Monday, December 29, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday January 4, 2009



BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30AM

"Come Thou Almighty King"

This familiar hymn is often used as a call to worship. It appeared anonymously in England in about 1757 to commemorate Trinity Sunday. It has been attributed by some to Charles Wesley since it first appeared in a pamphlet published by John Wesley. The first three verses each emphasize one of members of the Godhead. The fourth stanza is a grand affirmation of the mysterious doctrine of the Trinity, that God is one yet three and ever worthy of our love and adoration.

Click here for an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYphS-GmrA0

Click here for another arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiwGgJ1Qa4g

"Immortal Invisible, God only Wise"

Based on I Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever", "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" reminds us of the awe and reverence that we need to have as we worship our God. Even as we cannot see the sun, we see merely the light reflected by the hot gases surrounding the sun, so God’s glory is hid from our eyes. Even the angels cover their faces in God’s presence (Isaiah 6:2) because they cannot look on God’s full glory.
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" draws from other Scriptural references as well. "The Ancient of Days" from stanza one is from Daniel 7:9. "Thy justice like mountains" from stanza two is from Psalm 36:6. Originally written with six stanzas, stanza four referenced II Corinthians 3:15-16. The original stanzas four and five were combined to make the contemporary fourth stanza.
Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;But of all thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart -Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.
All laud we would render; O help us to see 'Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee, And so let thy glory, almighty, impart,Through Christ in his story, thy Christ to the heart.
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was first published in Hymns of Christ and Christian Life, (1876). The text was altered by the author and published in W. Garrett Horder’s Congregational Hymns. (1884)
Click here to worship along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1Kxcvq_hM

Click here for a finger picking guitar arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Tmq_B2eIg

Click here for a tower bell arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jodz3Muw8i8&feature=related

Click here for a newer arrangement by Daniel Rodriguez:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiV3ODJA9Ik

“Crown Him King of Kings”

This song was written by Sharon Damazio. Sharon serves as the worship pastor, overseeing the worship and creative arts ministry of City Bible Church in Portland Oregon. She is one of the primary worship leaders and songwriters, and has a passion to see every person who enters CBC become a wholehearted worshipper. Sharon shared the following on how the song came about:

Crown Him King of Kings was one of those songs that came about over a period of months. At first, I was simply playing around with the chords on my piano, and trying out some different base notes, but had no lyrics or even an idea of what the lyrics might be. After a trip home to Australia to visit my family, I was sitting at my grandmother’s piano, the same one I had learned to play on, and again I played the chords and a possible melody line. This time the opening line “Crown Him king of kings” seemed to jump out at me and were words that were strong enough to support the melody and chord structure. Up until that point, I had not composed too many congregational worship songs, but this one definitely felt like something a church would be able to sing, with a simple melody. In a matter of an hour or so, the rest of the lyrics just fell into place, with some of the words coming from very familiar verses found in Isaiah 9. I was not concerned about words that rhymed; the simple lyrical concept seemed to be enough. Upon my return to our church in Oregon, I reluctantly played the song for some friends, who were very insistent that I immediately teach it to our church. Within just a few weeks, our entire congregation had easily and quickly learned the song, and it definitely became an expression of our worship and a declaration of magnifying and exalting our God. As a songwriter, I have been surprised at how many churches continue to sing this song many years after it was written – to me it seemed to be just a simple worship chorus – but I know that the lyrics contain profound and Biblical truths that will last for eternity.

Click here to sing through the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaUY_e7_C84

"Above All"

Paul's Story
On a Tuesday morning a few years ago at my church, alone at the piano, I began worshiping The Lord. As I sang, I started thinking of how Jesus is so much greater than all the temporal things that our culture esteems as great - power, fame, riches, wisdom, etc. The words just came out…."Lord, you are above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all wonders the world has ever known..." Over the next year, I tried to write a chorus that fit the verses, but I never felt like it was "the one."
Then one day, Lenny LeBlanc and I got together to write. I played him about twenty ideas for songs and the only one that caught his ear was the verse for " Above all" that had no chorus. He woke up the next morning and said, "How about.... 'Crucified, laid behind a stone...like a rose trampled on the ground....'" " Whoa!" I thought, "What a contrast, what a picture - that's Jesus. The One who is and always will be above all, was willing to be crucified and rejected, just to demonstrate His love for an unappreciative world."
By the time we got to "You took the fall and thought of me....above all," Lenny and I were in tears. The revelation hit us and broke our hearts. It made us realize how worthy He really is. That He truly deserves our worship.
This song means a lot to me because it came from an honest place. I wasn't " trying" to write a song originally. I sincerely just wanted to worship Him and praise Him for His greatness. Getting to finish the song with Lenny was such a bonus since he has been such a mentor and friend to me for years.
I have had many people tell me through tears that they feel such love for the Lord as they sing "Above All." The revelation that The God of the universe was willing to humble himself to the point of crucifixion and death, just to reveal His love for us inspires a broken and contrite heart - like a fragrance of worship coming from a broken jar of perfume.
I remember one time in particular that I heard people singing "Above All" in worship. I was sitting on the floor with my children, watching the inaugural prayer service for President Bush on Fox News Live. Michael W. Smith walked up to the piano and began to sing "Above all powers, above all kings....." Tears began to pour out from my eyes. My 8 year-old daughter asked, "Are you all right Daddy? What's wrong?" I replied, "Honey, these are happy tears." I'm humbled and blown away that a simple prayer of worship, started at my little piano, found its way to The President of the United States. The possibility that this song could be an encouragement to Him is such an honor. " I pray that he would draw strength and wisdom from The One who is above him......and above all. It blesses me to know that Jesus will be worshiped with this song for years to come.

