Are there any new ideas out there?

Musicians are constantly encouraged to write new music, and create new ideas in every musical genre. It doesn’t matter if it is for a symphony, a rock band, or an R&B label. But is this actually possible? Think about how many movies in the last 5 years have been remakes of classic films. Here is a short list: Gone in 60 Seconds, Planet of the Apes, King Kong, The Borne Identity, and Ocean’s 11. It doesn’t take long to have 6 versions of a new top 40 release either. How many versions of The Wind Beneath My Wings are there? Just for curiosity sake I checked: According to Napster this week there are 72 different recordings of the song.

So what is my point? New music is written every day, new books every month, and new movies are released every weekend. As a worship leader, everything I desire to be aware of changing music trends while digging down to the roots of Christian music heritage at the same time. For me, what makes new worship songs exiting is the way they can say the “same old thing” again and again in a new way.

We have been singing a new song by Tim Hughes called Almighty God. Listen to his story behind the song, and see if you don’t think of it every time we sing this song in the future.

There is a song that goes on all around us. The wind rushing through the trees, the waves lapping against the shore, the birds filling the air with melody. Creation is alive in song, responding to its Creator. A couple of years ago my wife and I spent an extended break, staying in a beautiful house, just outside Sydney, Australia. We were blown away by the glory of creation. Everyday we would marvel at the sights, sounds and smells all around us.

Our hearts were stirred to worship. I wanted to write a song on this theme, creation responding to the greatness of God. I spent a long time on the lyrics, describing creation’s praise. “The rising sun that fills the sky. The starry hosts that lights the night. Reflecting Your glory.”

The song climaxes through the chorus into the bridge, “Creation joins as one to sing, Glorious God.” When we worship as gathered church, we join not only with millions of fellow believers throughout the world; we also join with creations praise, lifting up the Almighty God, who is beyond understanding.

I like the picture he paints of he universal church joining hands together to worship the Almighty God. To take it a step further, think of joining hands together with people of past generations in worship. Imagine how great it will be to take Martin Luther King Jr.’s hand and sing, or grab Abraham Lincoln’s big gangly palm and shout out in worship, or dance before God with Mother Teresa. What a day that will be!