Growing up in Air Force base chapels, the music was primarily the hymns of the 18th and 19th centuries. As the Jesus Movement of the 70s took the nation by storm, there emerged what became known as the “praise chorus.” These were short, simple, memorable songs written without the theological/story-telling length of most hymns. Praise choruses were fresh and represented the expression of a young generation of Christians.

These songs were actually not a new phenomenon. There were similar chorus-songs hanging around from the 1920s: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”, “God Will Take Care Of You”, “God Is So Good.” The choruses of the 70s, 80s, 90s seemed to possess the same sticking power: “He Is Lord”, “I Love You Lord And I Lift My Voice”, “Alleuia”. They became staples for the decades that have followed.

In the mid-late 1990s, when I was directing program for the Promise Keepers stadium events, we called these “hip pocket songs.” We would spontaneously pull one out of our hip pocket. Everyone sang them because these songs were widely known across denominations, musical traditions, races, and age groups. Here’s how we used hip pocket songs.

Throughout the program, our bands, singers, and choirs would use a variety of songs: the most recent contemporary worship songs – hymns arranged for contemporary sound and rhythm and black gospel repertoire. The idea was to musically appeal and capture the wide demographic of believers attending these massive events.

Occasionally our worship leader would walk to the edge of the stage, motion the band to quiet down, and simply lead a hip pocket song, acapella or with one guitar. Attendees would sing loudly, heartily, and many would break out in tears, simply because it was the first time they could hear nothing but the sound of the human voice in unison. Hip pocket song lyrics were never put on the screen. It was a moment of spontaneity, emotional and spiritual.

What are the hip pocket songs of today? Because decades have passed and thousands of new songs have come and gone, many of the old hip pocket songs are no longer known. Yet, there are some that will never die and can be highly effective.

Recently, our daughter-in-law Carly was leading her church of 400 in musical worship. She had taken over the leadership position in an atmosphere where the stage had been occupied by hired pro musicians because the music was so demanding and the performance highly technical. Oddly, a third of the congregants would walk out to have coffee in the lobby, waiting for the band to stop performing so they could come back in to listen to the teaching. The Sunday Carly led, she chose songs she knew everyone was familiar with. No one walked out. At the end, she pulled out a hip pocket song: The Doxology. No charts, no big radio-airplay-sounding-musical-arrangement, no click track, no lyrics. Just singing. Following the service she and the band were mobbed by congregants: “This was the best time in worship we’ve ever had…thank you!”

Creating an atmosphere for participation is not rocket science. Familiarity is key. A hip pocket song can make the difference between what seems rote and what becomes real. Talk to your singers, pastors, congregants and find out what hip pocket songs they know and love that would be effective in your situation.

What’s in your pocket?