He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
Psalm 40:3
What is this?
The New Song Project is a collection of valuable resources shared through streamlined collaboration that helps individuals and churches write and record songs for their local congregations. All of these resources are provided by Crossway Network worship leaders and musicians.
Why does this exist?
The church is called to “sing a new song.”
Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1, Isaiah 42:10, Revelation 5:9, 14:3
This means that we are called to be freshly inspired by the eternal triune God and his revealed gospel, to write songs that are sung by his people in our time and place. While not all individuals, musicians, or even churches are called to do this, the “big C” Church is called to carry out this command. Therefore, as a Network we are trying to help those songs come out from local churches to bless local churches, all while proclaiming the glory of God to the watching world.
Who is it for?
This is a collaboration based resource specifically for corporate worship at Crossway Churches. Therefore, this is for musicians and songwriters writing songs that will most likely be sung at Crossway Network churches. We require approval from a worship leader or from a pastor at a Crossway Network church to move forward with using these resources. In any of these resources below, you can ask for coaching on how to do it yourself. We desire to be a Network that both gives fish and teaches people how to fish themselves.
The Process - What We Offer
The pathway involves the three main areas of Song Writing, Recording, and Releasing. Explore our general approach to each of these areas below. This is designed to be an “a la carte” collection of resources that helps you fill the gaps only with what you need for your specific goals and project.
The People
All of the people below are worship leaders at different Crossway Network Churches. We are an aesthetically diverse Network with a variety of gifts and musical tastes, which is the joy of the body of Christ. Click the links under each person to see specific examples of their work or to contact one of them directly.
FAQ
How do I access these resources?
You can email any of the individuals above directly with any questions but if you're not sure where to start, email newsong@crosswaynetwork.org and we can help. Once a song is written, we encourage people to start with a producer to help coordinate the plan for the recording.
Once a new song is recorded and released, please email us so we can update the Spotify playlist and keep track of what’s going on in the Network.
How much does it cost?
All the above people have freed up a set amount of time to offer their services for no cost. However, depending on your plan, there might be associated costs not covered by this program (travel costs, distribution fees, if you hire out session players, etc.). In these cases, we can help estimate different options depending on your goals.
How can I help?
If you have skills in music or recording and are a Crossway worship leader or musician, please email letting us know the services you have to offer. A relevant example of your work is required for the portfolio to be displayed on this site.
What are the timeframes?
Because everyone is volunteering time to serve each other in the network, that limits availability. Therefore, timeframe for different resources depend on availability of the specific people.
If I use a service, does Crossway own any of the song?
The writers retain complete ownership of the master (the specific recording), and the publishing (the idea of the song). Producer points are not expected. If you desire to give the producer points, work that out with your specific producer on a case by case basis. However, this is not required or expected.