What is the purpose of this page?

Are you singing without thinking? Or worse, are you leading singing without thinking about the songs you are choosing? Song leaders, like preachers and teachers, have a tremendous responsibility. Does your song leader take that responsibility seriously? Or does he take it lightly?

Singing is an important part of our worship service. Although the church properly rejects the use of musical instruments in worship, we often are not as quick to reject songs that are clearly at odds with the word of God. Many of the songs we sing originated in the denominational world, so it should not be surprising that some of those songs contain denominational errors. Indeed, some of the newest song books are the worst in this regard because they were deliberately designed to appeal to (and hence be sold to) the denominations that surround us. Thus, for those of us who use these new song books, it is very important that we pay particular attention to the songs that we sing so that those denominational errors do not enter into our worship service.

Many of the problem songs on this page are problems because they proclaim doctrines that are opposed to the word of God. Some of the songs are problems for another reason - they are trite, meaningless, and poorly written. God demands our very best, and we fall far short of that standard when we sing camp songs during our worship service. Such songs also have a tremendous opportunity cost. Each time we sing a song such as "Shine, Jesus, Shine," we have lost the opportunity to sing a song such as "Sweet Hour of Prayer" or "Trust and Obey."

One particularly striking example of a problem song is the song "We Bow Down," which is Song #577 in the popular song book Songs of Faith and Praise. According to that song, Jesus is not presently the King of Kings and the Lord or Lords, but he will be King of Kings and Lord or Lords someday. Worse yet, the song tells us that we (yes, we!) are the ones who crown Jesus and make him king. If we are crowning Jesus king, then doesn't it make you wonder who is bowing down to whom? Doesn't the person who is crowned have to bow down before the one who crowns him? Who gave us the authority to crown Jesus king? WE OBEY JESUS BECAUSE HE ALREADY IS KING. WE DO NOT CROWN HIM KING WHEN WE OBEY HIM! The song is entitled "We Bow Down," but the words of the song have Jesus bowing down before us while we crown him king! In short, the song "We Bow Down" is blasphemous and should be taken out of our song books so that it will not ever be sung during our worship to God. I, for one, refuse to sing a song that puts me in the place of God crowning Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords! It is very telling that, while I have had many people write me in support of that song, no one has ever even attempted to defend it based on the word of God.

One purpose of this web page is to provide a list of these problem songs so they can be corrected or not used. Another purpose is to get people to think about what they are singing. The Bible is the inerrant word of God, but our song books are works of man. The first step to improving our worship in song is to start paying attention to the words we are singing! Another purpose of this web page is to discourage the use of a particularly problematic song book that is heavily used and promoted by those congregations among us who are known for taking liberties with the word of God.

One last point is that this list is not intended to include only "new" songs. Although I think that many of the new songs that we sing are very poorly written, doctrinal errors do not appear in only the poorly written songs. Also, I understand that what I consider to be cacophonous and banal may be beautiful to others, and so I readily admit that there is a subjective component to the songs on this list, but I have tried to consider the songs as objectively as possible.

I receive many emails about this portion of the website, and I am always happy to read your comments, whether supportive or not. For those in the latter category, the purpose of this web page is very clearly stated above, and I ask that you please read it carefully before you send me an email.

For more information about music in worship, please click here.

Tips for Song Leaders

1. Whenever possible, choose songs that fit the theme of the sermon. And when the preacher requests that you sing a particular song, make every effort to accomodate the request unless the song has a doctrinal problem or you are unable to sing it. If the song is in the latter category, then perhaps you should let someone else lead singing that day.

2. Always sing the final verse of the invitation song following the sermon. People sometimes wait to respond until the last possible moment, and when you cut the song short without warning you deprive them of that opportunity.

3. You should lead invitation songs that are actually invitation songs. (This task is difficult with Songs of Faith and Praise because, although that book includes over 1000 songs, the editors chose to include very few invitation songs. See a list of missing songs below.)

Songs that are NOT in the book "Songs of Faith and Praise"

1. God is Calling the Prodigal

2. There's a Great Day Coming

3. I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord

4. Who At the Door is Standing?

5. Why Do You Wait?

6. Will You Come?

7. I Am Coming to the Cross

8. I Am Praying for You

9. Is Thy Heart Right With God?

10. Jesus is Calling (Why Should I Linger?)

11. Would You Live for Jesus?

12. Prepare to Meet Thy God

13. Soul, A Savior Thou Art Needing

14. While Jesus Whispers To You

15. While We Pray and While We Plead

16. Oft We Come Together

17. Almost Persuaded

18. Are You Coming to Jesus Tonight?

19. Come to Jesus

20. Come to the Feast (All Things Are Ready)

21. I am Coming, Lord (complete)

22. Here Me When I Call

23. What Will Your Answer Be?

We Bow Down by Twila Paris (1984)

This song incorrectly suggests that Jesus is not presently the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It also states that we have crowned Jesus king, making one wonder who is bowing down before whom!

