Rule #8: Songs are unlike Venetian biscuits

You can never have too many Venetians. The ultimate Nanna biscuit, created by the LORD to perfectly complement a nice cup of tea. Some say they are the only element of the Creation which remains unaffected by the Fall. As long as there is tea, the prospect of 'one more' will be undeniable.

But songs aren't really like that. You can have too many. A bloated song list will make it harder for both musicians and congregation to get familiar with songs. For the musos playing something for the first time in 6 months will be like playing it for the first time, for the congregation a new member might still be having the uncomfortable 'I've never heard this song in my life' experience 6 months after they join. Not ideal.

Cutting your list can:

1. Give you a great opportunity to cut the rubbish

2. Remove the unwanted side effects mentioned above (increasing the standard of music and the accessibility of your music to newcomers)

3. Make the prospect of getting a music ministry off the ground (if you're church planting or just singing along to CDs at the moment) realistic

If you have a list of 40 songs, and sing 4 songs on a Sunday, you can still go for a whole term without repeating a song once.

So you're planting a church on a desert island (or something). You can only take 40 songs with you. What will it be?

Why not post a comment with what you reckon should make the cut for the top 40. Feel free to attack other people's choices, and I'll post up a list once all the blood has dried.