One thing that I really appreciate about “Changed” is the shift from “I” to “we” between verses one and two.  It moves from “But how can I show You that I’m grateful?” and “I have been blessed – now I want to be a blessing” in the first chorus to “We want to show You that we’re thankful” and “We have been blessed – now we’re going to be a blessing” in the second chorus.  The fact that we all have been blessed, loved, and changed is an important aspect of this song – just as much as the fact that I myself have been blessed, loved, and saved.  And I feel that as I listen to and sing this song.  My mind really does shift from “I” and “me” to including the other folks I’m with and pondering what it that means to us as a congregation of people.  It just makes what Jesus did that much more incredible – it was for everyone, not just a select few and certainly not just me.

When we get right down to it, this song is a song of thanksgiving.  The climax of the piece (in my mind, anyway) is the bridge: “Thank You for this new life, thank You for the invitation”.  There might be a lot of words in the song as a whole, but its message is actually quite clear.  We really have been changed and we are bursting at the seams to sing about it and to share that with other people.

Okay, so what about the music?  I’ve been kind of beating around the bush, but here’s the deal.  It is indeed, I think, a more difficult piece.  The range is possibly slightly more extended than other worship music, being at an octave and a step, but is certainly not unmanageable.  The rhythms of the melody are actually pretty simple.  The chords themselves are not difficult, but where I think the challenge lies is in the beat.  Aaron Niequist leads “Changed” from the piano and, if it’s a possibility in your particular situation, that might be the best way to prepare this song.  I’ve led it with a guitar and it worked alright.  We all got through it, but I was pounding out eighth notes for the verses and quarter notes for the bridge and then was never really able to settle into a strum that seemed to work well for the pre chorus and chorus, so I felt like it was sloppier than I would have liked for it to have been.  But the piano works well for Niequist and then a guitar or two as well as some fairly hefty drums would be a nice addition to the more driving parts, especially the quarter note rhythms during the bridge.

On the website for music at Mars Hill (musicatmars.com), you can listen to some of the tracks off the album called “Worship in Every Direction”.  And there’s a recording of “Changed” where the bridge is sung with some super tight harmonies.  The singers are all singing together for “Thank You for this new life…” and then it’s almost like it just blooms into harmony on the word “invitation”.  And I just thought about how cool it would be for a brass group to be involved with that as well, hammering out the quarter note pulse and then bursting into harmony on the end of that line.  Wow.  That’d be something else, wouldn’t it?  There’s all this about what Jesus has done for us and what we’re going to do in return and then the bridge just comes right out with it and says “Thank You”.  We are who we are because of Him and we recognize that.  And so, in addition to adding instruments and harmonies to make it exciting and really expressive of our deepest thanks and our most heart-felt praise, I think it should be okay to linger a while on this part of the song for as long as is necessary.  Don’t feel like you have to sing it twice and move on.

Anyway, I think this piece could present something of a challenge to groups trying to pull it together, but it’s definitely worth working at.  This is a piece of music that can be used in a lot of settings.  The song in its entirety could make for a great sending, but even just using one of the choruses in worship could be really effective, too.  I can see it being really striped down (like maybe just piano) and even taken at a slower tempo and then maybe used as an offering song or a song during or after communion.

Where to find it:

-          musicatmars.com

Notable recordings:

-          Aaron Niequist – With Broken Fists

-          Mars Hill Community – Worship in Every Direction

Hear it now:

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Repeating these songs helps people learn them and get comfortable with them and be able to move past that and really use them to pray with.  You don’t have to be tied up with notes or lots of words while singing and can focus on the meaning of what you’re singing and just concentrate on that.  The words of the song can become something of a prayer themselves.

Another example is Come and Listen.  This song is made up of several short sections which can either all be sung or just one part sung in repetition.  One of the parts says “Come and listen, come and listen to what He’s done”.  Since it points to the stories of the gospel, this part could be used well sung several times as a gospel acclamation.

The chorus to the song How Great is Our God is another little chunk of a song that can be sung repetitively.  Or it can be used at the end of different song, like a tag.  One last tune I’ll mention in this post is the song Center.  Like the others this song is made up of several short sections, any or all of which can be treated in the style of Taize music.  “Oh Christ, be the center of our lives.  Be the place we fix our eyes.”  What a prayer.