Oh, but we must make Jesus Lord of our Life, right? But if Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, then doesn't that mean he is already Lord of our Life? Of course! What we need to do is acknowledge his Lordship and obey his word. Man cannot make Jesus Lord of anything. Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of everything! (Acts 10:36; Rev. 17:14)

There is only one example in the Bible of men placing a crown on the head of Jesus Christ -- and it was a crown of thorns. For more about the kingdom of Jesus Christ, see my lesson on the Kingdom of God.

This song also provides a sad example of the humanism that infects many of these problem songs. According to this song, Jesus becomes King and Lord only when men obey him; we, rather than God, make him King. In this song, man is the fixed point with Jesus being the one that changes. But what does the Bible say? "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Finally, many readers have noted that the song "King of my life, I crown thee now" has a similar problem. I agree. We shouldn't sing that song either.

Shine, Jesus, Shine by G. Kendrick

This song is part of what I call the "Get Busy, Jesus" medley. In this song we command Jesus to shine, we command the Spirit to blaze, and we command Jesus to send forth his word. Jesus will shine in this world when his church is the light of the world. The Spirit will blaze when the Lord's church proclaims and lives the Spirit-inspired Word of God. Jesus has already sent forth his word, but perhaps his church could follow his great commission and proclaim that word. In short, rather than telling Jesus to get busy, why don't we get busy instead? Hasn't Jesus already done his part? (John 19:30, Romans 10:6-7, Matthew 5:14-16, Phil. 2:15-16)

He Lives by A. H. Ackley (1933)

"You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart." If anyone ever asks you how you know that Jesus lives, please give them a better answer than that! The evidence for the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is overwhelming. See also 1 Peter 3:15.

Follow Me by Ira F. Stamphill (1953)

"If just a cup of water I place within your hand, then just a cup of water is all that I demand." The author of this song must never have read the parable of the talents! If just a single talent I place within your hand, then just a single talent is all that I demand?

Father (Traditional)

"Father, show me now that you love me." Show me now that you love me?? Yes, Father, I know that you sent your only begotten son to die on the cross for my sins --- but what have you done for me lately? We should sing and pray instead that we will show God that we love Him. And how do we do that? By our obedience to his word. See John 14:15.

Farther Along by W. B. Stevens (1911)

"Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long, while there are others living about us, never molested tho in the wrong. Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why." On the one hand, a similar question is asked in Jeremiah 12:1. Yet, on the other hand, I think that we as Christians have the answer to this now and don't need to wait until we are farther along to understand why.

Celebrate Jesus by Gary Oliver (1988)

"Celebrate Jesus, celebrate!" This phrase has become very popular among the denominations. When told the truth regarding baptism, for example, they respond, "Let's just celebrate Jesus. Isn't that all we really need to do?" They would, no doubt, love this song. (I, however, do not.)

What does it mean to "celebrate Jesus" anyway? Can we celebrate him without loving him? One would think not. And what does it mean to love Jesus? We show our love for him by obeying his word. (John 14:15) Instead of singing "celebrate Jesus," why don't we sing "obey Jesus"? It is easier to understand and leaves much less room for misunderstanding. Oh, but "celebrate Jesus" gives us a lot more wiggle room, doesn't it!

Heavenly Father, We Appreciate You (Traditional)

And as a small token of our appreciation, we are going to sing this trite little song. (Please see my comments above regarding opportunity cost.)

Just a Little Talk with Jesus by Cleavant Derricks (1937)

This song instructs us to pray to Jesus, whereas the Bible instructs us to pray to the Father in the name of the Son. (See, for example,Col. 3:17; Mat. 6:9; John 16:23.) But, you ask, what about Stephen in Acts 7:59? Stephen was not praying to Jesus -- he was speaking to Jesus directly and face-to-face. (See Acts 7:56.) We will not be able to do that ourselves until we get to Heaven. Also, if Stephen was praying to Jesus in Acts 7:59, then doesn't that mean that Saul was also praying to Jesus in Acts 9:6? If not, why not?

This song also seems to suggest that we are saved by having a talk with Jesus -- that is, by the so-called Sinner's Prayer that is trumpeted by much of the denominational world. What does the Bible say about that? Saul had a little talk with Jesus on the road to Damascus, but he was not saved until a few days later when he was baptized. (Acts 22:16)

Lamb of God by Twila Paris (1985)

"Your gift of love they crucified, They laughed and scorned Him as He died, The humble King they named a fraud And sacrificed the Lamb of God." The angry mob did not sacrifice the son of God; they murdered the son of God. (Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.") Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. (Hebrews 9:26 "but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.") See also John 10:18; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14; and 1 Cor. 5:7.

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