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. Finding fast, upbeat worship songs is one of the toughest parts of a worship leader’s job. I still haven’t quite figured out why this is. Maybe it’s a lot easier for worship artists to write slow, contemplative songs.
They’re certainly a lot easier to play. When a church worship team does find a good fast song, it proves too difficult or ends up sounding cheesy or mid-tempo. No matter how difficult, worship leaders need fast praise songs. The Bible doesn’t call us to sing only dirges every Sunday! I’ve decided we worship leaders need a great resource to find fast songs. So here’s a list of fast songs that we’re doing in my church, or that I know other churches are doing.
If you have additional songs that work well for your team, leave some ideas in the comments. If I agree with you, your song could make it on my list. So comment away. Without further ado, here are the songs. Never Gonna Stop Singing. Artist: Jesus Culture.
CCLI #7054533. Album: Let It Echo Jesus Culture isn’t afraid to bring high-intensity songs to the church, and this song is a great example. It’s not very difficult to play, either. Try it out at your church!
Awesome in this place E Be bold be strong A Be exalted O God A Be glorified D. Spirit of the living God F Spirit touch your church A Such joy D Such love D/E Take my life and let it be E Teach me to worship you G Thank you Jesus D The battle belongs to the Lord Em.
Glorious Day. Artist: Passion.
CCLI #7081388. Album: Worthy Of Your Name Kristian Stanfill. First song on the album.
You know this one is going to be good. Released in February 2017, this is one of the standout fast worship songs of the year. What I really like about it, though is that it’s stupid simple musically. There are literally four chords in the verses and not many more in the chorus.
Worship teams of all skill levels can do this song with excellence.The song is not light on theology. It notes where we would be without Christ (the grave) and that his resurrection allows us to run “out of that grave.” This song won’t disappoint musically or lyrically. Subscribe We won't send you spam.
Unsubscribe at any time. In The River. Artist: Jesus Culture.
CCLI #7054537. Album: Let It Echo This is a fast, playable song from Jesus Culture’s latest project. It promotes a spirit of freedom in Christ.
In many churches, it’s not common to see people dancing — or even moving. But this song should get them one step closer. As a worship leader, you have the power to put words in people’s mouths, and words lead to action. Not that dancing is a true gauge of worship, but we want the church to experience God’s freedom to dance if they so wish, and a departure from the fear of man.
This song nudges us in that direction. Special Request: I’m Building A Worship Song Download Portal Are you a worship leader or worship band that wants bigger exposure?
Please submit your original worship song MP3s and music sheets, as well as a note giving me permission to post them free of charge on this website. Worship leaders from around the globe will be able to listen to your song, download the songsheet, and start playing them at their churches. What a great way to equip local churches and use your gifts to their full potential!
Email me at tim (at) worshipdeeper dot com with Dropbox links, Google Drive links, or however you want to get your songs to me. I will review them and possibly add them to my Free Worship Songs Portal. Artist: Hillsong United. CCLI # 6428743. Album: Zion This one worked well as a fast song in our high school group.
I haven’t tested it out yet on the older crowd, but it would probably be a good one. Lots of great songs here, but how fast they are or whether they are fast enough is subjective I guess. My criteria for a fast song is one you get off the ground with and the required at least 140-150 bpm. A lot of these songs have intensity but not tempo and are slower songs lyrics-wise played in double time, and still sort of drag a bit. A good example of a fast song is Church on Fire by Hillsong.
I grew up singing messianic worship songs and that you can dance to. Usually 150-180 bpm. If you don’t break a sweat you’re singing slow songs!
Love so many of these – I warned my worship team that we are going to introduce quite a bit of new music this year – we lost a couple of people to college – so we are improvising until God provides to fill the holes, but the temps who have stepped in have been great. I was holding back waiting – but I’m over it – time to move on with whomever God has for us now – can’t wait to get started! This list is uber helpful. We actually just did Old Church Choir by Zach Williams – turned out mega awesome and the congregation actually moves! Lolof course Christmas will be the next thing to plan.
Any new 2018 Christmas awesomeness coming your way? I appreciate some of the replies above to focus even more toward vertical praise, raising the majesty and glory of God. Caution is appreciated that not all worship music is grounded in Scripture. The greater the Word of God is lifted, the more we see the grace and mercy He has poured out on us. Great sources of music: Consider updated hymns by Norton Hall Band, Gettys, Sovereign Grace, and Austin Stone Worship! Some are quite upbeat and yet have great theology.
What great combination than the Word of God and music! I have great love for many worship and music styles, but even more that God be given the glory through it. JMWhile I hear what you are saying, by that logic, we should never sing most popular hymns then that have stood the test of history in our churches.
