My Top Ten Modern Worship Songs Of All Time
Ken Coleman, Brad Lomenick, and Myself discussed on the Catalyst podcast, which released today, Brad’s top ten modern worship songs of all time.
So I thought I would share mine, and you can share yours.
Now I am making this rule, just so we don’t get flooded with your favorite current worship songs.
NO SONGS THAT WERE WRITTEN THE LAST 7 YEARS.
Make sure you download the podcast for what I can only describe as a circus featuring us three clowns.
Drumroll Please….
10.Here I Am To Worship
WORE THIS OUT. WORE THIS OUT. What an amazing bridge. It was in the same vain as Heart of Worship but with a little special sauce added on it.
9. From The Inside Out
This was a tough one. There are so many great songs on this record that we wore out at Sandals Church back in the day. But this was the first one of EPIC nature that I purposely let my guitar player pull a solo out on…
8. Let Everything That Has Breath Before we started playing this song, it was all acoustic guitars and congo drums. OMG. Do you remember that horrific season? Thank God this song got me out of that phase. The only problem was we were playing an electric set at the time. Just as bad if not worse. The song itself was an upbeat song we could come out of the gates with and was a crowd fav. Wore this song out too.
7. One Pure And Holy Passion
Probably the most sung son in the ten years I was at Sandals Church. And for a reason. This song changed lives for real. Sara Delarosa and myself went on what I can only imagine was a 4 month stretch never missing a Sunday singing this song. Sorry church. And I think this was also that album that song America was on. I remember singing it and knowing I would never sing it again. 
Seemed like a good idea.
6. Light The Fire Again
The reason why this is in my list is because it was the first song I ever led live in front of a group.
Berry College. 1996. Lots of hot chicks in the crowd harmonizing with me. This was when I knew I wanted to use my guitar in church to get chicks, I mean when I knew I wanted to become a worship leader.
5. Shout To The Lord
The key change. The keychange… This is where manna fell from heaven. Darlene will forever be my favorite worship leader of all time. Literally every church in the world has probably done this song… Anointed.
4. Salvation Is Here
The first song that taught me to pump my fist. It was aggressive, has a sick bass line, and worked like a charm at the top of the set. Honestly, I don’t know if there has been a better top of the set worship song since this bad boy.
3. Make A Joyful Noise
Had a heard time not having this #2. Cause honestly, of all the worship leaders out there, Crowder has crafted my view of the music behind the lyric in a worship song more than anyone. This was my Salvation Is Here before Salvation Is Here was…well…here. And also. Skip to 13:50 in this video… Tomlin and Lecrae were way behind the times of rapping in worship songs… 
That makes me miss Sandals…
2. Heart Of Worship
The chorus all other worship choruses are up against. This song swept the world like wild fire and the story behind the song is even stronger. Hey pastors. How about shutting off the lights and firing the band because you feel your church has lost it’s focus in worship? Yea. I didn’t think so. Amazing anthem.
Drumroll…
1. Better Is One Day
“My heart and flesh cry out, for you the living God, Your spirits water to my soul”
CMON!
This song is my number one for no other reason than it should be.
It changed my view of heaven, earth, worship, and passionate worship.
And I think appropriately enough, Matt Redman crafted the songs my generation was moved by…
Honorable mention…
Shout Unto God, Open The Eyes Of My Heart, Hungry.
That was honestly exhausting.
I started with a completely different list and then moved, deleted, reinserted, and stressed my way through it.
But I think I’m happy.
OK. Time to add your commentary…
What would you add? What is your list? Bring it ragamuffins…
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
I’d like to add two honorable mentions, “How He loves Us” and “God of this City.” Both of those songs completely wreck me every time as I come back to embracing God’s love for me and the work that is yet to be done.
Our church is situated on the side of a valley, overlooking the rest of our city. Often when I’m at the church late at night, I’ll grab my guitar and stand on the edge of the parking lot, freezing my fingers while playing and singing God of this City to the city lights and the approximately forty thousand people who don’t know God in our city.