Center- Charlie Hall and Matt Redman

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#4665261)

-          praisecharts.com

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          Charlie Hall – Flying into Daybreak

Hear it now:

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Come and Listen- David Crowder

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#2482178)

-          praisecharts.com

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          David Crowder Band – A Collision

-          Steve Fee – North Point Live

Hear it now:

-          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb_sWzNEhPA&feature=related

Download on iTunes

How Great is Our God- Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Jesse Reeves

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#4348399)

-          praisecharts.com

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          Chris Tomlin – Arriving

-          Seventh Day Slumber – Take Everything

-          Bethany Dillon – Sing Over Me: Worship Songs and Lullabies

Hear it now:

-          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OsyiGgSlqY

Download on iTunes

Prepare the Way- Charlie Hall and Louie Giglio

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#3441008)

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          Passion – Passion: Our Love is Loud

Hear it now:

-           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKcGhpBTTvo

Download on iTunes

I think the real challenge of this song is it’s range, which is pretty wide – it’s about an octave and a fifth.  So regardless of what key you decide to play it in, chances are pretty good that not everyone in your congregation will be completely comfortable singing this song.  I think that having both men and women helping to lead the song and representing several octaves (definitely two and even three where possible) would be really helpful to an assembly singing this song.  That way people who do feel like they need to switch octaves at some point can follow along with that easily.

The melody, aside from having a wide range, is not hard rhythmically to learn.  There’s hardly any syncopation in the verses and absolutely none at all in the pre chorus or chorus.  I think it’s really easy to pick up on and really powerful to sing.  The time or two I’ve played You Never Let Go in worship people have learned it rather quickly and have really enjoyed singing it.  They especially enjoyed belting out the higher pre chorus and chorus.

One thing that I really like about this song is the contrast between the verses and the pre chorus and chorus.  The melody for the verses is really low and is only three or four notes that repeat a lot.  Then the pre chorus starts to get higher and introduces more notes and the chorus just sails above the rest of it all.  I think this reflects the texts of those sections of the song really well.  The verses are the parts that talk about shadows and death and struggles, troubles, and storms.  Then the pre chorus says “I will fear no evil for my God is with me…” and the chorus is the culmination of it all and simply states, “Oh no, You never let go”.  I think the movement of the melody traces the movement of the text really well.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#4674166)

-          praisecharts.com

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          Matt Redman – Beautiful News

Hear it now:

Download on iTunes

It’s been my experience that this song is easy to teach.  The verses have a little bit of syncopation in them, but the melody repeats itself within each verse twice, so with all the repetition, it’s really easy to catch on to how it goes and you’ll probably find that people are able to pick it up rather quickly.  The rhythm of the melody in the chorus is really straight forward and the folks I’ve sung it with tend to love to belt it out.  I hope you have a similar experience with it.

The bridge of this song is my favorite part.  It’s the highest part of the whole song (the range of which doesn’t exceed an octave) and it’s a really great part to just vamp for a while.  It can be completely rocked out and all the instruments can be wailing and going crazy because it’s just that kind of moment or the bottom can fall out from under and it can be sung a capella.  Or anything in between, really.  The last time I played this song the group I was playing with ended the song with 4 repetitions of the bridge.  The first two were completely rocked out then all the musicians except the drummer dropped out for the third one and came back in for the fourth one, which we slowed down during the last few bars.  Something about the congregation hearing themselves sing by themselves made them sing out more.  It’s a powerful thing for a group to be able to sing without accompaniment.  I know that not every congregation is going to be able to do that, but it just takes some practice.  And it’s definitely worth working towards.

Repeating a part a bunch like that ensures that everyone present will learn the part and will (hopefully) be more comfortable and open about singing it.  It’s important, though, to be sensitive to how the assembly is responding to all the repetitions.  If people are singing and it seems like they’re getting something out of it, than by all means, keep going.  But some communities just don’t sing like that, so perhaps a bunch of repetitions won’t be as meaningful to that group.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#4591782)

-          praisecharts.com

Notable recordings:

-          Hillsong – Mighty to Save

-          Laura Story – Great God Who Saves

Seventh Day Slumber – Take Everything

Hear it now:

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The refrain isn’t very difficult to learn, but singing it a lot will get people on board and really comfortable with it.  Using it as gathering music at the beginning of service or even just informally teaching the refrain before a service begins is a great way to get it into people’s heads so that they’re ready to sing it when it comes up in the service.