Take this excerpt from probably the most famous hymn ever sung. “Amazing Grace”- Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see”.or “Crown Him With Many Crowns”- Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne. Hark how the Heavenly anthem drowns all music but it’s own.” Etc etc etc.
These ARE vertical songs of worship because they give honor and glory to the King of Kings even though we are not directly singing them TO Godwe are singing ABOUT Him and what He has done and continues to do in our lives. This is part of worship.proclaiming the greatness of God to each other.reminding ourselves of His love and victory over death and the grave. I would say that both/and are important. As far as Jesus Culture, I would tend to agree that their theology is a bit interesting BUT musically and lyrically there is nothing in their songs that I have noticed (yes I do word and theological studies of all the songs we sing in our church before we sing them.) that is heretical or against the Gospel. The same could be said for Lakewood in Houston, or Gateway, or Lifechurch in the UK.Ya gotta spit out the bones and take the meat my brother. Heading down that road too often leads to Legalism. I came to this site looking for current fast paced songs as well as all the others.
I have to agree with Stephen above. We need to find songs that glorify God and sing “to Him” not just “about Him.” My opinion is we’re there to worship the King of Kings and tell Him how much we love him. Not just speak “about” Him in a “worship” song. Speaking about Him is another way to sing, but I wouldn’t call them church worship songs appropriate for leading worship.
Songs should be directed to Him. Just my opinion though, and I’ve heard numerous others say the same thing. And while I’m on opinions I would suggest and encourage a DEEP research of Jesus Culture, Kim-Walker Smith and those involved in that movement. You may find that we shouldn’t be singing or encouraging their music or any other thing that is affiliated with Bethel Church in Redding CA. No, I’m not an old fuddy duddy. Yes, I am an evangelical Pentecostal who believes in the Holy Spirit and His work today. Compare their practices & beliefs to the Bible.
Knowledge is wisdom. In this day and age, we all need it.
My mom grew up with hymns, and then when i was like 7 we moved to a closer church called impact. Okay maybe i was 10-11 i don’t really remember. Anyways so Impact church is weslyn and my mom didn’t know what that was, but the children ministry was amazing! My brother and I loved it!!
And we called it big church hahaha I loved the worship. It was like a concert almost for Jesus. My Nanna didn’t like it b/c she said she doesn’t want to vibrate while worshiping.
( she only came once for a baptisim) It’s so powerful! My dad soon joined the band b/c of his musical background it was extremely easy for him to become apart of the band, and now i might help the worship team for children ministries! Sorry for any of my mistakes while writing this. As a songwriter I’ve felt it important to write these upbeat songs of celebration and thanksgiving, for the same reasons you mention–there are so many slower and contemplative songs out there! And, I gravitate towards the slower stuffI try to discipline myself to write and learn the uptempo songs as well.
Anyway, I’ve been using Andy Park’s New Day (it’s from his 2009 album, Wonder Working God), In the River (the one you mentioned), and some of my ownnot trying to do the self-plug, so I won’t post my own stuff! Thanks for maintaining this site. I have benefited greatly from coming to this site and hearing Endless light for our Youth Band for our Youth Band to learn.
Thanks for joining in the search for songs that are simple, wholesome, and happy. There is a lot of what I would call saccharine worship music out there. I define it as songs that use big words but nobody really knows what they’re saying. Or over-the-top declarations of surrender, without a taste of real life. “God, you are the only one!” What does that even mean? You get my drift.
I miss the happy songs we used to sing in youth group in the seventies. “Love him in the morning,” and “Doesn’t that Bible say?” Sure, not all of them are messages directed toward God, i.e.
“I worship you.” But they give you a lot more bang for your buck, in terms of good old-fashioned joy and courageous fire. Most of our songs nowadays are meta-worship. “Oh, God, I’m singing about worshiping you! In a slow tempo, oh Lord!” We need to be a lot more like the Raven in The Magician’s Nephew, “Am I the first joke?” Thank you, thank you, for digging deeper and looking for something more. I come from a gospel background which had a plethera of fast paced songs but I now lead in a contemporary style. I think our mainstream radio style songs, which are played in most of our contemporary Christian churches do not really focus on praise but more worship. Many churches feel the upbeat, the over production, the lighting becomes way too over done and can take the focus away from God.
I don’t think it has to be this way. Music touches people regardless how fast or slow you play them.
I totally agree we need more fast upbeat songs in our churches (some people are afraid of the whole Pentecostal movement and will avoid such music)I love Kim Walker Smith, Bethel music, planetshakers, Elevation worship, & Hillsong young and free. I’ve lead praise and worship since I was 14 yrs old and I am now 34I’ve been overseeing a youth band for the last 5 years. I’ve learned that the music I like at 34 is not what a 15 year old would like.