Great call. Those were too close to the edge of new for me but they KILL
i can only imagine by mercy me is one of my favourites along with better is one day.also grace like rain awesome!!!
Better is One Day done by Something Like Silas (now Future of Forestry) should still be in our rotation. We used to do I Need Words by Crowder every.single.time we did communion and it was phenominal.
Also, how great would it be for a church to do an Old School Series.
these 10 songs are on your set list for the 4 week series, and you have a giant flannel graph (instead of a whiteboard) (or like a stop motion on the screens), and the pastor tells the ‘big’ stories usually reserved for sunday school – david and goliath, parting of the red sea, fishes and loaves…. etc.
hahahahahahahahhahahaha
This sounds like something Jon Acuff needs to write about over on Stuff CHristians Like!!!
#10, #2 and #1 are definitely on my list.
Here are a few of my go to songs:
Majesty – Delirious.
God of Wonders – City on a Hill.
You Are My King(Amazing Love) – Who hasn’t recorded this?
SO TRUE
Not sure how “modern” seven years ago is!
Oh come ON Rich
Most of these songs were on the first “Modern Worship” compilation CDs in the early/mid 2000′s.
Cmon Rich! You know!
So glad to see Shout to the Lord in the list. Can’t imagine a set without it.
I would add I Could Sing of Your Love Forever. That one was pretty massive for me.
And Blessed Be Your Name by Redman. We sang it not that long ago in church and it STILL tore me up.
When we started doing Blessed be your Name, our worship pastor had to tell one of the vocalist not to sing it with an Australian accent, but I still love that song.
I agree with Blessed Be Your Name. Good one.
OH Blessed!!! Yes!
Blessed Be Your Name has made a COMEBACK in my household thanks to Soul Surfer…my daughters watch it religiously…
Can’t believe I didn’t think of “Blessed by Your Name”. That song is beyond amazing.
Wow great list! One of my all time favorites I would have to add is Wonderful Cross (Tomlin/Redman) and one of the first tunes where I felt like we really opened the flood gates for electric guitar, My Glorious from Delirious.
My Glorious. Yes, we had a lot of fun playing that one.
My Freaking Glorious.
“and all you ever do is change the old for new.” Love.
In no particular order:
Vineyard’s Dwell. Man, LOVE that one. (Wait, that might be newish)
Hillsong’s Unfailing Love: “When my burden keeps me doubting, when my memories take the place of you, Jesus come.” Gets me every time.
Beautiful, Scandalous Night
Grace Flows Down
Refiner’s Fire
Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy
Fuel
Meet with Me
Awesome God (Your Voice)
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Can I add my LEAST favorite worship song of all time? Yes? Okay here it is: Church on Fire. Don’t know why that song makes me stabby.
Beautiful Scandalous Night is probably my favorite worship song of all time. The harmonies, the lyrics – everything about it moves me to my core.
HA. Least Favorite is a scary question!
What about Tomlin’s How Great is Our God??? Although, for some, it may be an answer to least faves.
But tagging How Great Thou Art sure was/is fun…
Mine would be “We Fall Down”. Always felt too slow and boring for me.
I have no idea when various worship songs were written, unless they are super new. So here are mine.
In Christ Alone
You Are Worthy of My Praise
YEs Mainline. Both are amazing
Having had a front row seat for those ten years at Sandals “back in the day”, I can vouch for the fact that we tore the cover off these songs. Literally and joyfully wore them out…..what a great list…good times.
Thinking back got me a little misty….love you brother!
I’m crying…
Isn’t “From the Inside Out” only 5 years old? Hard to tell – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Houston , but off that, it seems to have first appeared on an album in ’06.
Which is less than 7 years ago… sorry dude.
As far as mine… I don’t like the 7-year restriction. The nature of songs like these is people run them straight in to the ground and the (potentially-)vain repetition is that I can’t stand them anymore. (It’s kind of like when you eat pop tarts every day for breakfast for 6 months. You eventually can’t even stomach the sight of a pop tart, let alone eat it.)
