What Can Churches Do?
If you’re a pastor, worship leader, or concerned church member, here are practical steps you can take:
1. Evaluate Your Current Song Catalog
Go through your church’s most-sung worship songs. For each one, ask:
- Is this theologically accurate?
- Does it display the holiness and majesty of God, or just create emotional feelings?
- Where does the money go when we pay to use this song?
2. Learn the Theology Behind the Music
Don’t just Google the song title. Research the church or artist who wrote it. What do they believe about God, salvation, the Holy Spirit, and the authority of Scripture? If their theology is compromised, their songs likely reflect that.
3. Teach Your Congregation Why It Matters
Don’t just suddenly stop singing popular songs without explanation. Help your people understand why theology in worship matters. Show them passages like Leviticus 10:1-3, Colossians 3:16, and Ephesians 5:19 that emphasize God’s standards for worship.
4. Diversify Your Sources
Don’t rely on a single worship brand. Draw from hymns, contemporary worship from theologically sound churches, and Scripture songs. The broader your sources, the less dependent you are on any single ministry.
5. Be Willing to Be Unpopular
When a church stops singing “Oceans” or “Good Good Father,” people notice. Some will be upset. But as Morgan wrote in 2021, quoting Scripture: “There are no gray areas in God’s Word.”
The Bigger Picture: What Hillsong’s Fall Reveals
Hillsong’s collapse wasn’t just about individual moral failures. It revealed systemic problems in how modern evangelicalism approaches celebrity, entertainment, and theology.
The Celebrity Pastor Problem:
Carl Lentz wasn’t just a pastor—he was a brand. His tight designer shirts, Supreme outfits, and friendships with Justin Bieber made him cool. But when style becomes substance, the foundation crumbles.
The “Cool Church” Trap:
Hillsong sold a version of Christianity that looked like a concert, felt like a social club, and never asked too much of anyone. It was spiritually profitable—until it wasn’t.
