Jared Anderson
Jared Anderson
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About
Jared Anderson did not always see himself writing worship music. The career of one of the most distinct and celebrated voices in modern worship—with songs like “Glorified,” “Amazed,” “Rescue” and “Great I Am” widely sung in churches around the world—almost never happened.
“I grew up playing the piano in church and singing in youth meetings. But by the time I was in college, I saw my music going in a different direction,” says Anderson.
In fact, Jared considered distancing himself from worship music entirely, but always felt a pull to write something for the church. “God revealed to me, and it was a slow process, that worship isn’t just a genre of music,” he explains. “Worship songs are prayers. We’re reciting the word of God back to him, and pretty soon we’re not just reciting it or singing it, we’re living it.”
Jared now embraces his calling as a worship leader and songwriter. But he's very honest about what that means for anyone in that role. “We’re in the foot washing business,” he says. “If you want to lead, you have to serve. And if you want to serve, you have to surrender. And if you surrender you’re going to have to die.”
These aren’t empty words. Dying to some of his dreams paved the way for God to do something bigger. It's a narrow road, but it's the path Jared has chosen to travel.
And that path has led him into an effective ministry. From his former work with the Desperation Band, to his role as a songwriter/leader for New Life Worship’s live CD/DVDs and his own recordings including Where To Begin, Where Faith Comes From and Live From My Church.
Whatever the setting – whether it’s a coffee shop, a church sanctuary or an amphitheater, Jared takes a simple song and turns it into a journey.
This fall, he’ll take listeners on a new journey with the release of The Narrow Road, his first “solo” worship album in over three years. The project features some of the common themes in Jared’s best work, while carving out new ground based on a favorite literary work.
“One of the inspirations for the album is Pilgrim’s Progress,” Jared explains. Like John Bunyan’s allegorical masterpiece, this album, “tells the stories of trials... they shouldn’t define us. Instead, they prepare us for the destination.”
Pointing to the title song, Jared continues: “The enemy is the distracter ...he wants to kill our focus. He wants to destroy the unity between us and God. So walking ‘the narrow road’ isn’t an option for followers of Jesus. Matthew 7:13-14 tells us plainly that it’s a necessity.”
In addition to a host of new songs inspired by Jared’s own pilgrimage such as “According to His Word” and “Impossible Possible,” The Narrow Road also features two favorites, the worship anthem “Great I Am” and the Desperation classic “I Am Free,” which features his former bandmates Glenn Packiam and Jon Egan.
“It was fun to work on a recording with Jon and Glenn again, even if it was just for one song. Including this version of ‘I Am Free’ was a chance to celebrate a song that’s been meaningful to us personally and to church congregations for years.”
In addition to recording The Narrow Road, Jared continues to work on a series of inspirational albums that feature piano driven, folk-rock songs centering on everything from love to literature to life’s big questions. And he continues to serve as a worship team member at his home church, New Life, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, while also making time to lead worship at churches and conferences around the country.
Amidst the pulls of ministry and creative pursuits, it is the love of his family that grounds Jared. Most recently, he and his wife Megan, along with their four children (Everet, Becket, Francie, and Lyla) decided to enlarge their already full family. After much prayer, the Andersons have begun the process of adopting two orphans, John Diego and Christine, from Haiti. 
“We can’t wait until they’re home with us in Colorado,” says Jared. “God is doing something in our home and our family. We’re just trying to be obedient to him.”
All of these experiences add to Jared’s understanding that life is much larger than what happens in the church pews on a Sunday. “Sunday is just the rehearsal,” Jared says. “It’s during the rest of the week that we walk out our faith.”
Featured Albums
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This is as up-to-date as it gets. If a new song hits the airwaves and it starts trending fast, chances are you will be able to spot it here. If an old song suddenly spikes because of a unique current event, you'll see that here as well. So get out a bag of popcorn and hit refresh every 10 minutes to watch the race. Listen on Spotify.
Into the fall and into the winter, different Christmas worship songs will begin to trend and top the charts here at PraiseCharts. While we love watching the race that this becomes, the best part is seeing the conclusion. And here it is, these are the top 100 Christmas worship songs so far for 2022.
Your pianist wants as few pages as possible to have to flip while playing, so we took away the vocal staff so you don't have to use scissors and tape to do it yourself. The two staves of the scored piano part, with just a few vocal cues, keeps this part easy to manage while providing the fully noted part your piano player needs. These piano parts are the exact parts found in the piano/vocal charts... just without the vocals. Need the vocal charts as well? Check out the Piano/Vocal Packs.
With all this new worship music coming out every week, choirs are more important than ever. Whether your style is traditional, contemporary, or charismatic, a worship choir puts the focus on people who want to actively lead worship -- with their voices and their faces. We have made sure that all the best worship songs have vocal sheets with parts to sing for soprano, alto, bass, and tenor voices. If you can make room on your team for a choir, (or even just want to break into parts) these songs will raise the roof in your church!
Worship songs in 4/4 provide a steady, familiar rhythm, making them versatile for both upbeat praise and deep, reflective worship. This time signature is widely used, making these songs easy for congregations to sing along and engage with fully. Download chord charts, lead sheets, orchestrations, and multitracks to equip your worship team in delivering these 4/4 favorites, creating a worship experience that's both accessible and impactful for your congregation.
Moderate slow worship songs in 4/4 provide a steady, contemplative pace that's perfect for creating a reflective and worshipful atmosphere. These songs are ideal for themes of surrender, gratitude, and devotion, inviting worshipers to connect deeply with God. Download chord charts, lead sheets, orchestrations, and multitracks to equip your worship team in delivering these moderate slow 4/4 favorites, enhancing your worship service with a peaceful and heartfelt ambiance.