So I’m going to ignore the 7-year thing and put songs I think I’ll still be moved in worship to 10 years from now, and try and avoid the ones that I think are just catchy and passing away.
Matt Gilman – As the Deer Pants – specifically this – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1bohYJdidc
Kim Walker – I Surrender + the spontaneous song that follows it (Spontaneous Song 4 on the album) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9dHoOsak5w AND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivzDIR4itXA – if I set aside 20 minutes to worship and seek the Lord and put this on, I’ve heard the Lord speak to me and move me every single time.
That’s all I got for now.
Fantastic list! But a list of 10??
YES MAAM
You know what disturbs me about this list? That none of those songs are from the past 7 years. How is that possible?? Thanks for making me feel old today!
But really, really great songs all of them.
We are ooooooooooooold.
“Pour My Love On You” by Phillips Craig and Dean. That song wrecks me.
“In Christ Alone”
“You are Near”- especially the bridge- transition to “Let it Rain.”
Pretty much everything on Kirk Franklin’s Rebirth Album…
Bring that Gospel!
GIVE US CLEAN HANDS – C’mon Somebody!
Love. We would sing this song in youth group over and over and over.
Holy crap. I forgot that one. It would be #11 for shizzle
YES!!! We still sing Give us Clean Hands. Great song.
Oh shoot! How did I not think of that one???
William McDowell – I Give Myself Away
Vashawn Mitchell – Nobody Greater
If you don’t know them PLEASE check them out!
I agree with most of those already listed, but have a few of my own…
Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble, Passion version – I don’t usually run keys into the subs, but LOVED cranking the opening keys part in the subs on this song
Rock of Ages – Not sure who originally did this, but lots of energy whenever we did this song
And, my #1 Chris Tomlin’s Forever – what else can I say?
I’m sure that I’ll think of more later, but these came to mind immediately.
Top 10 Modern worship songs of all time? Isn’t this like saying he is the best running back of all time for the year 2011?
dude. where are the classics? Great is Thy Faithfulness? Come Thou Fount? there is wisdom and depth and history in those songs…. come on!!
“Everything” by Tomlin
Completely agree with Pour My Love On You, and Here in Your Presence…also got to add Alabaster Jar, I am biased slightly to my church, but that song gets me every time!
Revelation Song was technically written in 2004 so throw that one in there…like or hate it…
That one was on my list, too but I figured it was too new.
I LOVE THAT SONG!!!
Shane and Shane did the best version of that bar none!
I would add “You are Good” by Israel Houghton.
How has History Maker not made an appearance on this list. It’s got to be top ten.
I Will Not Forget You
Breathe
Love them all. I’d add Jesus Culture’s We Cry Out(or any other of their songs).
But it’s not really fair. It’s like saying what’s your favorite flavor of ice cream. Come on, it’s ice cream, I love it all.
“I have to believe” by Rita Springer… so good.
Also “what a friend I’ve found” by delirious? Love it.
This list is almost embarrassing. I love and hate just about all of these!
Anyway, some of my faves are the one’s my wife and I have together. Sometimes I’ll lead them, see her giving it up to Jesus, standing at the back wall of the room with her arms raised, and just about lose it. Being the worship leader means standing apart from my bride when experiencing these moments, but a few songs are so true to our united heart and life that it doesn’t matter how far apart we’re standing.
They are:
Second Chance
Desert Song
Come, Now Is The Time To Worship (which also gets props for one of the longest song titles)
Let It Rain
Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble
I Give You My Heart
More Love, More Power
Oh, heck yes. More Love More Power for sure. Funny how when you sing worship songs every week you begin to think you’re singing the same ones over and over. But I think we’ve done most of the songs listed in the comments here.
Has anyone mentioned “We Fall Down”?
There is None Like You – Lenny Leblanc
Open The Eyes Of My Heart – Paul Baloche
Wow…no Delirious?
Sad Los…just sad.
“Obsession”
“Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble”
“My Glorious”
“What a Friend”
“History Maker”
Man there is too many to count!
