Jonas Myrin, Phil Wickham
A theologically robust anthem of resurrection power and present participation in God's ongoing work. The song bridges personal transformation and cosmic redemption with memorable melodic hooks and congregationally accessible lyrics. Slight reduction for melodic leap demands and minor tense-shift nuances, but these are negligible in worship context. Strong for Easter season and testimony-centered services.
Five lenses
The song faithfully represents core biblical themes: resurrection power (Romans 8:11), divine calling (Ephesians 2:10), salvation transformation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and eschatological expectation (Revelation 21:5). The refrain that God has done and is doing great things reflects both historical recitation (Psalm 126:2-3) and present testimony. The hallelujah refrains and 'chains are worthless' language echo liberation theology grounded in Galatians 5:1. One minor point: the phrase about chains is more metaphorical than directly quoted, representing Pauline freedom theology rather than verbatim text.
The theological arc moves from proclamation of God's finished work (resurrection, salvation) to personal testimony of ongoing transformation, culminating in corporate expectation of future glory. This mirrors the already-not-yet tension of New Testament eschatology. The song clearly distinguishes divine agency (God has done, is doing) from human response (our hallelujah). The 'chains are worthless' declaration risks sounding triumphalistic if divorced from ongoing sanctification teaching, but within Baptist soteriology it rightly affirms positional freedom in Christ. The radio test question here is whether the listener understands salvation as gift or achievement; the song leans gift through repeated attribution to God's action.
The song sits comfortably in G major with a range from D4 to D5, accessible to most mixed congregations. The chorus is memorable and immediately singable with predictable intervals. However, the bridge features a melodic ascent and rhythmic intensity that can leave less confident singers behind. The verses employ slight syncopation that reads well on paper but requires a strong lead vocal to prevent dragging. At 102 BPM, the tempo is energetic but not rushed. Most congregations will latch onto the chorus quickly and grow into the verses over repeated use.
The lyrics balance theological depth with poetic accessibility. The declarative structure (You have done, You are doing) provides clear parallelism. The imagery of chains, ashes, glory, and treasure is biblically rooted and viscerally understandable. The repetition of hallelujah functions liturgically rather than as filler, building corporate affirmation. The song avoids narrative complexity, opting instead for confessional simplicity. Grammatically clean with consistent verb tenses within sections. The voice distribution leans individual-to-corporate, with first-person testimony inviting collective echo.
Most objections will center on stylistic preferences (tempo, repetition) or concerns about experiential emphasis. Theologically, the song is defensible within Baptist confessionalism. The language of present participation in God's work might concern cessationists, but the song does not claim ongoing revelation or miraculous sign gifts, only ongoing sanctification and divine providence. The freedom language could be questioned by those wary of over-realized eschatology, but it aligns with Galatians 5:1 and Colossians 1:13-14. Academic objectors may note the declarative style lacks lament or petition, but Baptist worship has always included space for pure thanksgiving.
Full analysis
Great Things emerged during a period when modern worship was recovering robust theological content after critiques of vagueness in earlier praise choruses. The song functions as a bridge between personal testimony and corporate proclamation, inviting individual worshipers to declare what God has done in their lives while simultaneously affirming shared gospel realities. The structure moves from God's universal work (resurrection, salvation) to personal experience (transformation, freedom) to eschatological hope (continued great things). This arc mirrors the narrative movement of Acts, where individual conversions become part of the church's collective witness.
Theologically, the song engages both immanence and transcendence. God is active ('You are doing') yet also the object of worship ('Hallelujah, God above it all'). This tension is biblical and necessary; the danger would be collapsing into pure immanence (God as cosmic life coach) or pure transcendence (God as distant observer). The song avoids both extremes by grounding present experience in historical gospel event (resurrection) and future expectation. For Baptist congregations, this aligns well with the tradition's emphasis on both personal conversion and collective mission.
Pastorally, the song invites participation at multiple levels. New believers can sing the chorus as simple affirmation of God's goodness. Mature believers can layer in the theological depth of Romans 8:28 and Galatians 5:1. The hallelujah refrains function as liturgical punctuation, giving the congregation a low-barrier entry point even if the verses stretch them musically. The primary caution is ensuring the freedom language is not heard as health-and-wealth prosperity but as spiritual liberation from sin's power and guilt's condemnation. A brief pastoral word before the song can frame this well.
