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Contemporary worship music (CWM), also known as praise and worship music, is a distinct genre of
Christian music Christian music is a genre of music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christianity, Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence and lament, and its f ...
used in
contemporary worship Contemporary worship is a form of Christian worship that emerged within Western evangelical Protestantism in the 20th century. It was originally confined to the charismatic movement, but is now found in a wide range of churches, including ...
. It has evolved over the past 60 years and is stylistically similar to
pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...
. The songs are often referred to as "praise songs" or "worship songs" and are typically led by a "worship band" or "praise team," with either a guitarist or pianist serving as the lead. It has become a common genre of music performed in many churches, particularly in charismatic or non-denominational Protestant churches, with some
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
congregations also incorporating it into the Mass.


History and development

In the early 1950s, the
Taizé Community The Taizé Community () is an ecumenical Christian monastic community in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of about one hundred brothers, from Catholic and Protestant traditions, who originate from about thirty countries ...
in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
began attracting youths from various religious denominations with worship hymns based on modern melodies. In the mid-20th century, Christian unions in university settings hosted evangelistic talks. The Universalists and Unitarians—two youth groups—took final steps toward a merger at a convention, and in 1953, the groups formed the Liberal Religious Youth. Amateur musicians from these groups began playing Christian music in a popular idiom. Some Christians felt that the church needed to break from its stereotype as structured, formal, and dull to appeal to the younger generation. By adopting the conventions of popular music—the
antithesis Antithesis (: antitheses; Greek for "setting opposite", from "against" and "placing") is used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introd ...
of this stereotype—the church rearticulated the message of the Bible through Christian lyrics, thereby conveying that Christianity was neither outdated nor irrelevant. In 1964, the U.K. gospel pop group '' The Joystrings'' became one of the first Christian pop groups to appear on television, performing in Salvation Army uniforms and playing Christian beat music. Churches began to adopt some of these songs and styles for corporate worship. The early songs for communal singing were characteristically simple. ''Youth Praise'', published in 1966, was one of the first and most well-known collections of these songs. It was compiled and edited by Michael Baughen and published by the Jubilate Group. By the early 1990s, songs such as " Lord, I Lift Your Name on High", " Shine, Jesus, Shine", and " Shout to the Lord" had been accepted in many churches. Integrity Media,
Maranatha! Music Maranatha! Music is a Christian music record label which was founded as a nonprofit ministry of Calvary Chapel in 1971. The label is distributed by Capitol Christian Music Group, a division of Universal Music Group, Universal Music. Background ...
, and the
Vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
were already publishing newer styles of music. Supporters of traditional worship hoped the newer styles would prove to be a passing fad, while younger people cited , "Sing to the Lord a new song." Prior to the late 1990s, many believed that Sunday morning was reserved for
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
s, with younger people free to enjoy their preferred music during the rest of the week. A "modern worship renaissance" helped establish that any musical style was acceptable if used by true believers to praise
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
. This shift was influenced by the ''Cutting Edge'' recordings by the band Delirious?, the Passion Conferences and their music, the Exodus project by
Michael W. Smith Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian music, contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when "Place in This Worl ...
, and the band Sonicflood. Contemporary worship music became an integral part of
contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music (CCM), also known as Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music, is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christianity, Chri ...
.


Theology and lyrics

As CWM is closely associated with the
charismatic movement The charismatic movement in Christianity is a movement within established or mainstream denominations to adopt beliefs and practices of Charismatic Christianity, with an emphasis on baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the use of spiritual gift ...
, its lyrics and even some musical features reflect that theology. In particular, the charismatic movement is characterised by its emphasis on the
Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...
, focusing on a personal encounter and relationship with God that can be summed up in
agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for uman beingsand of uman beingsfor God". This is in contrast to , brotherly love, or , self-love, as it embraces a profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists rega ...
love. Lyrically, informal and sometimes intimate language of relationship is employed. The terms "You" and "I" are used rather than "God" and "we," with lyrics such as "I, I'm desperate for You," and "Hungry I come to You, for I know You satisfy, I am empty but I know Your love does not run dry" exemplifying the similarity of some CWM lyrics to popular love songs. Slang is occasionally used (for example, "We wanna see Jesus lifted high") and imperatives ("Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see You"), reflecting the friendly, informal tone that charismatic theology encourages for relating to God personally. Often, a physical response is included in the lyrics ("So we raise up holy hands"; "I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my king").