I’m glad someone said Kirk Franklin! I need some soulful gospel! =)
Still looking for a little Israel Houghton/Israel & New Breed… Does anyone else sing “Friend of God” and “You Are Good”?
Yes! Love it! Also some Kurt Carr, Fred Hammond…
Trading my Sorrows
My Glorious
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever
Breathe
God of Wonders
Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)
are a few I would add.
…saraH…
Sing to the King (where my girl worship leaders at?)
And ditto to those who said In Christ Alone
OMG this made me LOL, that’s the only song girl’s sang at our church ha.
In no particular order:
My Glorious – Delirious
Grace Like Rain – Todd Agnew
O Praise Him (All This For A King) – DCB
40 – U2
Basic Instructions – Burlap To Cashmere
Who Am I – Casting Crowns
Word of God Speak – Mercy Me
The Noise We Make – Chris Tomlin
Great Light of the World – Bebo
Whole – Pedro the Lion
props for the pedro the lion mention. “whole” might be one of the most played songs on my itunes, ever.
Agreed. Love Pedro. Especially his version of Be Thou My Vision
“I stand in awe of you”….gives me goosebumps!!
Offering by Third Day. Best ever!
Ok maybe this is too far back of a throwback, but how come nobody brought up As The Deer. I mean, dayum, that one is ancient. Also, Lord I Lift Your Name On High? Every youth group’s dream song, the perfect combo of awkward hand gestures to ward off new people and a catchy pop tune.
I can play those in my sleep!!! learned to play bass, in my early 20′s, to Lord I lift your name on high. good, good times in youth group…
Shout to the Lord… what a tune. That was my go-to song back in the day when we’d go off the charts for awhile and just play whatever songs came up.
And I agree re: Better is One Day is number one. It’s far and away my favorite tune that we recorded back in my band days. Here’s our version – yes, I’m proud of it… sue me… http://new.music.yahoo.com/plumbline/tracks/better-is-one-day-live–178838881
I first heard “Light the Fire Again” at church camp – it was our “everybody has a really teary moment and recommits to live radically for Jesus around the bonfire” moment (if you’ve ever attended a church camp in middle or high school, you probably know what I’m referring to). Of course, this meant that the only version of this song I knew, for several years in fact, was a slow, emotional acoustic version. Imagine my surprise at later hearing recordings of this song as something fun and upbeat, with everyone clapping along!
…By the way, would anyone happen to know where I can find a slow, emotional acoustic version of “Light the Fire Again”?
One vote for “In Christ Alone” here. I’d be willing to bet it will be remembered as one of the greatest hymns of our generation.
Almost every song that Delirious put on an album…even The Happy Song.
aight, here goes, in no particular order:
-i will not forget you (100 portraits/waterdeep)
-be magnified (lynn deshazo)
-amazing love (you are my king) (billy james foote; best version = passion ’99)
-heart of worship (redman; because, um DUH)
-hungry (vineyard/kathryn scott)
-humble king (vineyard/brenton brown)
-you are so good to me (100 portraits/waterdeep)
-santo, santo eres (not sure who wrote this one, but with the band going and the peoples singing and dancing it is awesome awesome awesome)
-i could sing of your love forever (delirious)
-your grace is enough (matt maher)
“Shout to the Lord” is in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the hymnal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Alongside hymns from the 1800s. That’s how you know you’ve made it.
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus is one my faves. It’s a hymn…but if done right it can be a praise song as well!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdbiGdAdT6c&feature=related
YOUR WELCOME… what worship sounds like in my head
OK, I have to stop reading other people’s responses so I can write mine, in no particular order:
Hungry
We Fall Down
Give us Clean hands
Blessed Be Your Name
Heart of Worship
Forever
Amazing Love
I’ve only been in church about ten years, so in my mind a lot of the stuff I sing at my church is modern… I don’t know where the ten year line is drawn.
You have to include some traditional music or at least something from more than 15 years ago if you want to say this is the greatest list of “all time”.