There always seems to be that one person who comes prepared with a readily-handy guitar, ready to strum some chords for everyone to belt along to.
A singalong is always a fun idea, whether you’re at a group gathering, some kind of church activity, or your regular, average service.
While there are many ways to express your love towards God, is there anything better than singing along to some fun, cheerful worship songs?
Now, imagine this: you are the person who brings along a guitar to Sunday mass. This may sound like a good idea at first, but suddenly, you are getting requests shouted at you.
Suddenly, you realize that you don’t actually know how to play any good worship music on the guitar, and your only offering is ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’.
Well, friend, we are here to help you.
There are so many Christian worship songs that are incredibly easy to learn on the guitar, most of them only requiring three or four chords with different strum patterns. A lot of people are drawn to learning how to play the guitar, particularly to play modern Christian worship music.
Whether you are a complete newbie to the guitar strumming scene, or you are an experienced player who simply isn’t sure of the chords of any specific contemporary Christian songs, we have created this list to make sure that you never turn up unprepared.
No more time to waste! Here are ten amazing, fun and easy Christian worship songs that are so easy to play on guitar that anyone could play them.
Let’s jump straight into it.
1. Amazing Grace – John Newton (1779)
Chords required to play this song: G, D, A7.
To start the whole thing off, we are going to be opening this list with a true classic that we are all familiar with.
This song has been included in many music books for beginner guitarists, and there is a good reason for it: it is incredibly easy to play and learn.
This hymn, written and published by John Newton in 1779, is about repentance and reconciliation. Several versions of this song have been recorded over the years, with Judy Collins’ version being one of the most well-known.
The chords are all played in the key of G, with G, D, and A7 being the three, easy, primary chords that you will need to use to perform this melody.
With a downward strum, this rendition follows a 3-count beat. Strumming downwards from the fourth string all the way to the first string when on the D chord. Starting on the sixth string, strum downwards for the G chord.
Ultimately, as a bass note, either the sixth or fifth string can be used to strum the A7 chord.
2. How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin (2004)
Chords required to play this song: G, C, Em, D.
This is a Christian worship song that honours God in all His glory.
Tomlin uses many forms of symbolism to emphasise God’s greatness for the majority of the song, personifying God as a ray of light that is greatly feared by the darkness. God is also referred to as the Lion in this song, while Jesus is referred to as the Lamb, both being symbols that are used in Christianity.
G, C, Em, and D/F# are the four chords used in the song, which are all played in the key of G. This tune has a powerful beat to it. Because the tune isn’t overly fast, sliding between chords will be seamless once you have mastered these four basic chords.
3. Reckless Love – Cory Asbury (2018)
Chords required to play this song: Em, G, C, D.
This song refers to scripture texts such as Luke 15:1-7 to discuss the intensity, qualities, and profound depth of God’s love.
Asbury’s debut album with Bethel Music included ‘Reckless Love’ as the first and only single, as well as the title track. The Bethel Music Collective, led by Steffany Gretzinger, was the first to popularise the song on YouTube before Asbury recorded his own version.
Even for beginners, this melody is really simple to play. The harmonic progression of ‘Reckless Love’ is consistent and repeated throughout the verses and chorus, with the exception of an extra G chord at the end of the chorus. The only chords required to play this song are Em, G, C, and D.
4. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms – Anthony Showalter (1887)
Chords required to play this song: G, C, D.
Through the lyrics of the song, Showalter expresses that he feels contentment and calm when he leans on the everlasting arms of God.
This song, written by Showalter in the late nineteenth century, emphasises the comfort of being held in the Lord’s arms.
When he received a letter from two of his students, he felt inspired to write the song: both students had informed their former teacher, in this letter, that their spouses had died, and Showalter comforted them with words from the Book of Deuteronomy.
It appears to have been written to demonstrate that he has found nothing but happiness in his life due to his faith in the Lord.
Within this precise sequence, the song is played with the G major chord family, specifically the simple chords G, C, and D.
Although the strumming rhythm is similar to that of most of the songs already listed, the strumming for each note differs, making the process slightly more difficult.
Provided that you take the time to practice this tune, you should be able to fully master it in no time at all.
5. Amazing Love – Hillsong Worship (2002)
Chords required to play this song: G, C, D.
Hillsong Worship’s ballad, ‘Incredible Love,’ is another song that praises God and His amazing love.
This song was included on their fifth album, Amazing Love, with the alternate title ‘You Are My King.’ The chorus speaks about extending God’s love to all of humanity, the wonders of what He created, and worshipping Him in general, while the verses emphasise how immensely life-changing it is to feel loved by God.
Only three chords are used in a reduced yet close-sounding version of the song: G, A, and D. The song is also in 4/4 time, with two different strumming patterns for each verse and chorus.
During the downward strum, all of the strings should be hit, whereas only a few should be hit during the upward strum. A capo is not required for this version of the song, but you may need to use a guitar pick to make the playing process easier on your fingers.
6. For The Beauty Of The Earth – John Rutter (2015)
Chords required to play this song: D, G, A.
Rutter’s ‘For the Beauty of the Earth,’ a slow and direct worship song praising God’s creatures, was initially created as a poem by Folliot Pierpoint back in 1864.
Pierpoint was moved to write the poem as he admired the scenery of his hometown. The Lord’s creation of Earth, time and beauty, and mankind and love are the three fundamental aspects for which this song expresses gratitude.
