Subscribe:
>> See All Podcast Episodes Here
In this episode, I talked to Nick Morrow of the band Mountaintops, who offered so many valuable nuggets for worship leaders, artists, songwriters, and more.
Find all of Mountaintops music and where to stream and download worship chord charts, including the latest worship album “In The Valley” on their website.
Accessibility vs Creativity In Worship Music
Nick takes us through creativity in worship music. How creative can worship music be before people can’t sing it? There’s a balance between being creative and still having a song that people can sing.
Some indie artists Nick mentioned are:
Nick says these bands are great to listen to, but some churches won’t be able to sing the songs. That’s why it’s okay to sing the popular worship music that you know everyone will engage in.
#1 Tip for Worship Songwriting
Nick has been writing songs for 20 years but worship songs only 5 years. The #1 tip for worship songwriters is summed up in one word: Volume. No, not the loudness at which you play the music, but the number of songs you write. The more you write, the better you will become. Additionally, you will have a greater chance of having one good song out of 20-30 songs than if you just wrote 2 or 3. So if you want to become the next great worship songwriter, write 50-100 songs per year.
Additionally, try co-writing. Writing music with other people can open up your ability and your sound.
Is Art In Conflict With Faith?
That’s a struggle for a lot of artists. Nick found that pursuing art was almost an idol. But he needed to sacrifice that mentality to become a servant in worship leading. One day, he showed up to lead worship for a friend and instead, he was handed a bucket of cleaning supplies. The reason: to the worship team could learn to be servants, not just on-stage artists. From then on, he realized what it meant to be a worshiper/servant. This was a pivotal moment for Nick. I think we can all learn something from his experience.
Best Advice for New Worship Leaders
Nick says to listen to the Worship Leader 101 Podcast. He wishes he could have had a resource like that where he could learn how to do some of those practical things he just didn’t think about as a new worship leader. For instance, he assumed he had to sing songs in the radio key. But the congregation couldn’t hit that key! So if you’re a newer worship leader, check out all the episodes of this podcast to get some super practical tips and advice.
How Has U2 Influenced Your Music?
U2 has been a huge influence for Nick, and, in fact, a few of the songs on the latest album “In The Valley” were intentionally modeled after U2’s style.
4 Miscarriages, a baby, and an album
Nick and Melissa Morrow experienced 4 miscarriages in the process of making the album “In The Valley.” By God’s grace, they now had a successful pregnancy and healthy baby as of late 2019. Nick and Melissa want this album to take you not from doubt to certainty, but from doubt to worship.
Where can people find you?
Find Mountaintops’ latest release “In The Valley” on the Mountaintops website.
Learn To Lead Worship Better
Are you looking for a resource that will help you get started leading worship or improving your skills?
Check out the book “Learn To Lead Worship In 14 Days.” It’s a step-by-step, day-by-day handbook that can launch your worship leading journey in as little as two weeks.
>> Get this valuable resource by clicking here.
