THEY CALLED IT A CHURCH
By: Tom T. Hall (BMI)
Dixie Hall (BMI)
Billy Smith (ASCAP)

VERSE 1: IT WAS AN OLD BARN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN
WITH BUSHES AND WEEDS AND AN ACRE OF GROUND
THEY COULDN'T DO BETTER THEY COULD HAVE DONE WORSE
THAN FIX IT UP INTO A CHURCH

VERSE 2: THEY MADE THEM SOME BENCHES AND CALLED THEM THEIR PEWS
THEY GATHERED UP ANY OLD STUFF THEY COULD USE
THE ALTAR WAS MADE FROM AN OLD WOODEN CRATE
THE WHOLE THING WAS BUILT ON THEIR FAITH

CHORUS: THEY CALLED IT A CHURCH
SOME CALLED IT A BARN
THE WINTER WAS COLD
THE SUMMER WAS WARM
COMFORT CAME SECOND
JESUS CAME FIRST
THAT'S WHY THEY CALLED IT A CHURCH

VERSE 3: THE OLD WEATHERED PLANKS WERE CURLED UP AT THE ENDS
THE RUSTY TIN ROOF LET THE WEATHER COME IN
THE PREACHIN' AND PRAYIN' AND HYMNS THAT WERE SUNG
RANG OUT WHERE TOBACCO ONCE HUNG

VERSE 4: THEY DIDN'T DRESS UP THEY JUST CAME AS THEY WERE
THEIR WORKING HANDS CLEAN AND THEIR LOVING HEARTS PURE
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT GOD DOES MYSTERIOUS WORK
THAT'S WHY THEY CALLED IT A CHURCH