We Believe by the Newsboys
Today’s Strong Worship Son is We Believe by the Newsboys. The Newsboys have been around for a long time in the CCM world and have always been a favorite of mine. They were the first to make the song In Christ Alone popular back in 2003. We Believe hits the mark on what strong worship songs are all about. The lyrics are a creed as the title suggests and give a clear testimony to the Trinity, the crucifixion, the resurrection, Christ’s Return, and the gift of spiritual rebirth. Scriptural references include Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 16;18, Matthew 25:57, and Mark 15:28,
We Believe
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back again, we believe
So, let our faith be more than anthems
Greater than the songs we sing
And in our weakness and temptations
We believe, we believe!
We believe in God the Father!
We believe in Jesus Christ!
We believe in the Holy Spirit!
And He’s given us new life!
We believe in the crucifixion!
We believe that He conquered death!
We believe in the resurrection!
And He’s comin’ back again!
Let the lost be found and the dead be raised!
In the here and now, let love invade!
Let the church live love our God will save
We believe, we believe!
And the gates of hell will not prevail!
For the power of God, has torn the veil!
Now we know Your love will never fail!
We believe, we believe!
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life!
We believe in the crucifixion!
We believe that He conquered death!
We believe in the resurrection!
And He’s comin’ back,
He’s comin’ back again!
He’s comin’ back again!
We believe!
We believe
Sing by Josh Wilson
Today’s strong worship song is Josh Wilson’s Sing. I can not say enough about the lyrical strength of this song. Jesus meets us were we are in our sin and then rescues us from it. Jesus carried the curse of sin for the entire world in order to set us free from it. There is no greater reason for us to sing then knowing the hope that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection brings to us. Another great feature of this song is that there is an alternate Verse 2 written for the Christmas season. We have sung this song several times at Lamb of God Lutheran and it has already become a favorite. We will be singing it for Christmas Eve. I need to thank my wife and son for insisting that I listen to Josh Wilson.
Scripture references include Galatians 3:13, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, 1 John 2:2, Matthew 2:2.
Sing
Verse 1
Ev’ry bit of history, and ev’ry single breath we breathe
Has led us here and brought us to our knees
From carrying the curse we bear, and praying that He’s
heard our prayers to set us free, oh, set us free
Pre-Chorus
‘Cause we could never get back home with broken hearts
so home has come to meet us where we are
Chorus
So sing that God is with us, sing
He has come to save us, sing
He will never leave us
Glory in the highest! Ev’rybody sing
To the Child who is our King
He has come to bring redemption to us
God is with us
Glory in the highest! Ev’rybody sing
Verse 2 (non-Christmas version)
We have found our hope again
In the Son of God and Son of Man
This Savior King is changing all we know
By carrying the curse we bear
For everybody everywhere
He lived and died and brought us life
And we will rise to meet Him in the sky
Verse 2 (Christmas version)
For He is born in Bethlehem, the Son of God and Son of man
This little Child is changing all we know
By carrying the curse we bear, for ev’rybody ev’rywhere
And He would someday die to bring us life
and we will rise to meet Him in the sky
Bridge
Jesus, Jesus, in a manger lay with the world to save
Jesus, Jesus, in a manger lay with the world to save
‘Cause we could never get back home with broken hearts
So, home has come to us
So Home has come to meet us where we are
Chorus (congregation may sing)
So sing, God is with us
Sing, He has come to save us
Sing, He will never leave us
Glory in the highest, everybody sing
To the One who is our King
He has come to bring redemption to us
God is with us
Glory in the highest, everybody sing
We have found our hope again
In the Son of God and Son of Man
This Savior King is changing all we know
By carrying the curse we bear
For everybody everywhere
He lived and died and brought us life
And we will rise to meet Him in the sky
Repeat chorus (congregation sing)
Jesus, Jesus, our Emmanuel
God is with us now
Jesus, Jesus, our Emmanuel
God is with us now
Aaron Shust – Sing of My Redeemer
Today’s strong worship song is Sing of My Redeemer by Aaron Shust which is the fifth song in his album This Is What We Believe released last month (August of 2011). The song is a re-make of the hymn “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” by Philip Paul Bliss back in 1876. This hymn was the last hymn that Bliss wrote before dying in a train crash the same year.
Thy lyrics are very strong and Christocentric. They focus on Christ and His work of redemption. Aaron Shust does a masterful and beautiful job in re-working this hymn with contemporary sounds.