As for the verses, if this is going to be more of a praise band / choir piece, they can work well for soloists.  Even if your congregation isn’t much of a singing congregation, don’t be too intimidated by the verses and the prospect of teaching them to your church.  They look more complicated written out than they really are.  Like anything else, it just takes good leadership.  Don’t sell your church short by not even trying to teach them to them.  I think that it’s totally teachable.  While you’re brainstorming ways to teach the congregation, think of ways to use the song elsewhere in the service.  I mentioned before using it as gathering music or prelude.  It could be simplified to piano or guitar and a flute or something on the melody as offering music.  Really you just want people to be exposed to it so that when they hear it for the first time, they recognize it and don’t feel too intimidated by it.

Take My Life works really well with just a guitar leading it, but can easily be filled in with other instruments.  Piano could make a nice addition, as well as other stringed instruments.  There could even be some soft drumming either by a kit or by a hand drum.  Use the gifts and talents available to you to make it unique to your group.

*Robert J. Morgan has a neat book called Then Sings My Soul, in which he tells the stories of how 150 of the world’s great hymns came to be written.  He writes about Havergal’s hymn on page 191 of that book.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#4162843)

-          praisecharts.com

-          worshiptogether.com

Notable recordings:

-          Chris Tomlin – Top 5: Passion Band – EP

Hear it now:

Download on iTunes

Instrumentally, I think that simple works best with this tune. (Acoustic) Guitar works perfectly well, though piano could be really nice too. A hand drum could also be a nice addition. The structure of the piece reminds me very much of a Taize song. Each of the four sections is really short and can be sung as many times as seems fit. The chord progression is the same for two of the sections, which allows for those two to be sung simultaneously. I think that the easiest way to teach this song is to have a leader sing a section through and then have the assembly then repeat it back. It’s great to sing a section over and over, just like in the Taize style. People seem to learn it better and get more comfortable. Plus the more you sing the same line over and over again, the more it becomes to you. It becomes a prayer.

Enter the Worship Circle

Chords, Lyrics, etc.

from Enter the Worship Circle

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³⁷On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” ³⁹By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. (John 7:37-39)

Indeed, Jesus does satisfy us through the power of the Holy Spirit when we come to him.

I think this song works particularly well during communion.  There aren’t a whole lot of words to learn, which makes it easy to sing and to be praying or meditating at the same time.  The lyrics serve as a reminder of what coming to the table and eating the bread and drinking the wine means for us as Christians.  Jesus died for us and in doing so, cleansed us of our sins.

The words of “All Who Are Thirsty” remind us of our baptism, where we are literally washed, and help us to reflect on the meaning of baptism and Christ’s death and suffering, which is also part of what we do during Lent.  So I think that’s another possibility for using this piece.  I’ve used this song during Advent, as well, especially the chorus.  I definitely get a sense of anticipation in that part of the song that I think is also present in the season of Advent, as we await the birth of our Savior.  One thing that I’ve done to help people get there on their own is, after singing the chorus a whole bunch of times, move into the refrain of “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel.  It’s a tricky transition to make because of the change from 6/8 to 4/4, but if you’ve got strong leaders who know exactly how it’s going to happen, the congregation catches on pretty quickly, in my experience.  Once they hear the “Rejoice!” part, they’re golden.

I like the variety this song can bring to worship because of its meter.  There aren’t a whole lot of songs (that I can think of off the top of my head, anyway) that are in a compound meter.  (Now watch: I’ll get done writing this and then I’ll run across dozens of them…)  It’s not a terribly fast song and I think that, coupled with the waltz feel, really contributes to what the lyrics are all about.  It’s a prayer and I think it really does feel like one.

The chord progressions are fairly simple and easy to prepare by any sort of ensemble.  I think it’s important to keep in mind that this is a more introspective song and that the make-up of the ensemble should reflect that.  So I think that (acoustic) guitar, bass, and a really light, simple drum beat could be really effective.  Especially if the drum waits to come in till the second time the verse is sung, or something.  A piano or keyboard could be a really nice layer, especially in the 1.5 measures between lines of the chorus where there’s no singing.  A violin or cello would also sound really great and could add harmony to the chorus or could provide an obbligato part on the chorus or bridge.  Really the song just lends itself well to all sorts of creativity and could be prepared in a number of different ways.  I’ve heard at least three recordings of this song and they’re each different and unique and bring different flavors to the song.  So have some fun with it and let its purpose in your worship drive what you do with it.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (# 2489542)