The modern hymn movement

Beginning in the 2010s, contemporary worship music with a distinctly
theological Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of an ...
lyrical focus—blending hymns and worship songs with contemporary rhythms and instrumentation—began to emerge, primarily within the
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
,
Reformed Reform is beneficial change. Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine Places * Reform, Al ...
, and more traditional non-denominational branches of
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
Christianity. Artists in the modern hymn movement include well-known groups such as Keith & Kristyn Getty and Sovereign Grace Music, as well as solo artists like Matt Papa, Enfield (Hymn Sessions), and Aaron Keyes. By the late 2010s, the movement had gained significant traction in many churches, as well as on streaming services and in other areas of culture.


Performance


The role of technology

Technological advances have played a significant role in the development of CWM. In particular, the use of projectors means that a church's song repertoire is not limited to those found in a songbook. Songs and styles tend to follow trends. The internet has increased accessibility, enabling anyone to view lyrics and guitar chords for many worship songs and to download MP3 tracks. This has also contributed to the globalisation of much CWM. Some churches, including Hillsong,
Bethel Bethel (, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; ; ) was an ancient Israelite city and sacred space that is frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Bet ...
, and the
Vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
, have established their own publishing companies. There is a thriving Christian music industry that parallels the secular one, complete with recording studios, music books, CDs, MP3 downloads, and other merchandise. The consumer culture surrounding CWM has prompted both criticism and praise. As Pete Ward discusses in his book *Selling Worship*, no advancement is without both positive and negative repercussions.


Criticisms

Criticisms include Gary Parrett's concern that the volume of this music drowns out congregational participation and therefore turns it into a performance. He quotes
Ephesians The Epistle to the Ephesians is the tenth book of the New Testament. Traditionally believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul around AD 62 during his imprisonment in Rome, the Epistle to the Ephesians closely resembles Colossians ...
5:19, in which
Paul the Apostle Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Apostles in the New Testament, Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the Ministry of Jesus, teachings of Jesus in the Christianity in the 1st century, first ...
tells the church in Ephesus to be "speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit"; Parrett questions whether the worship band, now often amplified and playing like a rock band, replaces rather than enables a congregation’s praise.
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbat ...
author Samuele Bacchiocchi expressed concerns over the use of the " rock" idiom, arguing that music communicates on a subconscious level, and that the often anarchistic, nihilistic ethos of rock stands in opposition to Christian culture. Using the physical response induced by drums in a worship context as evidence that rock distracts worshippers from reflecting on the lyrics and on God, he suggests that rock is actively dangerous for the Church. The theological content has also raised concerns for some, including Martyn Percy, who argues that there is too great an emphasis on a highly intimate relationship with God. He critiques the use of personal pronouns such as "I" and "You" in place of "we" and "God," along with the use of passionate and physical language, arguing that this imbalance needs urgent correction. Percy contends that the emotional emphasis may promote hype and a need to artificially generate an atmosphere of encounter with God, rather than allowing space for God to act independently. Despite the frequent use of Biblical justification for contemporary worship music (CWM), such as , critics note that its culture often excludes the systematic use of the psalms in weekly worship, particularly psalms of lament. The emphasis on praise and a consistently positive interpretation of "worship" can result in neglecting more somber or challenging biblical themes. Michael Vasey observes: "Scripture is, of course, full of lament—and devotes its finest literary creation to warning the godly against quick and easy answers. The power of many of the psalms we are embarrassed to use lies precisely here. Of all this there is little echo in our contemporary reading." While many traditional denominations use a weekly
lectionary A lectionary () is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christianity, Christian or Judaism, Jewish worship on a given day or occasion. There are sub-types such as a "gospel lectionary" or evangeliary, ...
that incorporates a wide range of scriptural texts—including psalms—CWM-oriented churches often lack an agreed lectionary, and thus a comparable breadth of thematic material.
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
, reflecting on music in worship, emphasized the need for serious artistic training, stating: "today, as yesterday, musicians, composers, liturgical chapel cantors, church organists and instrumentalists must feel the necessity of serious and rigorous professional training. They should be especially conscious of the fact that each of their creations or interpretations cannot escape the requirement of being a work that is inspired, appropriate and attentive to aesthetic dignity, transformed into a prayer of worship when, in the course of the liturgy, it expresses the mystery of faith in sound." Some critics have argued that CWM lyrics reflect a broader cultural trend toward
individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote realizing one's goals and desires, valuing independence and self-reliance, and a ...
, emphasizing personal experience and relationship with God even within communal settings. In a 2011 interview in ''
Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "eva ...
'', Grove City College professor T. David Gordon noted that contemporary worship music is not necessarily easier to sing or musically superior to traditional forms, but that its familiarity makes it appealing to congregants. He observed that churches often choose songs primarily based on their contemporary sound, rather than on theological depth or musical quality. Gordon also noted a trend of reintroducing hymns into contemporary services, observing that musical novelty had not historically been the primary concern in worship. In 2014, Gordon expanded on these views, arguing that contemporary worship music cannot match the depth of a musical tradition developed over multiple generations. He pointed out that even popular modern worship songs are often simply updated versions of older hymns. He stated that writers of new worship songs struggle to produce texts that are both theologically sound and artistically rich—“significant, profound, appropriate, memorable, and edifying.” Gordon also remarked that the novelty of contemporary music had faded, diminishing its appeal as a growth or marketing strategy. He argued that the performance-oriented nature of praise teams may contradict biblical principles of congregational participation in worship.