The simple chords D, G, and A are used in this song, which is played in the key of D. Each section of the song may require you to change chords quite quickly, but each of the lines usually start with a downward strum on the sixth string. After a little bit of practice, you should be able to play this melody with ease.
7. Build My Life – Housefires (2016)
Chords required to play this song: E, A2, Bsus, C#m, F#m.
In their song “Build My Life,” Housefires sing of Jesus’ importance and incomparability.
Early on in the song, the lines praise God for being worthy of all that Christians do. The verse “There is no one like You” is central to the song, demonstrating how God is the greatest of all things seen and unseen. Housefires later sing about allowing and trusting God to take charge of your life because He is a powerful and gracious leader.
Despite the fact that this song involves five chords, it is still pretty straightforward to play due to the steady tempo, making it suitable for beginners. E, A2, Bsus, C#m, and F#m are the five chords used for this song.
The strum pattern is an 8-beat rhythm, in which you stroke down for eight counts before ending with an upward “and.” Even if you’ve never played a guitar before, this is an amazingly simple Christian song to learn – trust us!
8. 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) – Matt Redman (2016)
Chords required to play this song: C, G, D, Em.
‘10,000 Reasons’ is a song about praising the Lord’s magnificence in the face of adversity.
It Is all about worshipping God and His name every day, no matter what challenges one may face. There are some allusions to the Book of Psalms further in the song. 10,000 Reasons is so named because there are 10,000 (and far more) reasons to admire God’s glory.
The four basic chords C, G, D, and Em have been used in this song, but you will need to alternate between them every two seconds or so, making the process a little more difficult than you would expect.
The strumming is pretty fast-paced, having to use the pattern ‘down, down, up, down’, hitting each string along the way.
Once you have learned and memorized the initial chord progression, you will be able to practice alternating between them in the correct rhythm.
9. Jesus Loves Me – Anna Bartlett Warner (1860)
Chords required to play this song: G, C, D.
The undertones and deeper meaning of this song are somewhat dark compared to its bright tone and gentle melody: this song was, actually, initially written for a dying child.
‘Jesus Loves Me’ is a song about Jesus’ love for children that is exceptionally apparent. In the Bible, Jesus states that children are heirs to God’s kingdom, which is the subject of the song.
The song may appear to be written primarily for children at first, but a closer examination reveals that it is also about us being guarded, by Jesus, from wrongdoing and sin, since we are weak where He is powerful, and that He will wash away our wrongdoings while we wait at Heaven’s gate as children of God.
The song is played using only three chords: G, C, and D, which are all easy to play, and have been included within the majority of the past songs that we have mentioned in this list.
The switches between chords are fairly slow and gradual, with an incredibly simple strumming pattern. You should be able to get the hang of this hymn within no time at all due to its simplicity.
10. Nearer, My God, To Thee – Sarah Flower Adams (1841)
Chords required to play this song: G, D, C.
To finish the list, we have a hymn that has become infamous over the past century due to being the final song that was played on the RMS Titanic, the doomed passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic ocean back in 1912.
Adams wrote this song during the mid-nineteenth century, and overall, it conveys the experience of God. It was inspired by Jacob’s dream in the Bible, in which he dreamed of Heaven and saw a ladder which angels would climb up and lower themselves again, ascending and descending.
It differs from the traditional songs in that it relates to growing closer to God in times of trouble, rather than worshipping God for the wonderful things.
It is a beautiful Christian song about faith and suffering, since our love and faith in God are put to the test when we feel abandoned, and that’s something that isn’t often discussed.
Only three chords, G, D, and C, are used in this tune, and the strumming pattern is fairly simple: all you will need to do is strum ‘down, down-up, up, down-up’ at a leisurely pace.
We figured we would end this list with a fairly easy tune, yet a great one to listen to and sing along to. You’re going to have a great time playing this one, and everyone else will have a great time singing along.
So… Are You Ready to Play?
The songs that we have chosen for this list are all easy enough to play, whether you are an already experienced guitar player, or you are completely new to the music playing scene.
We specifically chose simple tunes so that anyone can attempt to play them, but we also wanted to include enjoyable, fun songs that everyone will have fun singing along to.
Now it is your turn! Go back through this list and play along with your own guitar, sifting through each song to figure out which is your favorite to play. Within a short period of time, you should be capable of playing all of them with ease. We believe in you!
Good luck.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind Of Music Do Christian People Listen To?
To explain Christian pop/current music in commercial terms, it would be best described as ‘pop music blended with soft rock forming pop/contemporary music.’
If you are looking for a good place to start listening, try starting off by listening to Christian artists such as Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith, and MercyMe.
Can You Play A Worship Song On Guitar?
It will be reassuring to know that, like pop, rock, country, or so many other genres of music, worship songs are often so simple to learn and perform. It is incredible that you can perform thousands of renowned worship songs on guitar with just a few chords.
What Is The Easiest Christian Song To Play On Guitar?
There is a large number of easier Christian songs that you can plan on guitar. One of the easiest are Amazing Love and Who You Say I am by Hillsong Worship.
What Kind Of Guitar Do You Use To Play Christian Songs?
The calypso strum is versatile enough to play on guitar for most of your easy Christian songs. When converted into chords, your favourite hymns can become simple Christian music to play on the guitar.
Through this blog I hope to help and encourage others who have just started, or are on their own guitar playing journey. This blog is the ultimate guide to playing guitar, from the best guitars to purchase, to the easiest rock songs to play.
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