Before I implement any new songs, I try to get feedback from the kids (youth)as long as the song is easy to sing, has a chorus that is relatable, and directs people towards God I’m usually good with it. I think a 15 year old kid knows how to reach a 15 yr old kidso I give them quite a bit of freedom. My job as their leader is to expose themlet God work and speak through them. It’s amazing what kids will dosome of them have written their own vamps or chantsre-write lyricsuse secular songs and re-write them to glorify Christ. We started with 6 kidsnow we have 19.
It’s great to see kids grabbing a hold of God at 13-19 years old. Just got this comment via email from Pastor Dennis in Yakima, Washington I don’t know who you are and had not even known of your sight 6 weeks ago. I lost a youth pastor who had just started a praise band. They hadn’t even played one song yet.
I searched, found your sightwe played our first song about 5 weeks ago. I sent them to your sight, told them to watch the videos and gave them chords. We started playing and wowthanks. It was nice to have a source to send them. I just had time to read your lesson on and loved it and will share it at band practice is a couple of hours. Thanks so much. The upbeat songs were very helpful and easy to play.
We have been blessed and will continue to send others to your sight and hope you know it made a difference. Praise to God. Jimmy, Thanks for your comments and I get where you’re coming from. You only want to see newly-published songs on the list.
However, I made the list about a few different things: 1) Songs worship teams can play easily; 2) Songs that churches.are playing. in 2016; 3) Fairly modern stuff that’s not outdated yet. If you’ve been around the church for a while, you notice that it takes years for songs to “catch on” and finally be adopted into congregations.
You argue that songs.not. from 2016 should not be on the list. And that these are not “top songs”. However, if you look at CCLI’s list of top 25 songs you’ll notice there are few, if any, from 2016. In fact, currently at #7 is “How Great Is Our God” from 2004.
So forgive me for having songs from 2009, but I believe each song on the list is relevant and useful to today’s church. You’ll notice a few other things about CCLI’s top 25 songs.
As I’m writing this, only 2 of them could be considered “upbeat”. That demonstrates a real weakness of worship songwriters today. Or, a weakness inside the church.
Either there aren’t fast songs being written, or the church is not adopting them and getting them in the top spots of CCLI’s list. (I was glad to see one of my fast song suggestions “This Is Amazing Grace” at #1 on CCLI’s list). So there’s a hole in worship music today: fast songs. That’s why I think over 14,000 people.per month. come to my fast worship songs resource. Worshipers are searching for upbeat songs with which to encourage their congregations, but they can’t find them.
I’m filling that gap, albeit perhaps not with songs that were written in the last few months. So here are your next steps. Send over some fast songs from this year and I will add them to the list, if I think regular worship teams can play them.
Oh, and you said this article was click bait. No, it’s not, but this other one I wrote is:. Thank you for these suggestions. I’m the only musician at this small Baptist church. I play piano and my calling is absolutely slow worship songs. So, finding and being able to play uptempo music is quite a challenge. Our congregation is a more mature group, so I try to incorporate traditional hymns along with contemporary.
They are very sweet about the combination of songs like Down At the Cross and Awesome God or I Surrender All with All Who Are Thirsty. I desperately need more uptempo songs that I can play, so I will be checking out all of these on your list. If you have anymore tips please share them.
Thank you so much. God bless you!
It is indeed a challenge for a praise and worship leader to find a balance between a hip music while looking for an anointed song. It is easy to find a fast song. But to find a song with a catchy beat, tune, at the same time good theology, singable by the congregation AND a special “umph” of God is hard to find.
Likewise, pastors are in a dilemma of finding that a true worship leader. I remember meeting Alvin Slaughter personally and he told us something that embedded in my brain. He said “I am a music minister more than a praise and worship leader. When I sing, the tendency of the people is to listen to me and be blessed by the message of the song. Ron (referring to Ron Kenoly) is a praise and worship leader. When he sings, he encourages the congregation to sing along with him.
He has a great voice. But not all great singers are worship leaders.” Likewise, not all songs are created equal. There are great songs that are really just for listening pleasure while some are indeed created to be sung to the Master ?.
Hi Tim, I stumbled across your site unintentionally but I’m curtain it wasn’t by accident as I’m running a leadership meeting tomorrow and will recommend this site as a resource. As seems to be common situation, we too have an ageing congregation and find that by opening a service with 2 or 3 uptempo praise songs, we can collectively enter into a deeper time of worship with dynamic and spontaneous movement of the Spirit. The oldies struggled coming to terms with the new songs initially but through prayer persistence, they now seem in full support.
