is Our God
2. Blessed Be Your Name
3. Here I Am To Worship
4. Mighty To Save
5. Open The Eyes Of My Heart
6. Everlasting God
7. Shout To The Lord
8. Holy Is The Lord
9. Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
10. Forever
11. Come Now Is The Time To Worship
12. Lord I Lift Your Name On High
13. Your Grace Is Enough
14. You Are My King
15. God Of Wonders
16. The Heart Of Worship
17. Beautiful One
18. We Fall Down
19. Trading My Sorrows
20. You Are My All In All

Out of these top 20, we heavily rely on about 13 of them.  And we semi-regularly use another 7 of them.  (“Lord, I Lift Your Name On High” is the only one we do not use at all.)

I like that our church uses songs that are also being sung in churches all over the world.  It makes me feel like my church is part of something bigger than just our local congregation (and it is!).  Just as the Church has collected songs from across all generations that have now become part of our collective hymnody, I believe that process continues today, and it’s reflected on lists like the ones you see above.

I’ve visited other churches and felt totally out of place because I didn’t know the songs they were singing.  Unlike their worship organizers, I don’t want to be too progressive… constantly sing new songs that no one knows.  And I don’t want to be too behind-the-times… singing worn out “choruses” all the time.  And I don’t want to be too individualistic by singing songs that I really like but that have not found broad acceptance in the church.

That’s not to say that we don’t include some home grown songs written by our own team once and a while… or a less familiar song that really sums up our mission well.  A song doesn’t have to top CCLI’s charts to get a spot in our Sunday service.  And just because it’s on the list doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily play it.  But I do lean toward these popular songs that have gained acceptance in churches all over the world!

That’s one of the criteria (along with biblical faithfulness, singability, etc.) that I rely on, and I think it’s a valuable one to use!  What do you think?

Posted in: Cool Stuff, Musical Musings