Click the titles to open the PDF documents.

The "Story Behind the Song" articles that used to appear on this page have been incorporated and expanded upon in my new book. Look for "More Precious Than Silver: The God-Stories Behind the Songs of Lynn DeShazo" in 2010!

• A Real Eye-Opener - Our church had a “Blast from the Past” service recently, in which we sang nearly all of the early praise choruses and scripture songs of the Charismatic Renewal. It was led by one of the founding couples in our church, Margie and Ferrell Maughan.

• A Song for Every Generation - I had a good heart-to-heart talk recently with a seasoned pastor about contemporary worship songs. This man is actually “pastor emeritus” of my home church. Brother Bill, as we call him, went to seminary at a very conservative school, was ordained a Baptist pastor, was deeply impacted by the move of the Holy Spirit known as the Charismatic Movement, and ended up, among other things, on the faculty of Liberty Bible College in Pensacola, Florida.

• Flow to You - The New Testament scriptures encourage believers to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” as we give thanks to God and minister to one another (Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16). A psalm refers to the singing of the Scriptures, especially the divinely inspired Psalms of the Old Testament.

• I've Written a Song!  Now What? - As a songwriter, I can tell you that there is nothing quite like those moments when the Spirit of God drops a new song into your heart. Some days you sit at your desk with an idea and just struggle trying to put words to the stirrings of your heart.

• Lessons for Young Worship Leaders - The journey to becoming an effective worship leader begins with developing some basic, but critical, leadership skills. One of the ways we learn, of course, is through our mistakes - or even better, someone else’s! Here are two areas of frustration that I’ve heard voiced by young leaders and my own observations.

• Lyrical Inspiration - The Word in Song - Here are a few tips that will help you write lyrics that incorporate the Scriptures in an effective way.

• My Pastor, My Encourager - I remember very distinctly the day my pastor asked me to take over the worship leading responsibilities for our small fellowship in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The request came as a surprise to me even though I had been a part of our worship team since the inception of the church three years earlier. Our current worship leader, an excellent musician, would soon be leaving and the “mantle” was being passed to me.

• "Worthy of Praises" - A Teaching on the Song - I have recommended a steady diet of the Book of Psalms to aspiring songwriters for as long as I can remember. They have certainly provided me with a rich source of song ideas over the years, including “Worthy of Praises”.