Christian Reformed Music
Original gospel songs for the church, free to learn, sing and share.
Offered freely
The gospel is free, so these songs are too.
Learn them, sing them and use them in your church or home with no cost, no licence to buy and nothing to report.I’m moved by Paul’s example of preaching the gospel free of charge, so I offer these songs freely, hoping in some small way to imitate him as he imitated Christ. This is a personal conviction for my own situation and circumstances. Paul also affirmed that those who proclaim the gospel may get their living from it, and I am glad for everyone called to make a living, or part of one, from music ministry.
1 Corinthians 9:14, 9:18 and 11:1I hope and pray these songs are a blessing to you and your church.
— James Bargerbos
The songs
Each song has audio, lyrics, sheet music and a short note on its themes and style.
More songs are coming soon (Lord willing).
Using these songs
These songs are protected by copyright, and I am glad to give them away. You do not need to ask permission, pay a fee, or hold a CCLI or other licence to use them as described below. I have not assigned them to any publisher or collecting society.
This page covers the songs themselves (the lyrics, melodies, chord progressions and overall composition) and any recordings of them. Some recordings are AI-generated, which makes them a little different, as explained under About the recordings.
You are free to
- Sing, play and lead the songs in church services, small groups, schools, camps and private worship.
- Print, copy and project the lyrics and sheet music for your congregation, band or group.
- Download the recordings to learn the songs, rehearse, and play them at your gatherings, and share links to them.
- Record or livestream services and gatherings where the songs are sung or played.
- Transpose the songs and adapt the arrangement to suit your church's voices and instruments.
What I ask
- Keep it free. Please don't sell the songs or recordings, or use them to sell or promote anything. Using them in a service where an offering is taken is fine.
- Keep the credit. Where lyrics or music are printed or projected, include the credit line from the song's page. Each song has a button to copy it.
- Keep the words. Please don't change the lyrics, or republish an altered version under my name.
- Link, don't re-host. Share links to this site rather than uploading the files to other websites, streaming services or song libraries, or registering the songs with any licensing body.
- Keep the recordings as listening copies. Please don't put them on streaming services or remix them.
Please ask first if you want to
- Include a song in a published songbook, album or other product.
- Translate a song for public sharing. Translating for your own use is fine.
- Use a song or recording in film, television, advertising, or any commercial or political setting.
Scripture quotations and hymn texts by other authors remain the property of their owners. Where a song uses them, the credit is on that song's page. To ask a question or request permission, get in touch.
About the recordings
For any audio tracks on this site noted as AI-generated, please be aware that the songs themselves are not. The lyrics, melodies, chord progressions and overall composition of every song are my own original work, and I recorded the melodies and chords myself before any AI was used. The exception is hymn remakes, which use public-domain lyrics and credit the original authors on each song's page.
The AI-generated versions are provisional. They let me share the songs now and give a sense of how they could sound with a full band, polished vocals and, often, a congregation singing.
To make these versions, I give an AI music tool my own recordings of the melodies and chords. The voices, instruments and production you hear are AI-generated. The sheet music is the song as I wrote it.
I share the recordings on the terms set out under Using these songs. The AI-generated recordings were made with a generative AI music service, whose own terms apply to the audio files. I make no claim about how copyright law treats AI-generated sound. That does not affect the copyright I hold in the lyrics, melodies, chord progressions and overall composition.
Over time I hope to add recordings made by people, including professional studio recordings as time and resources allow. Some songs may then have both kinds and some only a human recording. AI-generated versions may be updated or removed along the way.
If you have any reservations about AI-generated music, you are welcome to use only the lyrics and sheet music. If a song has no recording made by a person, email the contact address and I will make or send a basic rough recording. Rough recordings are for learning the song only, not for any other purpose.
About me
I am the husband of Benita and dad to Theo and Caitlin. I have a Bachelor of Theology from Trinity Theological College and an Advanced Diploma of Contemporary Music from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). I play bass, acoustic and baritone acoustic guitars, and I enjoy composing original music. By day I enjoy working as a Procurement Systems Analyst in Western Australia’s mining industry.
What I believe
My beliefs are articulated well by The Gospel Coalition's Confessional Statement. For the fuller doctrinal detail I hold to, see the creeds and confessions of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia (CRCA), of which I am a member.