Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you love God and want to glorify His name? Do you need help learning how to write songs? Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is a niche market that takes some specialized songwriting skills. Keep reading to learn how to write authentic Jesus songs.
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How to Write Authentic Jesus Songs: Jesus Songs vs Worship
Is worship music synonymous with Jesus songs?
- The terms “Jesus songs” and “Jesus music” these days are used as online search terms, because the search term “worship music” can be applied to a wide range of religious music from a lot of different religions.
- However, “Jesus songs” limits a search to the Christian religion.
- Also, worship music is usually used in the context of church services, or other activities such as youth groups.
- But Jesus songs, as a subset of CCM, are typically listened to for everyday entertainment and will often explore topics beyond just praise and worship.
Jesus music grew out of the Jesus People movement of the 1960s and 70s.
- In the mid-20th century, there was a revival among hippies, and the youth of the time were committing their lives to Christ in droves.
- These new converts wanted God centered music that was more contemporary than the traditional hymns.
- Some of the early artists and bands were: The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Resurrection Band, Keith Green, and Larry Norman.
- CCM grew out of the need for a Christian alternative to pop/rock.
Video: Lonely Hearts (Vintage CCM)
Video: The Goodness of God (Current CCM)
How to Write Authentic Jesus Songs: Writing Authentic Lyrics and Music
What does authenticity mean in Christian music?
- Musicians who sing Christ centered lyrics aren’t just artists. They’re also music ministers.
- A minister is someone who serves the body of Christ (i.e., the members of a church).
- Therefore, a minister must have a God centered life that is in accordance with the Bible.
- Likewise, since the songs focus on God, a good understanding of the Bible is necessary for the Christian lyricist.
On top of that, the quality of the music and lyrics must meet current pop standards.
Lyrics
When you write your lyrics:
- You must have your lyrics focus on nouns and verbs with a judicious use of adjectives and adverbs. Your lyrics should evoke vivid images.
- They must have a consistent rhyme scheme and use slant rhymes in addition to pure rhymes.
- If you’re writing story-oriented lyrics, you should outline your plot.
- Craft your lyrics to effectively use figurative images such as similes and metaphors.
- Plus, you must think about your point of view, practice good prosody, write using action words and descriptions that show instead of telling.
Music
When you write your music:
- Think about your phrase structure.
- You must know how motifs and rhythmic motifs work.
- You’ll need a basic understanding of melody, chords, and key changes.
- It’ll be helpful if you have mastered the fundamentals of arranging and counterpoint.
- Work on developing the ability to write your lyrics to your music and vice versa.
Buying these books will help you improve your songwriting skills.
Final Thoughts on “How to Write Authentic Jesus Songs”
Takeaway points:
- Jesus songs, as a subset of CCM, are typically listened to for everyday entertainment and will often explore topics beyond just praise and worship.
- Musicians who sing Christ centered lyrics aren’t just artists. They’re also music ministers.
- Since the songs focus on God, a good understanding of the Bible is necessary for the Christian lyricist.
Have fun writing!
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