Ten Secular Songs That Double as Worship Anthems
Non-Christian music that “takes you to church”
Life is easier when you can neatly place everything into a two-columned table with one column labeled “good” and the other column labeled “bad.” Growing up in the Evangelical Church, you can bet your bottom dollar that by the time I was ten years old, I had well and truly formed those two lists in my mind.
I was taught that anything connected with the sacred, the spiritual, and the divine — at least in an evangelical sense — was considered good. Everything else was bad. My Sunday School teacher had a special name for everything outside of the safety of our evangelical church bubble.
She called it… “The World.”
When my Sunday School teacher used to say “The World,” she would form virtual, inverted commas with her fingers. She would lean right in for effect and almost whisper in haunting tones, “The World,” just so we all understood just how dark and horrible the world was. The dividing line between safe and unsafe was drawn in the sand.
Consequently, I was taught to make my home in the ghetto of cultural Christianity. That bubble included its very own genre of music: Church music.
Church music = good.
“The World’s” music = bad.
I was taught that merely listening to “The World’s” music could provide a foothold for the devil himself. It would lead to all kinds of sin and debauchery. And so I played it safe and had “How Great Thou Art” on high rotation.
When I finally left behind my evangelical roots, I discovered that my Sunday School teacher had been lying. I did not become possessed by demons when I started listening to secular music. In fact, I found out that music — all music — is one of the most tangible expressions of human spirituality.
What is more, I was a little bit shocked when I found myself connecting with God through the words and lyrics and certain songs that often had nothing to do with God… at least, not directly. It was as if these songs spoke a truth that seemed to strike a chord somewhere down in my soul. I connected with the sacred through the secular.
Who would have thought?
So, I present to you ten secular songs that, in my opinion, make great “worship” songs:
Fix You — Cold Play
The lyrics that take me to church:
“Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face, and I
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you”
The lead singer of Cold Play — Chris Martin — wrote this tune and called it the most important song he’s ever written. It was penned following the death of his father-in-law and speaks of how when tragedy strikes, we can end up retreating from our friends and loved ones. However,
Fix You resonates with a powerful message: the people who choose to be there for us do so not out of duty, but because their love and care drive them to stand by our side.
To me, it’s a song of invitation to allow those closest to us — including God — into our wounded places.
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For — U2
The lyrics that take me to church:
“You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”
Get a load of those lyrics! They sure sound churchy, don’t they? In fact, this classic from U2 is very much a rock n’ roll hymn.
But what I like about it most is that it’s really an anthem of doubt more than an anthem of faith. It’s a song that poses questions but never gives answers. And that makes it real. It’s a song about the search — the quest for meaning and transcendence. Who can’t relate to that?
The Nights — Avicii
The lyrics that take me to church:
“One day, my father, he told me, “Son, don’t let it slip away”
He took me in his arms, I heard him say
“When you get older your wild heart will live for younger days
Think of me if ever you’re afraid.”
Sure, the music video makes it look like the goal of life is to find and join a never-ending rave party on the beach. But, when I imagine God singing these words to me, it takes on a whole new meaning.
The imagery of the loving father taking his son in his arms and telling him to go and live life to the full. It’s powerful! It gets better when the father adds, “I’m here for you if it doesn’t work out,” or words to that effect.
Yes, I could imagine God saying it.
Hanging By a Moment — Lifehouse
The lyrics that take me to church:
“Forgetting all I’m lacking
Completely incomplete
I’ll take your invitation
You take all of me now
I’m falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I’ve held on to
I’m standing here until you make me move
I’m hanging by a moment here with you”
It’s not hard to see how you could take these lyrics and sing them to God. In fact, some would argue that Lifehouse is a pseudo-Christian band, but when they were asked the question, they said outright that they are not. But gosh… their lyrics sure contain some pretty awesome spiritual themes.