Scripture references include Hebrews 12:2, Galatians 3:13, Psalm 107:2, Mark 10:45, Revelation 5:9, Isa 55:7, Psalm 50:9-10, Rev 17:14, I Cor 15:57, Rom 6:13), Luke 23:43, Rev 5:12, Rev 7:14, Ephesians 1:1-7, Acts 4:20, Isaiah 63:15-17, Romans 5:8, and Titus 2:13-14.
Sing of My Redeemer
I will sing of my Redeemer
And His wondrous love for me
On the cruel cross He suffered
From the curse to set me free
I will tell the wondrous story
How my lost estate He saved
In His boundless love and mercy
He the ransom freely gave
I will sing
Sing of my Redeemer
With His blood
He has purchased me
On the Cross
Jesus sealed my pardon
He paid the debt and set me free
I will praise my dear Redeemer
His triumphant power I’ll tell
Of the victory He gives us
Over sin and death and hell
I will sing of my Redeemer
His Relentless love for me
He from death to life has brought us
Son of God with Him to be
We will praise the Lamb for sinners slain
For His blood can wash away our stain
Singing glory, glory to His name
For His blood can wash away…
I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
This week’s strong worship song is I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Jesse Reeves and Matt Maher. This song holds a special place with me in that we sang it for the first time for the funeral of a member who died unexpectedly two years ago. He died the Friday after Ash Wednesday. This song’s strong lyrics gave the family and our congregation tremendous comfort since they are based solidly on 1 Corinthians 15, the great resurrection chapter of Scripture. We then sang it six weeks later at our Easter service that year. It is an overall good song for anytime, but especially for funerals, Easter, and post-Easter. I Will Rise is on Chris Tomlin’s Hello Love CD that came out in 2008.
Other Scriptural references include Revelation 21:4,Revelation 7:16-17, Revelation 5:11-12,1 Corinthians 15:55, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, and Philippians 4:11-12.
There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say “It is well”
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega
This week’s strong worship song is Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega and Richard Nibbe. This song was included on Fernando’s 2006 album The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs which I never grow tired of listening. For that matter, I like all of Fernando’s music. Fernando has a knack for creating fresh, interesting arrangements of ancient hymns. Sing to Jesus however is not an ancient hymn but a current song. Even though Sing to Jesus is reflective and meditative in nature, we regularly use it as a congregational song at Lamb of God Lutheran.
The lyrics are strong and vivid and work especially well for Good Friday.
Sing to Jesus
Come and see
Look on this mystery
Lord of the universe
Nailed to a tree
Christ our God
Spilling His holy blood
Bowing in anguish
His sacred head
Sing to Jesus
Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great Redeemer
Sing to Jesus
Honor His name
Sing of His faithfulness
Pouring His life out unto death
Come, you weary
And He will give you rest
Come you who mourn
Lay on His breast
He who died
Risen in paradise
Giver of mercy
Giver of life
Sing to Jesus
His is the throne
Now and forever
He is the king of heaven
Sing to Jesus
We are His own
Now and forever
Sing for the love our God has shown
Sing to Jesus
Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great Redeemer
Sing to Jesus
Honor His name
Sing to Jesus
His is the throne
Now and forever
He is the king of heaven
Sing to Jesus
We are His own
Now and forever
Sing for the love our God has shown
Scripture references to this song include Galatians 3:13, Matthew 11:28, John 8:37, 1 john 2:2, Isaiah 53, and John 19:30.
What is the Reason for This Strong Worship Song Blog
Hi, my name is Scott Martz and I have been a parish pastor for the last seventeen years. I am a member of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) which is a confessional and conservative Lutheran church body headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. In our circles there is a lot of criticism and skepticism over songs in the genre of Christian Contemporary. Often songs in this genre are labeled shallow and lacking in substance compared to the ancient hymns of the Christian Church which have outlived their original composers by hundreds of years. The purpose of this blog is to provide readers (many of whom will be worship leaders and pastors) a list of Christian Contemporary songs or “current” songs that I personally find particularly strong in content, teaching, and substance. My list is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it is my own. There are, of course, hundreds of general praise songs that are lighter in content but still acceptable and praise worthy in Christian Worship. The general praise songs, however will not be a part of my blog. Featured songs will be songs the have exceptionally strong lyrics that can be used in contemporary or blended Christian worship without hesitation as far as content is concerned.
Sincerely,
Pastor Scott
strongworshipsongs by Pastor Scott Martz 