Ben Fielding
Ben Fielding is an Australian contemporary Christian music and worship songwriter, and one of several worship leaders emerging from the Hillsong Church Worship team. He has written numerous globally sung worship songs, including Grammy- and Dove Award-winning works, and has collaborated with international artists like Chris Tomlin and Brandon Lake.
Early life and education
[edit]Fielding grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where he became involved in church music from a young age. He later became part of Hillsong Church’s worship ministry in Sydney.
Career
[edit]Hillsong Worship and shaping global worship
[edit]The 2017 book, The Hillsong Movement Examined, by Tanya Riches and Tom Wagner, describes Hillsong Church as one of the most influential authors of evangelical worship, as music penned by their worship team has been sung in churches all over the globe over the past three decades.[1]
Fielding co-wrote the song "Mighty to Save" with Reuben Morgan. It won the Worship Song of the Year award at the 40th GMA Dove Awards and was also nominated for Song of the Year.[2]
In 2014, Fielding co-wrote the worship song "This I Believe (The Creed)," a musical adaptation of the Apostles’ Creed, at the request of John Dickson, director of the Centre for Public Christianity, who sought a modern expression of a foundational Christian statement to inspire unity across denominations. The song combines a second-person address in the verses with a chorus that affirms belief in the triune God, reflecting mainstream Protestant liturgy and transmitting centuries of Christian theology in a form accessible to contemporary congregations. Fielding emphasized the importance of the song's "translatability" in shaping its structure and lyrical approach, with the intent to create a unifying worship anthem that could be adopted globally across different languages and traditions.[3]
In 2016, he co-wrote "What a Beautiful Name" with Brooke Ligertwood. The song won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song[4] and Song of the Year at the 2017 Dove Awards.[5]
Fielding also co-wrote "Who You Say I Am" with Morgan, which won the 2019 Dove Award for Worship Song of the Year.[6]
Independent projects and collaborations
[edit]In 2025, Fielding co-wrote and released The First Hymn with Chris Tomlin, a contemporary worship adaptation of the Oxyrhynchus Hymn—the oldest known Christian hymn with both lyrics and musical notation, dating back to the 3rd century. The song is featured prominently in the feature-length documentary The First Hymn, directed by Australian historian John Dickson, which traces the ancient melody’s journey from its desert origins to its modern revival. The film culminates in a live concert performance of the newly arranged hymn.[7] The song was released globally on 11 April 2025.[8]
Fielding is a member of CXMMXNS, a collective of worship leaders and songwriters exploring the intersection of music, theology, and community. The movement was highlighted in a 2024 Relevant Magazine feature on the evolving global worship landscape.[9]
In 2023, Fielding co-wrote the song "Praise You Anywhere" with Brandon Lake.[10][11]
Appearances and speaking engagements
[edit]Fielding was a featured speaker at the 2025 WOR/TH Worship Conference in Sydney, which also included artists such as Matt Redman, Darlene Zschech, and CityAlight.[12] He has also contributed to academic conversations around modern worship songwriting, including participation in the 2023 Worship Leader Research colloquium exploring integrated songwriting networks.[13]
Legacy and influence
[edit]According to CCLI, songs co-written by Fielding have consistently ranked in the top 10 most-used worship songs across churches worldwide.[14]
Fielding’s contributions have been the subject of theological analysis and worship studies, including academic work by Daniel Thornton, who notes Fielding’s influence on the “ecclesial and cultural embeddedness” of contemporary worship.[15]
The story behind Fielding’s most well-known composition, "What a Beautiful Name", was profiled in Premier Christianity, exploring its theological depth and worship resonance.[16]
Awards and nominations
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Riches, Tanya (2017). "The Hillsong Movement Examined: You Call Me Out Upon the Waters". PentecoStudies. 16 (2): 213–215. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "2009 Dove Award Recipients". GMA Dove Awards. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ Smith, Matthew. "Heaven and Earth Collide: Hillsong Music's Evolving Theological Emphases". Academia.edu. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "2018 Grammy Awards". Grammy.com. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "2017 Dove Award Winners". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "2019 Dove Award Winners". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "The First Hymn – Official Site". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Chris Tomlin & Ben Fielding Release "The First Hymn"". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "A New Wave of Worship". Relevant. 2024.
- ^ "Brandon Lake Releases New Single "Praise You Anywhere"". CCM Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Song Details for 'Praise You Anywhere'". CCLI. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "WOR/TH 2025 Featured Guests". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Integrated Worship Songwriting Networks". Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Top 100 Worship Songs". CCLI. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ Thornton, Daniel (2015). "Hillsong Music as an Australian Pentecostal Ecclesial Practice". PentecoStudies. 14 (2): 156–175.
- ^ "The Story Behind the Song: What a Beautiful Name". Premier Christianity. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
External links
[edit]- CXMMXNS by songwriters Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan
- Hillsong Worship official site