Every February and August, the church music world turns its attention to CCLI’s Copy Activity Report and especially to the new “CCLI Top 100” list, detailing the top songs reported by churches across the country. But working here at CCLI, we’ve always known that there are a lot of great worship songs beyond the Top 100…many from well-known publishers but also from unpublished “grass-roots” songwriters, writing great worship songs primarily for their own local churches and networks.

Each November, we conduct an annual CCLI license holder survey, and churches tell us consistently that #1 on their wish list is “to discover new worship songs.” So, with that vision and objective, we unveiled CCLI TV in February, 2008. The FirstTake channel was established for new songs from the major Christian labels. And the Open Mic channel was created for unpublished or self-published songwriters/church ministries who are writing great songs that resonate with their own congregations and have a desire to share those songs with churches around the world.

It’s working. In the last 2-1/2 years, the CCLI TV Open Mic channel has posted over 200 song videos which have received approximately 750,000 views. Some of the videos are spectacular—incredible songs and performances with video production values that rival the highest-quality music videos and DVDs from major labels. Other videos are more modest, but they also express the hearts of worshipping churches and songwriters through amazing songs.

That’s the Open Mic story from our side. But I thought you also might want to hear from some of our Open Mic writers themselves…in their own words:

Steven Patterson “CCLI TV has been a great way for any worship leader or songwriter to share their songs with THE Church. This has certainly been the case for me.  I posted 3 songs over the last year from our band and I’ve had countless emails from churches and worship-leaders this year using our songs.  The encouragement, feedback, and relationships that I’ve gained through CCLI Open Mic have been better than I could have imagined.”

Travis Doucette “I've been so encouraged to see how many churches across the globe have embraced a little 'four-chord' song I wrote called "God of the Ages."  I am thankful to CCLI for providing global outlets for worship music to be embraced by congregations all over the world. I never would have thought I'd seen this song travel the world and be translated into 10 different languages.”

Daniel Thornton “What a brilliant idea CCLI TV is!  As a songwriter, what an amazing opportunity to share worship that’s impacting my local church with the church around the globe.  Songs that may never have had the chance to reach beyond their geographic location, now can.  But as amazing as that is, it’s actually about the personal emails I get back from a Christian School or local church that has starting singing my songs and it’s made a difference in their world that means so much.”

Joshua Seller “I have been so blessed to be a part of the CCLI TV community and have heard from churches all over North America who are singing my songs. It’s absolutely amazing to know that through CCLI TV, churches can watch and find new music that connects with them. To know God can take a song and spread it across His church using the internet is awesome! I am so excited for all that CCLI TV will do in efforts to spread new music that glorifies the Lord to His church.“

Josh Helms “The last CCLI report that came out in August, I had 7 songs reported in the top 2,000 and this venue had a lot to do with getting that ball rolling. Actually one song in particular that I have received the most feedback from on CCLI TV is continuing to do cool things, including make this last SongDiscovery CD from Worship Leader Magazine. All that started from CCLI TV and moved to churches asking for the music, then doing it in their own worship services. I have a lot of stories like that. I love it man! Great venue for new and aspiring worship writers.”

Steve Deal “As a user of CCLI TV Open Mic, we've received a bunch of positive comments from worship leaders and churches around the world for the C3 worship songs we've posted, and that has been great. Better yet is watching what God is doing in so many churches globally, it really is a great resource for churches, worship leaders, tech teams, lighting guys etc.  I regularly log on and check out what's new. I'm helping plant a new C3 Church in Asheville from our Atlanta church and CCLI TV is a great resource for us to find new songs and get fresh ideas.”

Dave Clinton “I would like to say thank you to CCLI for giving an opportunity for us worship leaders to share the songs that God puts on our hearts. It is a blessing when I get a response back from someone who has heard my song, and for them to say it encouraged them or blessed their life. Thanks again for giving us a venue to share our passion.”

Christ For The Nations “Since our songs have been posted on CCLI Open Mic, we have truly appreciated the response given by those who view and listen to the annual live worship recording. One of the responses from “PJer” on the song ‘Wonderful God’ even prompted us to make a few adjustments to our audience live recording process. Thank you to all who post your comments, we read them and draw insight from your recommendations.” -Nischelle Reagan, CFN Music

VMusic/Victory Church “What a great opportunity CCLI TV has provided to allow congregations all over the world to share what God is speaking through music.  CCLI TV has proven to be a great way for us to connect with other churches and worship leaders around the globe.  The interactions and friendships we've made through email, internet and phone conversations with other worshippers has been one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences we've had in worship outreach.  We are all looking for innovative and creative ways to connect the hearts of our congregation members to God.  CCLI TV gives us the ability to have new resources at our fingertips to minister His love.  Thanks so much CCLI TV!  Please keep up the good work!”  -Jennifer Crow, VMusic Victory Church, Oklahoma City"

Elman Authement “Thanks to CCLI TV, some of my songs are being sung in churches around America and Canada. Not only has CCLI TV given me the opportunity to get the songs we're writing in our worship communtity out to others, they've provided us with a great resource of music from other local churches. Thanks CCLI TV!”

Citipointe Church “CCLI TV has become a significant media outlet helping to effectively support the vision we follow:  ‘To unmistakably influence our world for good and for God.’ This … allows us to launch our music into regions we have never physically visited and touch lives that may never have previously been exposed to the worship and songs of Citipointe Live. We have had regular feedback from viewers across the globe since posting some of our DVD clips. This feedback has ranged from general viewers expressing their positive response and support of our music, to great connections with well known industry professionals that have assisted in the future and direction of Citipointe Live’s music. CCLI TV connects people’s lives with God breathed music and ministries from around the world.” –Cathy Sjolen, Citipointe Church, Brisbane, Australia

Gary Durbin “I am so blessed and honored to have CCLI TV feature my songs on their site. It’s a very healthy thing that they are promoting songs that would not be heard otherwise. Because of the exposure, I have had worship leaders from all over the country commenting with encouragement and emailing for chord charts. My songs are being sung outside of the walls of my own church and that’s an amazing thing. I’ve even had a church use a song as their theme for a missions trip. It’s a humbling thing. This has all happened because of the vision of CCLI TV to be a part of God’s Kingdom.”

Donald Butler “Being a part of CCLI TV has given me the connection with so many other local worship leaders. I love the local church, and I love the songs that God is birthing through the worship of a local community. CCLI TV has allowed me to share those songs beyond our community to others literally around the world. It is such a great avenue to connect the body of Christ...to share songs with other communities of faith!”

Fred McKinnon "CCLI TV's "Open Mic" has been such a blessing as I've seen songs written for our local congregation get worldwide exposure. It's hard to communicate the deep sense of joy when you receive emails and communication from other worshipers who have been touched by a song they've experienced on the CCLI TV site, knowing that God's gift in that song has been given a worldwide platform to encourage others."