Circa 2005 ish - I started to write my prayers down and set to music for "me". I enjoyed it enough that I've simply kept on doing it. 

However, after a number of years of "Churches" not accepting anything other than - the *wonderful public domain hymns from the circa 1600's, 1700's et alia, *wonderful Christian Folk-rock circa 1900's, or the then "new" thing - "Hillsong" Church stuff, late 1900's into 2000's (not for me at all really) -- I simply wrote "my songs" and all mostly off of "headlines" of the day. So, they are all over the place :) - reactive, thoughts, reactions, wonderments, etc. 

The "praise and worship" I engaged, bass, drums, guitar was quite "legalistically" and "worldly" engaged - so I left that. It seemed to be, obvious to me as I was experiencing it - that many saw the Church as a "stepping stone" to secular attention (? - wow); and then, even including some of the mainstream talent of that era (I worked on a Christian Radio Station, and got to attend stadium venues early 2000's, and other exposure). 

I tried to engage "Christian Songwriting" groups (pre-online, then online as that evolved); however, they were self segregated concerning if was "Liturgical", or "Biblical", or - *not, and therefore *not Christian music :) Additionally, many wanted grammatically correct, evolving story songs? Hmmm, don't see many Hymns from the 17th and 18th centuries or otherwise that follow that "formula".

So, I many times just removed Christs' name within a lyric, but not "Him" (literally or otherwise) ... and one may just see it as a, e.g., love-song type track, etc., other. I'd leave the mind-pictures (as I called them) up to them - the listener to form. 

I used to say, when asked, concerning a love-song, if you could sing it to your pet goldfish and it makes sense, you're probably on the right track - get too granular or specific and you limit your audience - possibly even to just yourself (again, generally speaking). 

Also - I find that regionally, my area is extremely self-segregated and non-interactive. I know of no "bands" or even "venues" - not like decades ago. 

In fact, at one church I brought up a Christian song-writing group thing, suggestion, et alia and got zero reaction. 
 - Then, one of the "old families", their kid(s) in the (was the) P&W "band"?, team... ministry? - *wrote a song of their own. The robotic, enthusiastic, programmed, reflexive response and engagement was prolific. 
 - No one else was engaged for any of it. Possibly not even Him, as a or *the focus?

So, that's my "start" - still in the start of it, it would seem. It's not over, until He comes, or He takes me. 


So, there you go :) since you asked. Great question and so glad there is a place it could be asked - such as like this place. It's one reason I keep checking back here now and then. If not quantity, quality of posts :) 

 - Best regards to you; hope all is well in the UK presently, or wherever you may be presently.

A great '70's vibe in those. 

If remember correctly, and me young-young then, there was more of an acceptance concerning "Jesus is just alright with me" - actually a Cover by a number of "Rock" type talents from a Gospel Band that originally published it. That song and others about the, "Spirit in the sky" were mainstream American FM Radio frequent rotation tracks. Then, again if remembering correctly - fell off. 

Then circa 2000's - "Christian" genre tracks carved out their own segment; however, no longer in the "mix" with other music that might have been played together at one time, circa '70's ish. 

About me, or more specifically - I'll comment in a new separate post.