“Me” Centered Songs—Should We Sing Them?

Over the past several years, there's been a brewing debate about the content of songs used in corporate worship and promoted in Christian media (CCM radio, streaming, etc.).

At the center of this debate is a often-repeated observation (accusation?): Most modern songs used in the church and in Christian life are too "me" centered, and thus, we should avoid them.

This statement carries much weight, and it's not without merit. Indeed, when looking at much of the top Christian radio plays and church service usage, many of the songs are filled with lots of "I" and "me/mine/my" words. This results in a first-person "voice" that dominates much of the material.

But I think this discussion, like nearly any other debate, is a bit more nuanced, and we might just find that a first-person "voice" is not such a bad thing after all.

Exploring Song Frameworks: Voice, Object, and Theme

OK—let's explore the structure and content of a worship song (aside from form; that's a different discussion altogether):

• Voice

• Object

• Themes

When it comes to voice, we have two primary types: first-person and third-person. It's fairly simple: "I/me/we" vs. "he/she/they" pronouns, singular and plural. This is followed closely by second-person, which mainly uses the pronoun "you." 

For object, we have direct objects and indirect objects. To put it plain, a direct object receives what's "happening" (the effects of a verb/action), while the indirect object receives what's "happening" through the direct object. You can also think of it as "whom" vs. "for whom." 

And finally, themes are widely understood, but to make it clear, they highlight moral values and the ethics of putting those morals into action. 

Still with me? OK. 

The trends in modern worship music have largely shifted from a third-person voice directly describing God to a first-person voice, either reflecting on what God has done for them (direct object serving the indirect object) or directly addressing God with descriptions of His nature and character with the same transactional themes. This means we have a lot of "I/we" language that looks at what "He" or "you" (being God in second-person) has either done for "me/us" or simply observing who God is but still through a lens of blessings/gifts/deliverance/etc. 

Is this a bad thing? Some would say, "Yes." But what do we do with Scripture that has this same framework?

These verses are absolutely packed with the same voice and object relationship that we hear in many of the worship songs that come through the radio, Spotify, YouTube, etc. But because they are literal Scripture, we have zero problems with using them in our worship.

So where does the rub lie? If we see overlap in structure, what separates acceptable, "appropriate" songs from ones that should avoided?

It's All About Source and Direction

In Scripture, we see an unavoidable truth in the "me" centered vs. "God" centered-songs debate: Using first-person voice and highlighting transaction of blessing (God doing something for me/us) is not just present in the Word of God, but it serves a holy purpose. 

What sets this apart is that the writer(s) of Scripture still point to God in His supremacy, sovereignty, and sufficiency, even if "I/me/we/us" saturates the words. And that's the key to what sets "good" songs apart from the rest, centering on these crucial components:

• Their lyrics are biblical.

• Their doctrines align with Scripture.

• Their themes are holistic—they aren't only therapeutic.

So when you evaluate a song to be used in personal or corporate worship, ask yourself these questions:

• Does the song point me and others to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

• Does the song use Scripture (verbatim, paraphrase, or summary) to rightly communicate truth?

If the answers are, "Yes," then I'd say you have an acceptable songs to use in personal worship and in gathering with others. When planning services or curating a personal playlist, I would encourage you that it's OK to sing songs that only highlight one or two themes—just don't "live" there forever. Rather, use a variety songs that explore the depths and breadth of the themes present God's Word, enriching your pursuit of Him.

Upcoming Workshop with Evan Mazunik

Here at Worship Strategies, we’re all about pointing you toward resources that equip, empower, and enhance your work as worship leaders, pastors, parents, etc.

Evan Mazunik (worship leader in Denver) is offering an online workshop on Oct 24 called “Thrive Through the Holidays.” It’s designed to help busy worship leaders avoid burning out and while prioritizing their creative work as the holidays approach.

The cool thing is it’s SUPER affordable—and you get TONS of resources to take with you after going through the session.

Be blessed 👊✌️