Should we sing songs from questionable sources?

Should we sing songs that are Biblical, singable and compelling, but come from a source that is questionable theologically or in ministry practice?

With more potential sources for songs than ever, we must be discerning not only about the content of a particular song, but also the ministry from which it comes. Here are two things worth considering before we teach a new song from a questionable source:

Are you happy to support them financially?

When we send in our CCLI reports, the songwriters receive payment for the use of that song. That is to say: we are directly funding the ministry when we sing a particular song. Would we be happy knowing that a portion of our church’s budget – however small – would be going to directly fund that ministry?

What about the weaker brother or sister?

With YouTube and Spotify, it’s easy not only to find what you sang on Sunday to listen to during the week – what a blessing – but the algorithms will then suggest other songs and teaching from those ministries as well. Think of a new believer in your church: would you be happy for them to listen to the teaching of that ministry?

Where we land on this looks different in our different contexts. We are called to be charitable in our reading of songs and generous towards brothers and sisters we often haven’t met – and also those who reach a different conclusion on whether to sing songs from a particular ministry. But those in our care are too precious to lead astray without prayerfully considering whether we should lead them in a song from a questionable source.

If you’d like to think more about this, the Doxology and Theology Podcast covered this theme a few years ago in a seminar; you can find it in your podcast app. Ben Slee (@BenSleeMusic) is the Music Pastor at Christ Church Mayfair in London. He’s a songwriter and the author of the Dwell Richly Course for church music leaders and musicians.