Worship songs and bad guys from horror movies have the same thing in common: When you think they're finally dead, they come back yet again

I don't want this post to seem like I'm being irreverant in any way whatsoever. I think it's perfectly to do some analysis of worship music because songs in and of themselves are not God-breathed Scripture (unless of course we're talking about the Psalms, haha).

In talking with a couple of my friends this weekend I was reminded of a lesson from my class in college, "Worship in the Church." The class brought up the topic of worship songs and that some were fireworks and some were stars: Both were extremely popular but fireworks die after and while and stars live on.

Who hasn't heard "Friend of God" one too many times? I have no quarrels with the song and I happen to love the bridge (if I had been the writer I would have made the entire song just out of the lyrics from the bridge...which would have killed the song even faster). However, I killed it myself when I led worship at my youth group, I might have killed it when I led worship in Bethlehem, it was killed where I previously attended college and I've heard of it being killed in several other places. Yes, like the bad guy from the horror flicks - when you think it's finally dead, it comes back yet again.

For fun - what are some fireworks from way back when that you can remember being popular but never want to sing again? What are some stars from the past that have lived on? How about popular worship songs now - are they fireworks or stars?

It's the worship leader's job to choose songs that will facilitate worship in the hearts of God's people but sometimes we just never know until we try it. Regardless of the song, however, we must always remember that a song doesn't ordain praise, it's God that ordains praise from His people. So, if you find yourself in the middle of a worship service and you can't connect to a song, or this is the time that you've heard "Friend of God" one too many times, remember that worship isn't about a lyric or melody. It's about a God who loved us so much....a Savior who loves us so much that "He'd rather die than live without us."