This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission from purchased products at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Top New Christian Worship Songs For Small Church Worship Teams

Monthly picks usually include one fast song, one medium song, and one slow song –– all worship songs are chosen because they work well in smaller congregations with smaller worship bands.

If you’ve been a fan of our monthly worship songs, you may have been missing them! Covid hit and I stepped back from worship leading for a time. So, while I can’t promise a new worship post each month anymore, we’ve heard your call for more!

If you are a 1) worship leader 2) in a small church with a small band, and 3) you resonate with the principles we share –– would you like to try your hand at writing some guest posts featuring your favorite new worship songs? … Please check out our Guest Blogging Guidelines!

If you’re reading this during COVID times, you’ve probably experienced the extra stress of even SMALLER worship bands on top of the challenges of streaming, social distancing, and more. You are not alone.

At the time of this writing, while many churches around the globe are still closed, streaming digitally, or even restricted with no in-person singing, worship remains our hearts’ desire.

A Personal Aside: This Worship Leader Had A Hard Time Through The COVID Season

While some of you may love to be on stage –– you feel alive, excited, and energized –– I feel very exposed and vulnerable. (Is it just me?) In the past, this often felt like a gift in ministry leadership, as it caused me to take my fear and anxiety to the foot of the cross. I couldn’t lead without praying; being well-acquainted with my weakness left me begging God to show up and shine through.

As COVID changed the worship-leading landscape to recordings, live streams, and broadcasts, that vulnerability amplified to unbearable proportions for me. I stepped away from leading. The camera, the bright light, knowing my heart laid bare wasn’t contained to my small church family anymore, but viewable to complete strangers, to many who didn’t know me or love me –– I couldn’t do it.

I know many of you embraced this change. I admire you. Many were excited and even motivated by the new reach of ministry. Some of you acted despite fear and reservation. And God certainly moved through it and through you, and used it for His glory.

After about 8 months of reprieve, our small church found ourselves worship leader-less again, and I’m back, leading part-time, on an interim basis. These days, although the bright light is impossible to ignore, I do my best to pretend there’s no recording and no broadcast (and no random strangers judging my intimate worship time with my Creator).

I still can’t listen to or watch a recording, and I know others think I’m ridiculous. I do too, but it’s just my current reality.

The reason I share this is not to complain and not for empathy, but just to be real. None of us have arrived, but God is with us on the journey. If you struggle with any of the same –– insecurity, fear, feeling stripped for the world to see –– you are not alone.

In small churches, we’re not always serving in our own glory, but for His.

Well … without further ado … let’s move on to why you’re here: 3 New Songs!

March Edition: Top New Worship Songs For Small Churches

If you stumbled on this post without checking out last year’s March 2020 Edition, please visit this: Last Year’s Worship Songs: March 2020.

The above post from March 2020 includes Fill This Place by Red Rocks Worship and Remember by Bryan & Katie Torwalt. Both are PERFECT for this season leading up to Easter! I introduced Fill This Place just today in our church –– it will be a beautiful Easter Sunday addition.

To add to those great picks, here are 3 more worship songs, in singable keys, with relatable lyrics, and doable for a smaller (or novice) worship team:

1. Not Today (Hillsong)

  • Temp: Medium-fast
  • CCLI Song #: 7084128
  • Joel Houston | Matt Crocker
  • My chosen singable key: A
  • 2017

No One Will Stand Still For This One – “Not Today“

This song has such a fun feel. Although it’s not a driving, clap-it-out song, you can anticipate swaying, head-bobbing, and feet-tapping! With a needed message, the song speaks to a turn of perspective in difficult days.

Lead into the song with 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 17. Or, better yet, put these words on your screen and read it together as a congregation as a declaration before you sing!

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

 … For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. 

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 17

Teach This Worship Chorus First To Your Congregation

Occasionally, it’s helpful to “teach” a song to your worshipers, rather than just leading it as worship. In this song, the chorus is, by far, the part of the song that will “catch”; so the first time you introduce it, I recommend starting with the chorus. Take a casual approach and say, “We have an amazing new song to introduce today. Sing the chorus with us! Here’s how it goes … “

Teaching the chorus first will help them fall in love with this song, and also allow them to sing it loud each time it returns.

Chorus:

I’ll sing the night into the morning

I’ll sing the fear into Your praise

I’ll sing my soul into Your presence

whenever I say your Name

Let the devil know, not today

Repeat the chorus an extra time. Then, go ahead and start at the top of the song as you lead the congregation back into worship!

Try This Technique To Introduce New Worship Songs In Rehearsal Too

The same principle applies when introducing a new song to your team. If they are hesitant with new songs, instead of starting at the beginning and getting bogged down by introductions and tricky melodies, choose the easiest, most memorable part of the song to start.

This helps everyone fall in love with a new worship song and get the “feel.” It’s so much easier to learn a new piece this way!

2. Faithful Now (Vertical Worship)

  • Tempo: Medium
  • CCLI Song #: 7137533
  • Eddie Hoagland | Hank Bentley | Jonathan Smith | Mia Fields
  • My chosen singable key: G
  • 2020

“Faithful Now” Is A Great Choice For A Keyboard Or Piano Introduction

I’m loving the keyboard-heavy feel of this song. If you are able to mix up which instrument takes the lead of a song, do it! This has a simple (and pretty) melodic feel on a keyboard. You could change this up in future weeks with a nice electric guitar lead as well.

This Vertical Worship Song Has A Timeless Message

“Faithful Now” is a song of declaration with so many scriptural references that you’ll have no trouble finding Bible readings for lead-ins or transitions.

Chorus:

You make mountains move, You make giants fall

And You use songs of praise to shake the prison walls

And I will speak to my fear, I will preach to my doubt

That You were faithful then, You’ll be faithful now

Close Your Eyes And Listen To The Instrumental Mix And Dynamics

As you develop your team, this recording of “Faithful Now” is a model song to illustrate the power of varying the instrumental mix and dynamics –– so stripped back at the beginning. Various instruments add throughout. They drop back, then powerfully build.

Close your eyes and listen to the entire live version once just focusing on the percussion. It’s a worship experience on its own!

Instead of all instruments and vocalists playing through the entire song, as your team learns this musical sensitivity, your band will go from okay to great, no matter how many make up your team.

3. Be Still (Red Rocks Worship)

  • Tempo: Slow
  • CCLI Song #: 7124924
  • Adaeze Noelle Azubulke | Jake Espy | Tyler Roberts
  • My chosen singable key: A
  • 2019

(By the way, if you don’t know Red Rocks Worship, I highly recommend taking an afternoon off to worship with them! Just put them on a loop, close your eyes, and get lost in worship. Loving them lots!)

“Be Still” Is A Powerful Reminder To Choose To Wait

In our noisy, fast-paced culture, I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give in worship is quiet space. A time to slow. To wait. To be still.

I’m so grateful for songs like these that remind us of the goodness found in stillness.

Enjoy this gift from Red Rocks Worship:

Bridge:

… In this heart and soul, be still and know

That my fear’s gone here in Your presence

A new song rises to heaven

This heart and soul will be still and know

The Uncomplicated Melody Line & Relatable Lyrics Draw Us To Worship

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, we tend to worship more deeply with familiar songs. Knowing a song allows us to be more free in worship; we’re not wondering what’s next. “Be Still” becomes a quick favorite with its uncomplicated melody and relatable lyrics.

It won’t take long for this one to move into the “familiar” category and lead to deeper worship.

Read More

Worship Leading In A Small Church: 4 Keys To Wake Up Your Worship

Why You Need A Worship Ministry Handbook