Wait… They Wrote THAT? 5 Christian & Gospel Songs (Part 2)

Featured, Insight
30/12/2025

Wait… They Wrote THAT? 5 Christian & Gospel Songs (Part 2)

One of the beautiful realities of gospel music is how freely songs travel across churches and generations. As worship songs are sung repeatedly in congregational spaces, they often become communal, sometimes losing clear attachment to the individuals who originally wrote them. This second part continues to honour those vessels, reminding us that behind every widely sung chorus was a moment of obedience that birthed it.

5. BREATHE

Breathe is often sung as a quiet, intimate worship song, sometimes assumed to be a spontaneous chorus or a song that simply emerged within worship spaces. However, the song was written by Marie Barnett. Over time, its simplicity and depth helped it spread widely across congregational worship, making the identity of the original writer unknown to many who sing it today.

4. AS THE DEER

‘As the Deer’ is commonly treated as a traditional worship song or even a Scripture chorus with no identifiable author. In reality, the song was written by Martin Nystrom. The lyrics are drawn directly from Psalm 42, where the psalmist expresses a deep longing for God, “as the deer pants for streams of water.” Its gentle melody and strong biblical imagery allowed the song to travel widely across congregational worship spaces. Over time, the songwriter became unknown to many who sing it, even though the song itself remains deeply rooted in Scripture and devotion.

3. OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART

‘Open the Eyes of My Heart’ is sung globally and is often associated with the voices that popularised it in churches. Many people have assumed it belongs to Don Moen because of how frequently his worship songs shaped that era. However, the song was written by Paul Baloche. Its prayerful lyrics and simple structure helped it spread rapidly across churches, causing the identity of the original writer to become unknown to many worshippers.

2. I WILL ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING

‘He Has Made Me Glad’ – This joyful praise chorus is often treated as a traditional church song with no clear origin. However, it was written by Bruce Ballinger, who belongs to a generation of worship songwriters whose works became so widely sung that many of their songs were later compiled and treated like hymns. As a result, authorship often faded while the songs themselves continued to thrive in congregational worship.

1. I’M TRADING MY SORROWS

Many people grew up hearing ‘I’m Trading My Sorrows’ sung repeatedly in Women of Faith gatherings and recordings, leading many to associate the song with that movement. However, the song was written by Darrell Evans. Long before it became a staple in conferences and churches, the song existed as a personal worship expression that later took on a communal life of its own.

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Once again, the essence of this list is not to diminish the communal life of these songs, but to honour the vessels through which they were first birthed. Gospel music often outgrows its origin, moving freely across churches, cultures, and generations. In that process, authorship can quietly fade while the song itself continues to bless lives.

Recognising the writers behind these songs helps us appreciate the obedience, faith, and sacrifice involved in responding to God creatively. These songs did not simply appear. They were written, prayed through, and released by individuals whose yes allowed the wider Church to sing.

If you know any gospel songs you would like to see featured in the next episode, email us: press@astepfwd.com