In the landscape of modern worship, Great Things occupies a sweet spot: theologically substantive without being ponderous, emotionally engaging without being manipulative, congregationally accessible without being simplistic. It fits naturally into Easter services, testimony Sundays, or any gathering where the corporate body needs to affirm together what God has done and is doing. The song's optimism is not naivety but biblical hope, rooted in resurrection reality. For worship leaders, the primary task is vocal support in the bridge and ensuring the tempo does not rush the congregation past meaningful engagement with the lyrics.
Defense brief
Who raises this: Theologically conservative members concerned about experiential overemphasis
2 Corinthians 5:17 and Titus 3:5 ground personal transformation in objective gospel work. The song's testimony structure follows Psalm 66:16 pattern: 'Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.'
This is a testimony song, not a systematic theology. Pair it with more objective hymns or psalms in the same service to provide theological balance. The testimony genre has biblical precedent and pastoral value.
Who raises this: Pastors concerned about sanctification realism and those in recovery or counseling ministries
Galatians 5:1 commands believers to stand firm in freedom, affirming positional liberty even amid sanctification process. Romans 6:6-7 declares the old self crucified and freedom from sin's mastery. The song speaks to positional truth, not experiential perfection.
This is a declaration of positional freedom in Christ, not a denial of ongoing spiritual warfare. Teach the congregation the difference between judicial standing (Romans 8:1, no condemnation) and progressive sanctification (Philippians 2:12, work out your salvation). The chains are indeed worthless in justification; sanctification is the process of living into that reality.
Who raises this: Members from traditionalist or non-charismatic backgrounds
Hallelujah appears throughout the Psalms (Psalm 146-150 all open and close with it) and Revelation 19:1-6. Exuberant praise is not exclusive to any tradition; it is biblical.
Hallelujah is not a charismatic innovation but a transliteration of Hebrew worship language found throughout Scripture. Baptists have sung it in hymns for centuries. If the style feels unfamiliar, that may reflect cultural preference rather than theological concern.
Scripture map
Primary foundations
Supporting connections
Story behind the song
Phil Wickham and Jonas Myrin co-wrote Great Things during the sessions for Wickham's 2018 album Living Hope, a project intentionally focused on resurrection theology and biblical hope. The song emerged from conversations about how resurrection power is not merely historical but actively transforming believers in the present.
Living Hope album liner notes and artist interviews
The song quickly became one of the most-used worship songs in North American churches in 2019-2020, appearing in CCLI Top 100 lists and resonating particularly in Easter services. Its accessibility and theological clarity made it a bridge song between contemporary and more traditional Baptist congregations.
CCLI usage data and worship leader surveys
Wickham has noted in interviews that the hallelujah refrain was intended to give congregations a simple, repeatable expression of praise that could carry emotional weight without requiring complex articulation. The word itself, meaning 'praise the Lord,' becomes the congregation's unified response to testimony of God's great things.
Worship leader interviews and podcast appearances
Themes
Sermon series fit
Audience fit
Maturity
Accessible to new believers, meaningful for mature saints; testimony structure invites all levels of faith engagement
Age group
Youth through senior adult; energetic tempo favors younger demographics but lyrics are multigenerational
Service type
Sunday morning celebration, youth gatherings, Easter sunrise, contemporary services
Visitor-friendly
Highly visitor-friendly; simple chorus, clear message, energetic without being exclusionary
Special contexts
Baptism services, testimony nights, mission commissioning, church planting launches
Similar songs
If you love this song
Living Hope (Phil Wickham) - Same album, similar resurrection theology and melodic accessibility
Goodness of God (Bethel Music) - Testimony structure, personal transformation, corporate affirmation
What A Beautiful Name (Hillsong Worship) - Christological focus, resurrection power, memorable chorus
Way Maker (Sinach) - Present-tense divine action, declarative structure, accessible melody
If this concerns you
In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend) - More objective atonement focus, less experiential emphasis
Before The Throne of God Above (Cook/Bancroft) - Stronger forensic justification language, doctrinal grounding
How Great Thou Art (Hine) - Classic hymn alternative with similar 'great things' theme but more transcendent focus
It Is Well With My Soul (Spafford) - Testimony song with more contemplative tone and lament acknowledgment