Why My Church Still Sings Hillsong and Bethel Music
I’m not a casualty of the Christian Worship Wars, but I’ve definitely been wounded. Music is potent. And therefore can be controversial in every genre and among every people. Seeing as how the American church divides over things like the color of the carpet, it does not surprise that we argue about what we sing.
In my circles for the last 25 years, the main topic has been older hymns vs. contemporary music. Thankfully, most churches I know blend them. Which is typically the easy but also mature solution. Unity matters. Yet I still have known those who strongly favored one over the other. Usually, those who love older hymns. And they have often been ready to verbalize and debate it.
Those debates still exist, though I encounter them less frequently these days. The rage in church music based on my social media feed has transitioned to a specific category of contemporary Christian music: songs published by groups like Hillsong and Bethel. I read articles and posts about this with interest because I want to be informed.
And I get the concern with the beliefs of certain churches and pastors. There are false prophets with huge followings, and terrible theology that is popular. Even knowing this, I have decided that my church will not avoid everything by groups like Hillsong and Bethel. Here are my reasonings as to why:
1. My Primary Goal For Church Music Is to Sing the Bible
Despite whatever theological failings the churches may have, Hillsong and Bethel’s musicians have produced scripturally sound songs with overtly biblical lyrics. They perfectly complement my sermons. Consider “This I Believe (The Creed)”. Based entirely on the Apostle’s Creed, it communicates the most essential truths Christianity offers about Jesus, The Trinity, The Resurrection, and more. These beliefs separate Christianity from other religions. They show how wholly distinct (i.e., holy) our God is. And historically, Christians have died for believing them.
Similar are “O Praise The Name (Anástasis),” “Goodness of God,” and “I Am Who You Say I Am”. I can easily cite the biblical basis for nearly every line in them. As such, they are part of the regular rotation of songs at my church.
Whatever false teachings are out there by the churches, they do not show up in these songs. My people only stand to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ by singing them.
One teenage girl at my church chose “The Creed” for her National Competition song this year. One day, when she sees her faith tested through suffering or opposition, I pray the words to this song ring in her ears and soul.
2. My Secondary Goal For Church Music Is To Sing Songs That Are Meaningful To Them
Singing the Bible reigns supreme. But, right behind that, I want my church to sing songs that matter to them. I want them to sing songs that they love singing. I want songs they can and will sing at the top of their voice. Emotion is not the goal but should often be a result. When my church sings “O Praise The Name (Anástasis),” and we get to the lyric,
Then on the third at break of dawn
The Son of heaven rose again
O trampled death where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King
people in my congregation have shouted out in joy before. I love that! Similarly, there are times someone may be singing one of these songs as a special. When our people are seated. And the truth of the song will cause someone to spontaneously stand up. Then others follow. And soon the church is standing in honor of the worship of the King of Kings! Glory!
Let me be real. Two things I cannot stand in church musical worship are 1) When people are singing and going through the motions, emotionally dead and 2) When a service is filled with songs the people barely know and have to rely too much on the lyrics on the screen, making it awkward1. So I’m thankful for the gift of songs like “Goodness of God”. Not only are they biblical, but my people (especially the younger generation I desperately want to disciple) treasure them deeply. And can sing them in their sleep. My wife has even written about this particular song and how its lyrics have helped us navigate the journey of our 2-year old son having a brain tumor.
Years ago I heard MercyMe’s Bart Millard speak of attending a Garth Brooks concert. How all 20,000 people there were singing “Friends In Low Places” together. He said even though the song is about an indecent lifestyle, there was something magical about that many people crying out together with one voice. How much more powerful is it when it is God’s truth that people are singing passionately in mass? That is what I want to hear on Sundays.
3. Evaluating Source Material For Worship Music Is Convoluted
A classic example of how hairy it is to study authors of our worship songs is H.G. Spafford. You may know that he wrote “It Is Well With My Soul,” in 1873 after his daughters died. It remains a mega-popular hymn of lament and hope in the English-speaking world. Yet by the end of his life, Spafford began espousing unbiblical views on important topics. Should we stop singing his song?
I’m positive if I could comb through the hymn book (I won’t) and do a deep dive on every author of the popular entries, I’d find more disturbing information. It is just the nature of humanity. Some even claim that John Newton wrote Amazing Grace while still invested in the slave trade.
Another issue is that by singing the songs from groups like Hillsong and Bethel is that we are supporting them. I get that. Yet I think the prior points are too important to the health of my church to allow this to be a dealbreaker. Also, it causes me to think of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:
"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry...[They] preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."
The Gospel is preached when anyone sings the aforementioned songs. Furthermore, I don’t know that I want to go down the road of trying to figure out the morality of everyone I support, within the church or not. I mean, if I pay a mechanic to do good work on my car and he uses that money to go get drunk on Saturday night, what do I do? This is similar to why I’ve rarely boycotted anything.
