Does it matter if non-Christians write our worship songs?

As worship leaders increasingly collaborate with artists outside the Church, Kenny Klinglesmith asks how much the character and beliefs of a songwriter should matter when their words become the prayers of God’s people

When a group of leaders from the Austin Stone Community Church walked into the room in 2024, there was a palpable tension in the air.

Many of these leaders were in the room when the church’s worship pastor Aaron Ivey was fired after allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct emerged.

Ivey had co-written the majority of songs produced by Austin Stone Worship over the past decade. Because of the nature of the allegations, the leadership had come to ask Ivey to willingly revoke his rights to the songs.

He refused.

In response, the leaders decided to pull the entire song catalogue from streaming services and to stop singing any song on which Ivey had a songwriting credit. Songs that had ministered to many people were gone overnight, including one I had co-written.