8 Worship Songs I Could Do Without

This past Wednesday, I attended a Volunteer Appreciation Night at Living Word Christian Center. Since I still occasionally evangelize with them, Pastor Nick Kinn encouraged me to attend this event. The gathering began with free pizza, a taco bar, and other refreshments served in the lobby. Then we moved into the sanctuary for a special meeting. One thing we did was play a trivia game via our smartphones. Among the questions shown on the video screen was “Which worship song does Tim Amstutz (the worship leader) like the least?” The correct answer was “He Is Exalted.”

That reminded me of an article I recently read titled “10 Worship Songs I’d Be Fine with Never Singing Again (And Why).” I thought of compiling a list of my own but didn’t want to publicly criticize songs the Holy Spirit has used to minister to others. Then again, just because a song is “Christian” doesn’t mean we have to like it. I’m sure the Lord doesn’t like religious songs with lyrics embalmed with unbelief.


Please forgive me if any of the following songs are among your favorites, but I prefer not to hear these again:


“Lord, We Magnify You” - This David Ingles composition has been sung since I started going to Living Word. In my opinion, it’s repetitive and could use additional lyrics. Living Word tends to overdo this song. During a worship service I attended a few years ago, the piano player announced, “Let’s sing this just once.” He then went through it several times before moving on to the next song. “Magnify” has also been sung on albums recorded by Living Word musicians. I will walk out of the sanctuary or put earphones on if it plays before a service.


“Days of Elijah” - I didn’t care for this Robin Mark song when first hearing it. Then I heard Rodney Howard-Browne talk about how he refuses to let his worship team sing it. The reason is we are not living in the days of Elijah. We are under a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6). If I’m in a service when this song is playing, I clam up during selected lyrics.


“Blessed Be Your Name” - This Matt Redman song has been covered by many artists. I liked the version recorded by a group called Tree63. It was even added to my playlist when I programmed an Internet radio station. However, I edited out the portion that quotes Job 1:21, “You give and take away/My heart will choose to say/Lord, blessed be Your name.” We are not supposed to praise the Lord for tragedies caused by the devil. Jesus came “…that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)


“We Are Free” - I like the Planetshakers’ modern sound, but not this particular song. Whenever I hear the “ohs” sung during a church service, I want to sing “no” instead. I dislike the abundance of filler syllables in today’s Christian music.


“Worship You” - In 2004, I married a woman who became controlling and abusive (I had to separate from her a year later and subsequently file for divorce). Once while we rode in the back of a friend’s car, my wife insisted on playing a tape of this Jami Smith song that was repeated countless times. She later threatened to do that again since she knew it annoyed me. Because of that, I don’t have fond memories of this song. My ex-wife died from cancer last year.


“Rise Up” - I like some of Rita Springer’s other songs but can’t stand her vocal performance on the live version of this one. To me, it’s like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. This was frequently played on Praise 95, a defunct Pensacola-based radio station I listened to online. I immediately muted the volume until the song was over.


“In the Presence of Angels” - I hesitated to add this one because of knowing Roy Fields, the worship leader who often sang this at the Lakeland Outpouring meetings in 2008. Around the time the revival started cooling off, my then-pastor kept playing “Angels” over and over on his iPod at the end of his meetings. I still cringe a bit when hearing this otherwise anointed song.


“Raise A Hallelujah” - I would like this current worship favorite more if it wasn’t played too much on the radio and in churches. 


There are other songs I grew an aversion to mostly because of overexposure or not liking the genre of music. Perhaps you thought of some you don’t want to hear again. Instead of putting together another list, I suggest finding songs you like or writing some of your own.


“He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD.” - Psalm 40:3

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