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Thankfully, some of the articles I have read that talk about not using Bethel or Hillsong music have said it was a personal decision. Not intended to be an absolute truth issue. That is my aim as well. If churches or individuals boycott music from these groups, I understand. I just want to make disciples. Do I need these songs to accomplish that? No. I do not. But they help immensely. And my people adore singing them, just as they do “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “The Solid Rock”.
So I advocate, as typical for Rambling Ever On, for discernment on an individual level. Feedback is always welcomed. Notably in the comment section below.
- Of course, we learn new songs periodically and this can’t be avoided then. But on principle, I want our service to be mostly songs our people are going to sing loudly and earnestly. ↩
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I wholehearedly agree with all you said! I love all music that glorifies God and can help me lead someone to the Lord…but I do have to disagree with you on one point…in your description of yourself after the article…GOOOOOOO TIGERS!!!!
Thank you! And ha! to the last part. No doubt your school has all the bragging rights. I’d take 3 football championships ever the two baseball and women’s basketball rings we have. In SC, Football championships are everything. We also haven’t won the big game since before I met my wife. Crazy!
Thank you, Gowdy. Well-written, balanced, nuanced, and discerning. One of the best things you’ve written.
Thanks, Steve, as always.
Yes. 100% yes.
Thumbs up emoji!
Yes!!!! I’ve honestly prayed on this subject and come to these same sentiments. “I just want to make disciples!” Yes!! Yes!! Yes!!!
Thank you so much for this article, Gowdy!!
My pleasure and thanks for the encouragement.
Absolutely agree!
Thanks!
Thank you Gowdy for this article. I have been processing the issues myself. Great thoughts and well balanced.
Thank you. In talking to my brother privately, who has also dealt with this kind of thing in church, the idea of telling your church “We sing these but do not support any false teaching for any church” seems to be prudent. I seriously doubt anyone from my church has ever heard or read anything from the home church’s pastors or leaders. They just like the music. But it’s not unwise to want to be sure.
Thank you so much my brother. That’s so well balanced and resonates with what I believe. I sing music that is in line with God’s word, makes me conscious of God’s presence and that’s music aligned with God’s word. I wish we did not have scandal in the church but unfortunately we do. But it would be hypocritical of me to enjoy a song today because I haven’t heard what pastor so and so did, and then as soon as I hear of the scandal, the song I enjoyed suddenly becomes evil. There are some good hymns but I know of several that aren’t truly biblical. I sing the word based ones and avoid the latter. I maintain the same attitude towards contemporary christian music. And just as you correctly pointed out, some of the hymn writers did not do so well in their christian lives, but we sing their songs as long as they are biblically sound. I will not stop singing a song that affirms my faith in Jesus and helps me worship him by expressing lyrics that I could not come up with, I’m always thankful to God for inspiring people to write word based, powerful and inspiring songs. I do get disappointed when ugly scandal shows up in the lives of people I look up to but I will not throw out the baby with the bath water!
Well said my brother. This is a really good article.
Thank you!
Heathen! 🙂
Ha! You should hear all the jokes/comments I’ve been getting at National.
I have never attended a National in my whole life. How did I marry in? I’m surprised there were no responses to “speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Ha!
Sorry. You cannot have an Christian music from a grossly errant cult church. Hillsongs founder raped 9 children. Bethel Redding believes they can order God to raise the dead. And the pastor of a Charlotte church says he is God Almighty.
“Our theoretical errors lead to practical failure.” -A. W. Tozer
I disagree. I explain why above. If you would like to engage with the what I wrote, I’d be glad to loving and humbly discuss it. For example, H.G. Spafford believed some awful things before his death, but I won’t stop singing “It Is Well”. “Our theological errors” doesn’t seem to apply to that song. Also, there are no theological errros in any of the songs my church sings. Old, new, Hillsong or not. It’s all orthodox.
Wow. None so blind. Rape is rape and heresy is heresy. Stop rambling and start praying.n
I”m not sure what the heresy is? The songs we sing are all orthodox in their lyrics. One of them is taken directly from the Apostle’s Creed.
And one more thing. H.G. Stafford is dead. Dead Dead Dead.What he once believed has been corrected. Frank Houston raped 9 boys. He died an unrepentant rapist. His son covered up for him. And churches not unlike
yours cover up for the both of them AND pay royalties.
I’m unsure what HG Spafford being dead has do with this. Whatever Hillsong and Bethel believe that is wrong is dealt with in my church, though I deal with teachings far more than pastors, people or groups. I care about attacking doctrine more than personalities. Most of my people have no clue what Hillsong and Bethel believe. I don’t cover up for anyone. I don’t even know who Frank Houston is, as he has no bearing on the lyrics I sing at my church on Sunday. I do pay royalties, but I also give money to Walmart, Disntey, Amazon and Chick-fil-A so I may as well not stop now.
Amen!!!!