WeAreWorship: Why do we need more songs?
David Binion: New songs are born in every generation. Every generation has its own unique sound and expression. I love reflecting back on older hymns and songs and remembering the effect those songs had on me even as a child. But I've lived long enough to watch the evolution of worship in the church. And one thing I'm convinced of is this: We serve in an ever increasing Kingdom, and God is always speaking to us through every turn. Our songs should reflect what God is saying, and as long as He is speaking, new songs should be written to help us remember what God has said.
WeAreWorship: Why do we sing?
David Binion: We sing because the Bible instructs us to do so. Music has the ability to change any atmosphere. There are certain instruments that bring me to tears when I hear them played in a certain way. There are lyrics that lift my heart when I hear or sing them. Then there are others that can cause you to feel melancholy. Music is a powerful tool. It can lift or bring down. But there is a significant shift when we use the gift of song in the Kingdom. A song can bring light, and like the flip of a switch, the darkness scatters and hope is born. But the most important reason of all? I can come before His presence with singing. It's one of the doorways we've been shown as a way to get to Him.
WeAreWorship: Which other worship leaders and songwriters have you learned the most from? What have they taught you?
David Binion: I started writing as a teenager in the height of the Southern Gospel movement and the birth of the Contemporary Christian music era that brought a lot of change to church music as we knew it. Rusty Goodman was the first close encounter I had with a real songwriter who introduced me to executives at Word Music when I was 15 years old.
Rusty took me under his wing and taught me how to write. Dottie Rambo was another great inspiration along with her daughter, Reba. Then of course who hasn't been affected by the music of Andrae Crouch? These men and women showed me how to write a good song. However, I kind of ventured into the worship arena all by myself. I know historically that the worship movement began in a lot of people at the same time, but we were all isolated and venturing into uncharted waters. For me, in my church denomination, the churches we ministered in didn't accept the worship music I was writing. It was difficult to break through.
In recent years though, I've worked with many artists who inspired me as both worshipers and songwriters.
Israel Houghton, of course, is a writing machine; I'm motivated by his energy. Jason Upton is a freak of nature. The guy moves in prophetic worship like no one I've ever seen before. He challenges me to simply listen to what the Father is saying, and then declare it. Rita Springer melts the air with her passionate worship; she pushes me into the depths of my heart and soul to find my most passionate expression. Then, the older guys like Joseph Garlington and Morris Chapman have shown me what it's like to be a father and pour into the younger ones who are looking to me for guidance on their journey.
WeAreWorship: The modern worship movement has changed massively in the last 15 years. Where do you hope we will be in another 15? Are we at the peak, or is there more to come?
David Binion: Where do I hope we will be in another 15 years? I see it like this. I want our ceiling to be the floor of the next generation. In fact I'm sure of it. It will never peak! His Kingdom is ever in-creasing and there will always be more room and more revelation and understanding and more new music and a newer sound for a newer day. I want my kids to thrive and be better at this than I could have ever imagined. I don't want the next generation to have to figure this out all by them-selves. I want to impart and empower them so that they will not have to start from scratch. But in-stead they will have a legacy of strong men and women with strong enough shoulders for them to stand on. There is more to come!