Normally on this show, I'm the one teaching or asking the questions — but today I flip the script. This is a conversation with Ines Andre from Lisbon, Portugal, where she interviewed me.

You don’t have to wait for inspiration to write a worship song that moves people. This episode gives practical songwriting habits, melody techniques, and chorus-writing strategies to help you create songs that are memorable, singable, and fresh. Drawing on a lifetime of songwriting and teaching, Ray explains how a consistent writing practice can build creativity over time. This conversation explores daily songwriting exercises, sensory language, melody rhythm, writing away from your instrument, and how to shape a strong chorus. It also covers the balance between writing for your church and developing your own voice, while keeping your theology grounded in the Word of God.

For worship leaders, church songwriters, and creatives looking to improve their craft, this conversation offers practical songwriting advice and encouragement to write with greater confidence.

Chapter Headings:

00:32 Introduction and Context

01:02 Introduction to Songwriting Journey

05:35 Daily Practices for Songwriting

09:00 When to move on from a song, when to know a song is finished

10:25 Inspiration vs. hard work

12:52 Daily habits of a worship songwriter

13:50 Pat Pattison's Object Writing

15:47 Better, stronger melodies and the art of rewriting

19:52 Songwriting process: lyrics first, melody first, or chords first?

22:27 Chorus-first writing

23:47 Writing for church, and from your uniqueness

28:00 Finding Your Unique Voice as a Songwriter

31:48 A student of songs

35:29 Free Workshop: Write FOR one, Reach Many

Resources Mentioned:*

Writing Better Lyrics: The Essential Guide to Powerful Songwriting, by Pat Pattison

*This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something through one, I earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It's one small way you can support my work while grabbing gear or books you were probably going to buy anyway. Thanks for being here.

FREE 80-minute Workshop: WRITE FOR ONE, REACH MANY

https://www.raybadham.com/#writeforone

🔥Take the KILLER CHORUS CHALLENGE

Write the best worship Choruses you’ve ever written in just 5 days: https://www.raybadham.com/choruschallenge

Subscribe to my channel here: www.youtube.com/@RayBadham?sub_confirmation=1

My Website: https://www.raybadham.com/

Follow Ray Badham:

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Worship Songwriting

"It's a good song — it's just not 'There’,” is what Hillsong songwriter Ben Fielding said to me about a song I'd poured myself into. And that was SO challenging to hear!

This episode digs into the gap between good and great worship songwriting, and why so many worship songs — good ones — never rise above the noise. This episode unpacks what it actually means for a song to be "There.” Imagine an ocean full of songs, where only a few islands ever break the surface and get noticed. Most worship songwriters are writing at "sea level" — good enough, competent, and… invisible. This episode explores why chasing greatness in songwriting isn't about ego or self-expression, but about serving God and reaching the ‘one’. Write more, write better, and write specific. And discover mindset shifts that keep songwriters stuck writing average, instead of remarkable worship songs.

Chapters:

00:00 "The song just isn't 'there'"

01:46 Understanding the Concept of 'There' in Songwriting

07:51 1. Why you should want your songs to be 'There'

10:30 2. How to get your songs 'there'

17:56 3. What it will take to get your songs ‘There’

Resources Mentioned:*

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield

https://link.amazon/B0aEB69bu

*This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something through one, I earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It's one small way you can support my work while grabbing gear or books you were probably going to buy anyway. Thanks for being here.

🔥Take the KILLER CHORUS CHALLENGE

Write the best worship Choruses you’ve ever written in just 5 days: https://www.raybadham.com/choruschallenge

Subscribe to my channel here: www.youtube.com/@RayBadham?sub_confirmation=1

My Website: https://www.raybadham.com/

Follow Ray Badham:

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ray.badham?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ray.badham?mibextid=LQQJ4d