Songsmith - Tom King interviews contemporary hymn writer Stuart Townend

Stuart Townend’s songs have captured the hearts of Christian people across the whole church spectrum. As he embarked on a new tour, he talked to EN.

EN: What, or whom, are your primary musical influences?

ST: I suppose my musical influences are quite varied. My church upbringing acquainted me with hymns, but I particularly loved the gospel sound of Andrae Crouch. Then there were secular music influences, which included David Bowie, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Irish folk, and Stevie Wonder, plus some classical music from my piano lessons. This helped me keep a foot in both the classical and pop genres.

EN: Tell us a little about how you write your songs.

ST: It can be very varied. Sometimes you just get a line of a melody, and that sets you on a path of adding to it, and thinking through the content. Some-times, particularly when I’m working with Keith Getty, we work through some of his musical ideas, and then decide a particular theme, based on what songs we think might be lacking in the church repertoire.

EN: Hymns seem to be very important to you. Why is that?

ST: There are a couple of reasons. Firstly, I love writing in the more concise, formal lyrical style that hymns require. I’ve always been interested in words and poetic form, so I like the challenge of a set meter and rhyming pattern. But I also like hymns because they’re so accessible to a range of churches and worship styles, from organs to bands. I love the idea that something like ‘In Christ Alone’ can work in a cathedral as well as a contemporary worship setting.

EN: What do you think makes a good hymn?

ST: That’s a whole subject in itself! I think the best hymns express the truth of the gospel in fresh, poetic, but passionate ways. Instead of using clichŽs, the best hymns bring revelation and illumination to familiar truths.

EN: Songs from CCK seem to be consistently strong in doctrine and application. Is there a house style and how did you arrive at it?

ST: There’s not a particular house style as such, but there has always been a strong emphasis on solid biblical teaching — understanding who God is, and who we are in him. Terry Virgo’s teaching has been a major influence on all of us as writers, and I love the idea that a movement that is known for charismatic worship in some quarters is also known for its commitment to biblical truth in the songs it produces.

EN: Your new album Monument to Mercy pushes boundaries both musically and lyrically. Was that your intention, and how did you arrive at the decisions you made?

ST: It was a very deliberate decision to push the boundaries musically. I think there’s a real danger of worship albums sounding samey. Many people I know love to worship God, but find worship albums bland and uninspiring. God’s given us a whole world of different musical styles and sounds that can be used to worship him, and the gift of creativity to make the most of them — so as long as it’s not indulgent, and the songs are still ultimately singable, why not do something that has musical as well as lyrical depth?

Lyrically, I’ve touched on areas that I think are important for us to include in our sung worship, including lament, the joy of life, and how our lives can be a testament of the faithfulness of God to future generations.

EN: How do you feel about ‘In Christ Alone’’s position at no. 9 in the BBC's Songs of Praise top 20?

ST: Songs of Praise is a curious phenomenon. Many people (including Christians) are disparaging of the programme, seeing it as wishy-washy and anachronistic. But it is the only remaining regular slot on television where millions of unchurched people can be exposed to the gospel. So I was delighted when ‘In Christ Alone’ appeared in the list. It’s resulted in a number of very interesting spin-offs, from interviews on the programme itself, to letters in The Times! It feels very much to me like a God-given opportunity to share the gospel.

EN: Do you write songs with the conscious aim of making them singable and playable in the church context? How do you go about doing so?

ST: I see my role in songwriting as providing resources for the local church. The songs are not primarily for me to perform or record on an album — they are to be played and sung in ordinary situations by ordinary people. If they don’t work in that context, then I’ve failed!

Knowing what works and what doesn’t comes down to trial and error as much as anything. Lots of songs that I’ve been excited about have died a death when I’ve played them at church! Learning what congregations can and can’t do, and what musical and lyrical dynamics work in that setting, is a long, humbling road.

EN: What’s your attitude to the view that worship is a ‘24/7’ action, rather than the often narrow music-only definition that many people still hold?

ST: I think we’ve been guilty of narrowing down our understanding of ‘worship’ to a 30 minute ‘I love you, Jesus’ song slot (or a hearty hymn sandwich) on a Sunday morning, which is clearly an inadequate and unbiblical definition of what it means to worship God. So, alongside ensuring we understand that our attitudes and behaviours during the week are as much an act of worship as our songs on Sunday, I think we also need to broaden the content of the songs we do sing to reflect the challenges of real life. The songs can then not only give us warm feelings on Sunday, but help to feed and sustain us through our daily walk.

EN: How do you feel about being described as a ‘worship leader’?

ST: I personally hold the term ‘worship leader’ very lightly. It’s not a ministry specifically mentioned in the Bible, and therefore although it might serve a useful purpose in the current climate of church life, it’s not a role that will necessarily endure until Christ returns!

Having said that, I do see a place for those with musical and spiritual gifting to lead God’s people in sung and spoken praise and adoration, and one element of our corporate gatherings is to recognise, enjoy and be changed by the manifest presence of God. Someone who is sensitive to the Spirit’s leading, both in preparation and during the service itself, and skilled to encourage the appropriate response, is a great blessing to the local church.

EN: I understand you started as a keyboard player before switching to guitar. What main instrument do you use to write? Do you feel that guitar is a more useful instrument for leading worship?

ST: I write with either instrument, and sometimes with none! As far as leading is concerned, I suppose the guitar gives you a degree of freedom to move around — if that’s your inclination. But I’ve started to lead more from the piano, as I like the distinctive sound and style that it brings. And my new album is very piano-driven.

EN: Your collaboration with Keith Getty seems very fruitful. Can you tell us how you share the workload?

ST: Keith has an amazing ability to create very singable, memorable melodies, and it’s his melodies that usually initiate a new song concept. But we do work very closely together on shaping every aspect of the song — concept, melody and lyrics — and we’ve consistently found that two heads are better than one.

EN: What challenges lie ahead for you?

ST: I find every new song a challenge! And despite the fact that there are probably more worship songs in circulation now than ever before in church history, there are still huge swathes of the gospel — the glorious character of the triune God, his plans and purposes, and how they impact our lives — that remain relatively untouched by today’s song content.

EN: Many people will have heard about your concerts in Chessington, Swindon, Streatham, Wrexham and Alton. What can people expect from these events?

ST: Lou (Fellingham — the lead singer with Phatfish) and I are doing a series of concerts featuring songs from our respective new albums, and I’m very excited about it. Although there will inevitably be a thread of worship that runs through the evening, we will be performing songs that are outside the ‘worship box’ — which means Christians and unchurched alike will enjoy and be challenged by what we do. And with the musicians we’ve got, I think it’s going to sound fantastic!

For more information about Stuart’s work and new album, and to book tickets for his UK tour, visit http://www.stuarttownend.co.uk.