Popularity

Some songs now appear in more traditional hymnals. ''
Evangelical Lutheran Worship ''Evangelical Lutheran Worship'' (''ELW'') is the current primary liturgical and worship guidebook and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). It was first publ ...
'' (published in 2006 by the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2023, it ...
) includes "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" by Rick Founds and "Shout to the Lord" by Darlene Zschech. The '' United Methodist Hymnal'' (1989) includes "Thy Word Is a Lamp" by
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She began her music career in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Grant has been referred to as "Honorific ...
and "Take Our Bread" by Joe Wise. Songs by contemporary Christian worship groups such as Hillsong United rank in the top ten on ''Billboard'' and other national charts and are publicised in pop culture publications. In 2019, the U.S. radio network
Air1 Air1 is an American Christian radio network owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), a non-profit Christian ministry. It primarily broadcasts contemporary worship music, and is a sister to the EMF's K-Love network. History On July 15, ...
(which was previously devoted to Christian hits) changed its format to focus primarily on worship music.


See also

*
List of Christian worship music artists This is a list of Christian worship music artists or bands. This list includes notable artists or bands that have recorded or been known to perform contemporary worship music at some point in their careers. This includes worship leaders, Christia ...
*
Christian liturgy Christian liturgy is a pattern for Christian worship, worship used (whether recommended or prescribed) by a Christian congregation or Christian denomination, denomination on a regular basis. The term liturgy comes from Greek and means "public work ...


Citations


References

* Bacchiocchi, Samuele (ed.), ''The Christian and Rock Music: A Study on Biblical Principles of Music'' (Michigan, 2000) * Darlington, Stephen, and Kreider, Alan (ed.), ''Composing Music for Worship'' (Norwich, 2003) * Jones, Ian and Webster, Peter, "The theological problem of popular music for worship in contemporary Christianity", in ''Crucible. The journal of Christian social ethics'' (July–Sept 2006), pp. 9–16; full text i
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* Miller, Donald, E., ''Postdenominational Christianity in the Twenty-First Century'', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 558, (July 1998), pp. 196–210 * * Sheldon, Robin (ed.), ''In Spirit and in Truth: Exploring Directions in Music in Worship Today'' (London, 1989) * * Webster, Peter and Jones, Ian, "Expressions of Authenticity: Music for Worship" In: ''Redefining Christian Britain. Post 1945 perspectives''. SCM, London, 2007, pp. 50–62; full text i
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* Webster, Peter and Jones, Ian, "Anglican 'Establishment' reactions to 'pop' church music in England, 1956–c.1990". ''Studies in Church History'', 42 (2006), pp. 429–441; full text i
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* Wilson-Dickson, Andrew, ''A Brief History of Christian Music'', (Oxford, 1997) * Wuthnow, Robert, ''All in Sync: How music and art are revitalising American Religion'', (California, 2003) {{Evangelical Protestantism in the United States Contemporary Christian music de:Lobpreis und Anbetung#Neue Lobpreis- und Anbetungslieder