Worship Leaders & Pastors – Song Recommendations for Youth Groups

Jay, who is serving as a youth intern, wrote in to ask:

I have been searching and searching for songs which have theological depth and substance but it has been quite the challenge in looking through the modern worship scene. I have found Sovereign Grace Music and the songs of Townend and Getty to be a huge help. But what I am asking is, what would you suggest for the next 10 or so songs that we could add to our youth group worship service?

I’ll start by making a few general recommendations, then suggest specific songs. It’s worth picking up any CD by Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Indelible Grace, and the new Matthew Smith CD. Paul Baloche’s latest, A Greater Song, has some fine songs on it as well. Here are some of the songs we’ve found helpful, not only for our parent/youth meetings, but also for Sunday mornings. By the way, I’m not recommending everything on these CD’s. The CD title is in parentheses.

Jesus Paid it All – Passion version (Everything Glorious)

Nothing but the Blood – Matt Redman (Facedown)

Maker of All Things – Tim Hughes (Here I Am to Worship)

How Great is Our God – Chris Tomlin (Passion: How Great is Our God)

Blessed be Your Name – Matt Redman (Blessed Be Your Name)

Great is the Lord – Starfield (Beauty in the Broken)

Giver of Life – Tim Hughes (When Silence Falls)

Matchless – Aaron Shust (Anything Worth Saying)

My Savior, My God – Aaron Shust (Anything Worth Saying)

Let the People Praise – Aaron Shust (Anything Worth Saying)

Offering – Paul Baloche (Offering of Worship)

I Will Boast – Paul Baloche (A Greater Song)

Lost in Wonder – Martyn Layzell (Lost in Wonder)

You Opened Up My Eyes – Martyn Layzell (Lost in Wonder)

Ken Boer, Music Director at my home church, also keeps a list of the songs we’ve done at Covenant Life. You can access it here.

Because we live in a music-addicted culture, it’s all the more important that young people are singing truths that proclaim God’s Word to their hearts. For that reason, I’d make sure that any youth group is singing songs with rich theology, usually hymns. The Passions Hymns CD has some gems, as do the Indelible Grace CD’s. Singing hymns helps anchor young people in generations beyond their current one. It also prevents a musical divide based on generation which contradicts what the Gospel is meant to do – make us one in Christ.