Brandon Lake, 36, is a popular Christian worship leader, singer and songwriter. His music has been downloaded over four billion times on the various streaming platforms.

The six-time Grammy award winner has sold out concerts in his travels across America. Yet the son of a North Carolina pastor doesn’t believe he is called to just entertain, but rather to transform people’s lives.

“This isn’t just about entertainment,” Lake said in an interview with CBN. “This is like an encounter. People’s lives are being changed. “They’re walking out better than they came in.”

While it is easy to look at the modern Christian music scene as a recent phenomenon, a similar thing was taking place in Biblical times.

When King Saul was going through demonic attacks, his advisers felt they needed to bring in a musician to deal with it. David was recommended (1 Samuel 16:18). The person had actually seen David performing. It almost sounds like a 10th-century BC equivalent of a concert.

Though David didn’t have a platinum record hanging on his wall, he was already developing a reputation as a musician.

The Jewish prophets also often sang their prophecies. It seems people were coming to hear Ezekiel’s prophetic words, because he was a good singer, songwriter and musician, but they were ignoring the prophetic words being delivered (Ezekiel 33:32).

The point is, God used these individuals’ musical talents, and the same thing is happening today.

“I feel like music is what God has called me to, the gift that He’s given me, and that’s how I’m able to share this message and reach people,” Lake added.

Despite his success, Lake confessed that he has gone through times of depression in recent years. Some of it was rooted in a fear of failure.

“When I didn’t have the next songwriting invite or I didn’t have the next song I was excited about or the next show, I started to panic,” Lake said. “But I was too prideful to tell my wife what I was experiencing. So, I’m having some weird thoughts, dark thoughts.”

He was able to overcome this struggle after getting help from his family and friends.

After serving in King Saul’s court, David became a renowned singer and songwriter in Israel.

He wrote over half the Psalms and many of the remainder were written by worship leaders associated with the choirs set up by King David.

Most of David’s Psalms were the lyrics to songs. Psalm 7, written after he received personal criticism, starts off with these words:

“A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.”

I have watched videos in recent weeks criticizing the modern Christian music scene. Some have even suggested that only hymns are genuine worship songs.

Now there is nothing wrong with hymns, but a NASV footnote states that a Shiggaion was a “Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song.” Not all of David’s songs were melodic hymns or ballads.

Throughout the Psalms, people were also encouraged to write ‘new songs’ to the Lord.

David wrote, “God, I will sing a new song to You;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,” (Psalm 144:9). The anonymous writer for Psalm 33:3, added, “Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.”

I believe these new songs were the Holy Spirit inspired, spiritual songs cited by Paul in Colossians 3:16:

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Paul recognized the value of singing Hymns and the Psalms, but he also acknowledged the Holy Spirit was inspiring new songs.

Notice how he added that these songs were not always intended for worship, but also to teach and admonish.

Though these new forms of worship songs may not be everyone’s preference, they are still inspired by the Holy Spirit.