Matt Redman on worship songwriting: vertical encounter, not horizontal teaching

Matt Redman, a respected modern worship leader and songwriter, discussed the theological distinction between two approaches to worship song in an interview with Relevant Magazine. Redman argued that effective worship songs should move beyond simply telling stories about God or expressing personal affirmations of faith—what he calls "horizontal" worship that addresses other believers—and instead pivot toward direct address to God himself, or "vertical" worship. He described this pivot as the "chapel" moment in a song, where the narrative shifts into prayer and awe. Redman explained that the most powerful worship songs operate on three levels: reenactment (recounting what happened), realization (what that story means today), and anticipation (what it points to in the future). He warned that churches risk worshiping the idea of God rather than God himself when they rely too heavily on horizontal songs that function as theological instruction or self-help set to music. For Redman, vertical worship captures the mystery and paradox of God—simultaneously to be feared and befriended, transcendent and intimate. He emphasized that worship songs should create space for listeners to respond directly to God, moving from description to encounter, from information to revelation.

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Source: Relevant Magazine — https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/matt-redman-worship-songs-need-to-point-us-to-god-not-ourselves/