When lead singer Jason Wade wrote this song, he was asked what it means to be “hanging by a moment,” to which he replied, “It’s about just trying to stay in the moment, stay present, and enjoy the moments as they’re happening around you.”
I happen to believe the only place you can really find God is in the “now.” The presence is in the present. Maybe that’s why this song always takes me to church.
Let it Be — The Beatles
The lyrics that take me to church:
“And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shinin’ until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”
The Beatles were famously agnostic in their beliefs, with John Lennon once even claiming that people were more obsessed with them than they were with Jesus. But that doesn’t change the fact that they were capable of writing music that connected with people at a soul level.
Paul McCartney, who wrote Let it Be, explained the inspiration behind the song: “I had a dream in the Sixties where my mum who died came to me in a dream and was reassuring me, saying: ‘It’s gonna be OK. Just let it be…’”
For that, I see ‘Let it Be’ as a song of surrender and trust. Whatever will be, will be.
Bring Me to Life — Evanescence
The lyrics that take me to church:
“Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life
Wake me up inside (save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark (wake me up)”
Evanescence’s debut single took the world by storm in the early 2000s, and the story behind the lyrics is quite compelling. After leaving behind a toxic relationship, lead singer, Amy Lee wrote this song about her new partner who, she believed, helped to draw her out of the dark place where she found herself — an awakening of sorts.
And while she may have been singing this song to the man who would become her husband, it’s easy to imagine these words coming from the heart of any person who’s crying out for a new beginning. Yes, it’s easy to sing these words to God!
What a Wonderful World — Louis Armstrong
The lyrics that take me to church:
“I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”
It’s an oldy but a goody. Whenever I hear this classic tune, for some reason, I can’t stop thinking of things that I’m grateful for. They seem to flash across my eyes, one after the other, as if Louis Armstrong is inviting me to notice and appreciate all the beauty and wonder that is all around us. And that’s why this song takes me to church.
You Will Be Found — from the Musical Dear Evan Hansen
The lyrics that take me to church:
“There’s a place where we don’t have to feel unknown
And every time that you call out
You’re a little less alone
If you only say the word
From across the silence, your voice is heard”
There’s something about the broadway number, now modern favorite, that exudes hope. Who doesn’t want to go to a place where they are known and seen and heard and valued? Why… that sounds a bit like heaven! Take me there now, please!
I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve prayed to the skies and wondered if God had heard me. But there’s something about this song that makes me believe in the yes that comes back when I ask, “God, do you see me?”
Mercy Now — Boy George
The lyrics that take me to church:
“Yea, we all could use a little mercy now
I know we don’t deserve it
But we need it anyhow
We hang in the balance
Dangle ‘tween hell and hallowed ground
Every single one of us could use some mercy now”
Turns out, Boy George didn’t pen this song, but his spectacular cover breathed new life into it. The credit goes to singer/songwriter Mary Gauthier, whose original composition delves into the profound choice we make to show mercy and forgiveness, even to those who may not seem deserving.
Of course, it leaves us with the haunting lyric: “Every single one of us could use some mercy now.” Ain’t that the truth?
Timshel — Mumford & Sons
The lyrics that take me to church:
“But you are not alone in this
And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand and we’ll hold your hand
Hold your hand”
It could be the style of this song that takes me to church as much as the lyrics. It’s soulful and even sounds like a gospel number.
But the words are also steeped in meaning. The song’s title, “Timshel,” is a Hebrew word meaning “thou mayest.” Renowned American author John Steinbeck references this word in his novel “East of Eden,” which happens to be lead singer Marcus Mumford’s favorite book. The word Timshel is used to describe man’s choice between good and evil, sin and righteousness. Yes, it’s really a song about choices:
“And you have your choices
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars
But you are not alone in this”
Beautiful!
What about you?
Maybe I’m just weird… although I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not the only person who finds moments of worship in secular music.
What about you?
Leave me a comment and answer me this: What secular song is a worship song for you?
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