About Worship Writers Workbook

A workbook for Christian songwriters wanting to write songs with good theology, gospel mission, and global diversity.

“Movements aren’t sustained by preaching and writing alone, but by the music and art that communicate the vision of the movement.”
—Steve Murrell, President of Every Nation Churches & Ministries

“We should rise above our inferiority complex that pushes us to sing songs from a few artists. Even if our songs are terrible, we should still write them.”
—Malcom Duplessis, South African Church Planter and Song Publisher

 

This book is designed to cultivate your skill, creativity, and engagement as a songwriter. If you have an interest in songwriting, we want to help you.

Worship music is an integral part of how we engage God. So it’s important that our music not only be creatively inspiring but also anchored in scripture and biblical community.

Western worship music has contributed much to church culture around the world; however, statistics show that there is an overwhelming lack of multicultural representation in worship music globally. The world needs more songwriters who are ready and able to contribute a more well-rounded expression of worship.

Over the last several years, Every Nation Music has partnered with churches to host songwriting workshops with an emphasis on multicultural collaboration. We have worked to cultivate a global community of songwriters to serve the local church by writing songs that are technically sound and theologically accurate. This book is an extension of these workshops, packaged so that anyone anywhere can get the tools they need to write songs that honor God. We believe that you can make a significant musical contribution to how God is worshiped in the nations of the world.

The Worship Writers Workbook features:

    • practical breakdowns of the elements of a song with examples, insights, and inspiration from songwriters and musicians across history and across genres;
    • simplified exploration of multiple disciplines including Church history, biblical worship, songwriting technique, and artistic expression;
    • training materials that emphasize diversity, collaboration, and gospel mission;
    • songwriting exercises, assessments, reflection questions, and prompts;
    • and blank journal space for you to write up to 50 songs, with a “toolbox” to inspire and guide you.

This book is designed to cultivate your skill, creativity, and engagement as a songwriter. If you have an interest in songwriting, we want to help you.

About the Authors

Justin Gray

Justin Gray

Justin is the director of Every Nation Music, a global community of songwriters. He is passionate about training songwriters and helping churches make the connection between music and discipleship. In addition to his musical work with Every Nation Music, he has written and produced songs for The Winans family, Out of Eden, Mary Mary, CitiPointe Worship, and Common Hymnal, among others. He and his wife, Mashon, live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their four kids. Justin serves as a volunteer member of the pastoral team at his local church.

Kelsie Capitano

Kelsie Capitano

Kelsie is a musician, songwriter, and graphic designer. She grew up around the world between Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States, and studied music business at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her husband, Lance, live in New York City and love to travel.