5 Christian Music Songwriting Contests

Contests can be fun to enter any time. For musicians and songwriters, entering contests that give you the opportunity to have your music heard by industry professionals plus the chance to win great prizes is even better. 

The following contests are either strictly for Christian music or have categories for Christian music. They can be a wonderful way for songwriters to grow their ministry, meet wonderful new people and maybe even get a leg up to getting started walking onto a larger stage.

Great American Song Contest

Deadline: November
Entry fees: $30 per song/title (drops after the first two entries to $25 per entry)
Contest Site

The Christian & Inspirational Music category is one of 10 offered each year. There is $10,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. Even those that don't win get something ... Every songwriter that enters receives a written evaluation of their songs from the contest Judges.

The Australian Songwriters Association National Songwriting Contest

Deadline: May
Entry fees: vary
Contest Site
Contest open to Australian citizens and permanent Australian residents.

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

Deadline: Early November
Entry fees: $35 per song/title
Contest Site

The Christian category is one of 22 total categories. 68 winners share in the cash and prizes with songs being judged on creativity, originality, lyrics, melody, arrangement and overall likeability. The grand prize winner takes home $25,000 in cash, gear and memberships to places like Gig Salad and Artist Growth.

Judges include members of Casting Crowns, Hawk Nelson, Matt Maher and Joy Williams. 

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest

Deadline: Phase 1 - June, Phase 2 - December
Entry fees: $30 per song/title
Contest Site

The Gospel/Inspirational category is one of 12 categories. The JLSC is open year-round and features two Sessions -- with 72 Finalists, 24 Grand Prize Winners, 12 Lennon Award Winners and 1 "Song of the Year." All entry fees from the contest help support the non-profit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus mobile recording studio, giving back to music.

Judges include members of Switchfoot, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Cliff and Bob Weir (founding member of the Grateful Dead).

The Nashville Song Service Lyric Writing Contest

Deadline: monthly
Entry fees: free
Contest Site

Every month, lyricists can enter up to three songs for free though the website. According to the contest site, "One winner will be selected each month and receive a free demo of their lyric, which includes melody co-writing (if applicable), professional production with top notch Nashville musicians and singers, and promotion to the music industry."