I have to be honest with you. I’m not sure many people really know what they’re asking for when they’re seeking God for a hit song. A song everyone wants to hear you sing, everywhere you go. Sounds really glamorous doesn’t it? Well, as someone who has been there, let me tell you it isn’t.
I was asked to lead a song a few years ago that I liked ok enough, but I didn’t have a real spiritual connection with. It didn’t really resonate with me deeply. But it was churchy and up-beat, and I was a good fit for the lead. Besides, there was really nobody else at the time that could, so I stepped up to do it to keep us from having to scrap a song that everyone in the choir wanted us to do.
Well, I gave it my all and God came in and really blessed. And then something happened I wasn’t prepared for. The whole congregation fell in love with the song, especially the pastor. You see every time we did the song we were guaranteed some high-spirit churching. So for the next couple of months at least ( it felt like a couple of years) that song was requested at least 2, sometimes 3 times a month. And each time they expected me to do everything I did the first time I sang it.
It got to the point I was just really sick of doing the song. I still can’t bring myself to do it when they ask occasionally. But this brings up a pretty serious delimma, doesn’t it? I mean after all, this isn’t just any music, this is the Gospel we’re talking about. Songs might get old, but the Word Of God is timeless..right? The message doesn’t get old.
Still though, this is a very, very real issue that should concern you if you’re a serious vocalist working toward a full time ministry. You’re definitely gonna have to sing songs again and again again; unless of course you don’t plan on having any hits whatsoever.
How do you deal with that? What do you do when the song gets old?
Honestly, there’s not much you can do. And that is why you must never allow it to. How do you avoid that? By very strictly and adamantly avoiding singing any song that you don’t have a strong spiritual connection to. Any song you’re going to sing must resonate with you on some level. There has to be something in that song that is for YOU.
When you’re singing a song that ministers to you on a deep personal level, that song will never get old. Because first of all, it will always speak to you that way, even if your situation changes. In that case the message goes from “where I am right now” to “where God brought me from”.
But the most important reason of all to make sure you do NOT sing songs that don’t resonate with you on a deep spiritual level, is because if you allow yourself to do so, then every time you sing it you’ll be singing from a place that isn’t true, honest and authentic. And no matter how many accolades you’re getting, that’s gonna get old real quick.
So no matter what the situation is, if you’re serious about your ministry as a singer, you must say NO if you don’t feel it. Yes, that’s gonna be irritating to some people sometimes. Yes it’s gonna put your choir or praise team or group in a bind sometimes. But this is simply NON NEGOTIABLE as a Christian or Gospel singer. You have to sing from a real place. If you don’t, you’re just performing. And that gets old.
Take care!
Ron Cross