We, the music/worship leadership are constantly on the lookout for fresh upbeat songs that can be used to lead the church into His presence. This one was mentioned earlier, it’s probably been the most effective song at unifying a congregation diverse in age: The Love Of The Father by City Alight And; Nothing But The Blood by the same group (this is the traditional hymn, but check it out as it is an awesome upbeat version!). Keep up the good work brother! Your encouragement to all who have left comments is inspiring. In Him, Alastair. I am really surprised that no one, yourself or comments, has mentioned anything from Elevation Worship yet!
Based out of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC, these guys are putting out some phenomenal stuff. I serve as worship leader at Oasis Church in Radford, VA, and we have added about 8 songs to our repertoire from Elevation in the last 14 months or so. Specifically, check out “Mighty Warrior” and “Only King Forever” from the Only King Forever album. From the same album, a couple of others are fantastic mid-tempo songs: “I Will Look Up” and “Great and Mighty King.” From the album For the Honor, check out “Exalted One.” And finally, from Nothing is Wasted, check out “Greater” (feat. Israel Houghton), which starts low and builds nicely.
When I discovered Elevation Worship early in 2015, I knew I’d found something special! Do yourself and your team a favor, and check out Elevation Worship on iTunes! Start with Only King Forever; you will not be disappointed!
I lead worship for the youth at my church. You have included some great songs that we do (This Is Amazing Grace & Like A Lion) and I have been wanting to do Go for awhile! Some other ones that I like are One Way, Salvation Is Here, Break Free, The Time Has Come, and The Point Of Difference by Hillsong United. Also, I Am Free by The Newsboys and Not To Us by Chris Tomlin. Finding Who We Are by Kutless is another good one. No One Like You by David Crowder Band used to be one that we did a lot over 5 years ago and always went over well. What’s funny is that I am actually much better with the fast songs than the slower songs (probably my experience in playing in punk bands growing up!).
I am finding it harder to discover new fast songs (especially from Hillsong United). So always cool to discover new stuff (hadn’t heard the Jesus Culture Forevermore song before so that was a cool discovery). Keep up the good work! This is a really nice mix of mostly newer and recent ideas from many different artists. I see where you used many songs with simple phrasing which is key when developing a larger list to pick from.
A few things for all of us (as leaders picking the songs our teams will sing) is to remember these key points as well: 1.) Range – some of these guys (like Stanfill, Tomlin, etc) have higher tenor voices that most have trouble singing with. The only way I have found help here is to transpose them and hope the music guys are okay (riffs sometimes change considerably when you drop a 3rd down). Good luck here – the songs are great and worthy to be done.
Watch out for songs that start really low then jump up an octaveit spells a challenge for your team and the gathering flock. 2.) Melody line/Syncopation: most of your congregations are not the ones who sing these songs constantly in the car, at the office, in the shower, etc, so really looking at phrasing and the flow of the melody helps. In other words, pick these songs that have a simple, straightforward melody to start (nothing too jumpy in pitch or rhythm – some of this is explained above) and gradually work in songs with more syncopation,etc. Training is part of the worship process. We invite them in to join, not listen every Sunday. If you always hear “what great music!” versus “what great worship!”, go simpler.
You are there only to facilitate. Fast and simple to start can work and engage quickly. Be Flowmasters – know where you go after your high octane.
Carefully go to the next adventure – key, speed, range, etc. That is huge. Prayerfully consider who sings when and how the fast song ties into the next one (fast/medium/slow). Present the theme the Holy Spirit wants to embrace. Keep these in mind – maybe more than you needed or old school stuff. Been doing this a long time now and have seen a lot of great servant led worship.
Great list – keep it up! I have been on the search for more upbeat worship songs. I plan on incorporating a few from your list! Today is the Day- Lincoln Brewster is a song my church seems to like fairly well. Nothing Is Impossible- Planetshakers is an upbeat song that instantly makes you clap your hands. They have a couple other upbeat songs that you may want to consider as well if you like the feel of this one. Greater- MercyMe is an absolute crowd pleaser.
I have worn this song out but I’ve yet to get tired of singing or seeing everyone worship to it! Thrive- Casting Crowns is moderately upbeat but can be made more upbeat if actually playing it. I could go on and on about the worship songs that Casting Crowns have provided for my church.(They aren’t upbeat at all but “All you’ve ever wanted” and “Just be Held” are two songs on their new cd that really speak to my church. There are many other slower songs that they have as well that can move you to your knees.). These are some great suggestions! We have just started incorporating contemporary worship songs into our service (We’ve recently had a shift from primary 60 & above to the average is mid 30s!) and these songs are a great list to start from. We haven’t done any fast songs yet, starting them out slow- mostly songs with hymns tie-ins.
I think that I am definitely going to incorporate “This is Amazing Grace” this month. I’m not sure how upbeat you consider Casting Crowns, but their East is from the West and Until the Whole World Hears could possibly make pretty good worship songs as well.