Why the Songs We Sing Deserve More Thought
It’s been a couple of years since we released our church music book—Theology That Sticks, and we believe now is a great time to bring it back to the attention of Christians as an excellent worship resource for you, your family, your church leaders, and your congregation.
The Worship Conversation Isn’t Over
Churches continually wrestle with questions that strike at the heart of corporate worship: What should we be singing? Why does it matter? How can we ensure the songs we use as a church are biblical, intentional, and lasting?
Whether you’re hearing about Theology That Sticks for the first time or purchased it already and haven’t read it, this is your invitation to take a fresh look. The truth of the book is this: Singing isn’t a warm-up to the “real” part of a church service. It’s not filler. It’s not optional. It’s formational.
“Why don’t we sing less and get on with the good stuff?” one church member asked Chris Anderson. His response? “Singing is the good stuff.”
The songs we sing—on Sundays, in the car, and around the dinner table—deserve our best thought and care. Singing is a means of grace. It helps us grow in our faith, fight sin, and delight in God.
And the apostle Paul understood this when he commanded the Colossians to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). Our songs are not merely aesthetic choices—they are theological education set to melody.
That conviction fueled the writing of Theology That Sticks—a warm, practical, and Scripture-saturated guide to why the songs we use in worship matter more than we may think.
What Theology That Sticks Is All About
Written by a pastor, hymn-writer, and lifelong music-lover, Theology That Sticks answers the questions Christians ask about worship music.
- Why do we sing new songs when the old ones feel more meaningful?
- Why does it seem like singing gets more attention than preaching in some churches?
- How do we choose the best songs when thousands are available?
- Can our song choices actually shape our theology—and our children’s futures?
The goal of the book isn’t to push a particular style or genre. Instead, it’s an invitation to readers to choose songs on purpose, based on biblical values, not personal taste or cultural trends.
Practical. Applicable. Useful.
Drawing from years of pastoral experience, Chris Anderson provides his own theological reflection and draws on the thoughts of well-known hymn-writers and musicians to offer a guide that’s as thoughtful as it is practical.
- Hymn Grid: A 12-point tool designed to help believers measure songs objectively using biblical criteria like doctrinal integrity, Christ-centered focus, and congregational accessibility
- Grace Notes: Questions at the end of each chapter for discussion and reflection, ideal for small group studies, worship team devotionals, or individual journaling
- Tips & Ideas: Seasoned advice for hymn-writers, musicians, and tech teams, along with a checklist for “singing with understanding”
- Song Lists: Curated lists of hymns and spiritual songs, organized by theme (and browsable at the sticky hymns page)
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Bonus Tracks: A robust appendix filled with compelling quotes about Christian singing, hymns, biblical worship, and more
“Chris has skillfully culled works on this topic—past and present—and has produced a winsome yet meaty work that is now my favorite. The inclusion of ‘Bonus Tracks’ in the appendix is now a cheat-sheet for me on each topic as well.” —Jim Newcomer, Calvary Baptist Church, Ypsilanti, MI
A Book for Churches, Families, and You
This book will benefit all parts of the church: pastors seeking to equip a church body, worship leaders and AV teams seeking biblical grounding for their ministry, small group and various class leaders looking for a teaching resource about worship, parents discipling their children through song, and anyone who cares about what they sing—and why.
Whether you lead music or simply love it, this book will help you choose songs that stick—songs that root deep truth into hearts for a lifetime.
Let the gospel strengthen your commitment to worship that honors Christ and builds His church.
➔ Order your copy of Theology That Sticks today and discover why singing truly is “the good stuff.”
Explore the whole book!
In Theology That Sticks, pastor, hymn-writer (“His Robes for Mine”), and all-around music junkie Chris Anderson addresses the topic of Christian music with humor, warmth, and an open Bible. Theology That Sticks is intentionally positive, providing extensive research, well-reasoned teaching, and small-group discussion questions to help churches and Christians embrace the life-changing practice of biblical singing! With a 12-part grid to help believers measure songs objectively, this book considers what Scripture says about the kinds of songs Christians should sing.
