16 Feb 09 You too can be a Christian music writer
Some wonder whether or not they have what it takes to be a Christian music writer. What does it take to craft a Christian song? What inspires Christian writers? The answers vary, but the themes are the same: faith, surrender, life, commission and Grace.
Faith is the mortar that holds all Christians united. Each of us is a building block for the foundation of the Kingdom of God on earth. A Christian music writer crafts the masterpieces of his or her art upon this faith foundation.
Surrender is openness to God’s designs in our lives. We lay upon His mantle our plans with full knowledge and acceptance that His plans will change the roadmap we follow. Surrender opens our eyes, minds, hearts and souls to His touch. The Christian music writer surrenders to the will of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Their voice is the guide to his or her music.
To basic human perception, life is the sum total of our experiences on earth and the force which keeps us in motion. It is the period of time during which we occupy physical form and use our free will to follow the roadmap of our choice. Life is the time during which we rise or fall. The Christian music writer lives life as all do, sensing, observing, choosing, acting and listening and places these experiences into song.
We are all commissioned by God to act on His behalf. Many of the works of God are carried out by human hands. The common usage of this term suggests that we are to receive compensation or remuneration for fulfilling a commissioned work. Music of the soul is the work God has commissioned of the Christian music writer whose most important compensation is recognition that His music has touched or will touch the lives of many.
Grace is the salvation freely given to all who choose to follow in the footsteps of Christ. It is the gift that allows us to transcend from an abbreviated physical life into an eternal spiritual life. The Christian music writer sees Grace at work in life and captures its love and power in song.
In short, the Christian music writer recognizes God’s commission and freely chooses to surrender to His will by creating Grace-filled music about life.
Look about you and see life through new eyes. Be inspired. Be open. Surrender. Accept Grace freely given. You too can be a Christian music writer.
Posted by: Rick Matos
Tags: Christian music, Songwriting
Okay, got that. But I’ll add that you need to also understand song structure, hooks, rhymes, meter, dynamics, and all the other things that a good song craftsman uses. A lot of people think that if you’re into a cause it’s an excuse to be sloppy and still get a following. Good discipline goes well with gospel, too!
Thanks for a great post.
Ryan, Absolutely correct! Thanks for the feedback and for checking in.
You know Rick, I am very glad you wrote this word of encouragement. I think if more people tried new things they would find out they can do much more than they are doing and express more of what is in their heart. But, my question is this. After you have written songs, what do you do then? I enjoy them, we have used some of them for praise and worship in our church, we have used some of them with our children’s program, we have used them in our Christmas and Easter programs, and I have shared them with a few others. Where do I go from here to be able to share them with other folks that I do not know?
Glad I found your site!
Rachel
P.S. My favorite theam to write about is the longing I have to be in His presence. I use to think I needed to apologize for that untill I realized… I am not alone! I’ll Fly Away, Beaula Land, ect…the list gets long!
Rachel, Just getting back from many travels… I think you are on the right track- write songs that the Holy Spirit places in your heart, incorporate them into your church’s activities to share the gift with fellow parishioners, and move ahead while placing your trust in God. This last part varies from person to person, group to group and song to song. And the music industry is the same regardless of the genre. Keep looking for venues to perform outside of your parish. Record some of your songs on a high quality demo CD and share it. Put some on the social networks of the Internet: YouTube, GodTube, FaceBook, etc. Check your network to see who can help you pass the song(s) to someone else. For example, KBZZ Radio (see another story in TMJ) is actively looking for new performers to spot on their new radio station! And just to put things into perspective, look up some of your favorite Christian music performers and check out their less popular songs. There are lots of them. So, keep up the Good Works.