The Evolution of the Protestant Worship Song

Contemporary Christian music has changed a lot over the years, going hand-in- hand with the rise of the homogenous megachurch.

Written by Kaci Pelias

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

I grew up with a Hello Kitty radio that played music constantly. My childhood was set to a soundtrack of North Texas’ family-friendly Christian radio station, 94.9 (KLTY). For years, before my parents finally let me listen to the secular Radio Disney, all I knew about music was Tobymac, Steven Curtis Chapman, and MercyMe. 

Even now, whenever I visit home as a college student, my bedroom radio welcomes me with open arms, having never been turned off. I’m introduced to the new wave of contemporary Christian worship music, and although I’m listening to most of these songs for the first time, they all feel uncannily familiar.

The subgenre of religious music considered “Contemporary Christian Worship” was kicked off by crossover artists like Barry McGuire and U2, as their public announcements of their faith brought attention to that sort of musical messages.

Powerhouses Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith took over the genre soon after, gaining momentum in both the contemporary Christian world and, on occasion, mainstream radio. Grant and Smith paved the way for a genre of music that relied on a healthy dose of synthesizer and guitar, with songs like “Saved by Love” and “The Throne.”

The most notable feature of hits that came from this era of contemporary Christian music is that they were most often played in homes, on radios and records. Because most churches were, at the time, more traditional, these songs didn’t really feature heavily in the sanctuary. The closest they got to brick-and-mortar churches was during youth worship, the more relaxed services held for young adults and children.

As society shifted gears away from traditionalist views and audiences demanded new forms of worship, churches began adopting more “alternative” and “modern” practices in their services. Coinciding with the rise of the modern megachurch, worship services started incorporating more modern music in the early 21st century.

Megachurches are defined as having 2,000 or more worship attendees per week. One of the most well-known megachurches in the United States is Lakewood Church in Houston, home to the controversial pastor Joel Osteen. These churches have been criticized as impersonal, secularized, and cookie-cutter copies of each other.

Hillsong Church, one of these aforementioned megachurches, opened in Australia in 1983, but entered the global eye in 2013 with their worship team’s release of the song “Oceans.” This hit remains one of the most-played songs in modern worship services around the world, and it impacted contemporary Christian music perhaps even more than Amy Grant. Since the rise in “Oceans” popularity, many artists have attempted to replicate or pattern themselves after Hillsong’s worship team, leading to a more homogenous sound in the genre.

Most contemporary Christian music now follows an I V IV chord progression, making it easier to follow on guitar, and, in turn, making for songs that are both learned quickly by the worship team and easy to follow along for the worshippers. While contemporary Christian music used to focus on lyrics and musicality for listening’s sake for the radio and record, it’s now focused on creating ease and efficiency for large participants that not only listen to the music, but take part in performing it as well.

While Hillsong’s influence on modern worship music has made singing by ear easier in church services, I often find myself missing the contemporary Christian music of the past. Then my childhood radio station hosts a “throwback night,” and I get to hang out with my nostalgic feelings for a little while longer, dreaming of the days before churches became concert venues.