Blog | Should Your Church Invest in Original Worship Music?
Should Your Church Invest in Original Worship Music?
In today’s worship culture, it’s easy to be inspired by churches that are consistently writing and releasing original music. Their songs resonate deeply within their communities and often spread far beyond them. It’s a beautiful picture—and one that naturally leads other churches to ask: Should we be doing that too?
The short answer? Maybe. Writing and introducing original worship music can be a powerful, life-giving endeavor—but only if your church is ready. Songwriting is a craft, and not every church has the people or the infrastructure in place to pursue it well… yet. Let’s unpack the potential benefits of investing in original worship, while also being honest about the challenges—especially the need for skill development and patience.
The Case for Original Music
1. Contextual Relevance
Original songs can give voice to the specific journey of your church. Whether you’re navigating a season of healing, unity, vision, or grief, your community’s own language and heart can be reflected more directly in homegrown lyrics and melodies.
2. Ownership and Identity
Singing a song your church wrote fosters a unique sense of ownership and spiritual connection. These songs become part of your church’s DNA—reminders of what God is doing here and now, not just somewhere else.
3. Creative Engagement
Encouraging original songwriting taps into the gifts of your worship team, stretching them creatively and spiritually. When done well, it can be an incredible discipleship opportunity for musicians, lyricists, and leaders alike.
The Challenges—And Why Readiness Matters
1. Not Every Church Has the Right People Yet
This is a key point: songwriting isn’t just about inspiration—it’s about craft. Great worship songs don’t happen by accident. They require a blend of theological depth, musical skill, lyrical clarity, and congregational awareness. If your team doesn’t currently include people with that mix of abilities, it may take months—or even years—of development before the songs being written are ready to be shared with your congregation. That’s okay. There’s no shame in waiting, growing, and learning.
2. It Takes Time to Develop Skill
You wouldn’t expect someone to preach before learning how to study Scripture or communicate clearly—and the same should apply to songwriting. Churches sometimes rush into writing with good intentions but poor preparation, resulting in songs that fall flat or confuse rather than inspire. Just like any form of ministry, songwriting demands intentional training, feedback, and practice over time.
3. Congregational Fit Matters
Even well-written songs can miss the mark if they don’t connect with your congregation’s musical culture or spiritual rhythms. Introducing new music—especially originals—requires pastoral discernment. Is the song singable? Does it serve the people or simply showcase the artist? Without thoughtful consideration, original music can accidentally distance people rather than draw them in.
4. Limited Resources
Producing even a basic demo requires time, money, and equipment—not to mention skill in arrangement, mixing, and production. If your church is not in a position to invest these resources wisely, you may risk discouragement or burnout among your worship team.
How to Approach Original Music with Wisdom
1. Assess and Develop Your Team
Start by identifying people with songwriting potential. Encourage them to study worship music structure, lyric writing, and theology. Consider hosting writing workshops, bringing in experienced mentors, or partnering with other churches who have done this well.
2. Start Small and Build Slowly
Don’t feel pressured to write full albums right away. Try writing a single verse or chorus that fits into an existing worship song. Or create a response song tied to a specific sermon series and test it in smaller settings like youth group or midweek gatherings.
3. Embrace the Long Game
Recognize that building a songwriting culture may take years—and that’s okay. Set realistic expectations, celebrate small wins, and focus on the spiritual formation of your team as much as the music they produce.
4. Don’t Force It
There’s no biblical mandate to write original worship music. If your church thrives by curating and contextualizing songs from other sources, that’s a faithful and fruitful path too. Writing should never be about keeping up with trends—it should be about serving your people and glorifying God.
Conclusion
Original worship music can become a rich expression of your church’s heart and story—but only when the foundation is in place. It’s a journey that requires patience, skill development, and pastoral wisdom. If your team is ready to grow, lean into the process with humility and creativity. But if it’s not time yet, that’s perfectly okay. Serve your congregation with excellence right where you are, and trust that God will provide the right songs—whether they’re written in your sanctuary or discovered through the global Church.
Either way, the goal remains the same: lifting up Christ in a way that helps your people see Him more clearly and respond more fully.
About the Author
Josh Tarp is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and worship leader from Minneapolis with over 15 years of experience in church & worship leadership. Josh serves as the Director of Marketing at Motion Worship, helping to write various blog posts, managing social media, designing graphics, and handling customer service.