-          praisecharts.com

Notable recordings:

-          Brenton Brown – Introducing Brenton Brown EP

-          Jeremy Riddle – Home Again

-          Kutless – Strong Tower

Hear it now:

Download on iTunes

It’s really difficult to sing the bridge with a group of singers who have rehearsed it, let alone a congregation that might include folks who maybe don’t know the song at all.  So it’s important to think about how to go about dealing with this challenge.  Perhaps you don’t want to touch it at all, but I would encourage you to find something to do with it.  It is the answer to all those questions, after all.  As one possibility, I’ll just mention that when I’ve done this song with groups we’ve started off with the chorus a few times through so people get the hang of at least that part, then our order is verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus several more times and then instead of singing the bridge, we’ve just ended with one or two people merely singing the line “Only one did that for me” as a way to end the song, rather than an instrumental ending.  But definitely play with it and figure something out what will work in your situation.

If you can find downhere’s album How Many Kings: Songs for Christmas, be sure to check out the last track.  It’s a recording of How Many Kings, but it’s been completely re-imagined.  The melodies are just a touch different and the accompaniment is pretty simplified and relies much more on percussion than their original recording of How Many Kings.  I’ve found that this version has given me a completely new appreciation for the song.  The original is on the radio a lot and was getting pretty old for me, but this other one is just so different and refreshing and really allowed me to listen to it differently and gain more from their words.  It’s incredible and can provide some ideas for other ways the song can be played.

I think that How Many Kings is pretty accessible to any kind of group.  I’ve introduced it to a couple different groups that all had different sounds and levels of comfort and it worked really well in both situations.  I’ve also heard it led just with guitar.  The chord progression is the same all the way through the tune (I—vi—ii—V) which makes it a great piece for younger or less-experienced groups.  I think one thing that makes it really great is that it can be done in really simplified ways and still be a really effective and powerful song to hear and to sing or it can be jazzed up and still be incredibly meaningful.  Any kind of group can take it and make it their own.

The verses can be pretty difficult to teach and part of it, I think, is due to the fact that verse two has more syllables that need to be crammed into the melody, so some of the rests that are present in verse 1 are shorter or even non-existent.  Having strong vocal leaders is imperative.  It might also be helpful to have a melody instrument – perhaps a violin or oboe or even an electric guitar – plunk out the melody and help to bring that out so that it stands out more for people.  Just be careful not to cover up the words.  They are too beautiful.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#5351880)

-          praisecharts.com

-          downhere.com/chords

Notable recordings:

-          downhere – How Many Kings: Songs for Christmas

-          downhere – Ending is Beginning

-          downhere – Bethleham Skyline

They’re all the same, just on different albums…

Hear it now:

Download on iTunes

I don’t think it works only for Lent or Easter; rather, I think it has the potential to be used anytime of the year, especially any kind of service where the cross and / or salvation are the focus.  For example, I once used it as part of a devotion for Holy Cross Day.

It is beautifully written and is rather poetic and thus lends itself well to being sung by a soloist or small choir to allow for some prayer and meditation on the part of the folks congregated.  Some of the rhythms are difficult to read off of a page of music and are just difficult in general, but don’t let that sway your decision regarding using this song.  Listening to recordings might be helpful in learning the piece if you don’t already know it.  And don’t fret—it’s not impossible to teach to a congregation!  The important thing is to have strong leadership.  A congregation will be able to follow that.  And I don’t think that we as song leaders should feel like we have to sing verse one and then move on with the song.  I think we should feel free to sing verse one a few times so people get a good feel for it before we move on to verse two or the chorus or whatever.  I think that repeating a section so that folks get on board is a great way to teach a group of people a tune.

Instrumentation-wise, I think that simple works best for this tune.  Guitars work really well in leading this song.  I’ve had a good time turning it into something of a bluegrass tune by including mandolin and a touch of banjo.  Robbie Seay and his band turn it into more of a rock-styled song, making use of a tasteful, light drum beat and piano.  I think the key for this song is not letting the instrumentation distract from the message in the lyrics.

Where to find it:

-          ccli.com (#1131836)

-          greatworshipsongs.com

Notable recordings:

-          Robbie Seay Band – Give Yourself Away

-          Sixpence None the Richer and Bebo Norman – City on a Hill: The Gathering

-          Smalltown Poets – Third Verse

Hear it now:

Download on iTunes