Lenny's Story
When Paul Baloche and I finished writing "Above All," I somehow knew in my heart that it would touch millions of people. It all started when Paul and I got together to write some songs for my soon to be recorded project for Integrity Music. Paul flew in and arrived late in the afternoon. We spent the rest of the day talking and kicking around song ideas that we had started. As the evening progressed, Paul played me the verse to "Above All" except for a few lines that we later changed. Something about the verse really touched me and I told him I thought it was a great idea. He shared with me that he had written several different choruses for the song and had even sung them in various forms during worship times at his home church. He also said he wasn't happy with any of the versions he had written. We chatted for while then headed off to our rooms.
Early the next morning before Paul woke up, I started playing around with a chorus idea. Later on that morning, we started and finished the song " Closer." After a short break, I played my idea for an "Above All" chorus. Paul really liked it and we began fine tuning the song. Every time we got to the line, "Like a rose trampled on the ground," we would both begin to weep. Here we were - two grown men in a puddle of tears trying our best to finish writing a song.
I think the reason "Above All" has impacted us so powerfully - and many others including Michael W. Smith, is because it's such a beautiful picture of how a God that is above everything, would become like a rose trampled on the ground, take the fall and think of us….above all."

Click here to listen to Paul share about how the song came about:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3JklFhKmvE

Click here to worship along with Paul:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbrMSEwDo8o&feature=related

CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM

"Sing to the King"

This song was written by Billy James Foote. The song is based upon the hymn by Charles S. Horne. Here are the original words penned in 1910. Notice the similarity between the Horne's words and Billy's adaptation of the song.

Sing we the King Who is coming to reign,
Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain.
Life and salvation His empire shall bring,
Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.

Come let us sing, praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King,
This is our song, who to Jesus belong:
Glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.

Billy and his wife Cindy live in San Antonio. Billy started leading worship in 1990, right out of college. Back then Christiandom didn't demand bands. They were satisfied with simplicity. Billy played his guitar and led worship by himself until several years later. He added a drummer (Joe McArthur) first and then a bass player (Shawn Skeen) and then Cindy joined in with vocals in 2001. Sometime around the year 2000 Billy began having vocal trouble which turned out to be a neurological condition called hyper-disphonia. There's really no cure for this condition. So Cindy began singing more of the lead vocals over time. Though Cindy sings most of the songs, Billy is still the person giving direction to the worship time and, of course, he writes most of the songs the band plays. Billy began song writing in the late 1990's. He's written several well known songs including:"Break Our Hearts", "Goodness and Mercy", "You Are My King (Amazing Love)", "Sing to the King", "I Have a River", "Die the Death", "You Are God Alone (not a god)", "You Are Welcome Here" and "Welcome to the Cross".

Learn more about Billy's ministry on his myspace website & ministry website: www.myspace.com/billyfooteband

Learn more about Billy's ministry here:
www.billyfoote.com/

Click here to worship along on the passion recording:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrsrPfGmpPg&feature=related

"Everlasting God"


Brenton Brown wrote this song after both he and his wife had being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Brown described their illness in the following excerpt from Christianity today. Brown: It's called fibromyalgia, a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. What defines it are the symptoms, the most obvious ones [being] fatigue. You feel jet-lagged most of the time. There are other symptoms like nausea, muscle pain, muscle aches. There's no known cure. Basically it was just like waking up one day and finding out that I had someone else's body. Very strange. I wasn't thinking as clearly. And over the last three years we've basically had to relearn how to live life with our new bodies. It's been a challenge. Chronic Fatigue is a little bit like having mono[nucleosis]. You feel very fatigued, very drained. And no matter how much you sleep, you're still going to feel tired. You can never shake off that tired feeling. I just kept going for six months. And then my pastor, the board of our church and the group of doctors that I was seeing all decided, "This is not working. You're not going to be able to force your way through this." Brenton Brown, born in South Africa, is a Christian songwriter and worship leader. He left South Africa for Oxford, England in his early twenties on a Rhodes Scholarship. While studying politics, philosophy and theology he joined the Vineyard music (UK), serving as worship pastor at the Oxford Vineyard, UK, and eventually as coordinator of the Vineyard (UK) Worship Development Team. His songs, Lord Reign in me, All who are thirsty, Humble King, Hallelujah [Your love is amazing] and Holy were recorded on the popular Vineyard UK projects during this time. He has since left the UK and now lives in Malibu, California with his wife, Jude. Brenton is an artist on the worship label Survivor and in 2006 released his first solo album, Everlasting God with Survivor in the UK and rest of the world, and with Sparrow in the United States and Canada.

Check out Brenton’s ministry here: www.brentonbrownmusic.com/

Click here to listen to him share about how the song came about www.youtube.com/watch?v=YePOcs88kqw

Click here to listen to Lincoln Brewsters' arrangement www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2nz6PG8KM&mode=related&search=

Click here to listen to Brenton Brown & Paul Baloche www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bLWwnVBuF8

"Jesus Paid it All"

The following is from Alex Nifong who wrote the additional chorus:
I have an old hymnal that I frequently play through sometimes during my private times alone with the Lord. I was playing through that song one day in Jan of 05 and I just started praying and singing out the phrase O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead. It was as simple as that. Just a prayer that came right out of my heart. This is a new arrangement of the old hymn, based on the recording from the Passion album "Everything glorious". It adds a new line "O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead". Check out the composer of the tag on his website www.alexnifong.com/

Here’s a story about the song:The words were written by Elvina M. Hall and the music by John T. Grape on New Year’s night, 1886, some missionaries were holding open-air services in order to attract passers-by to a near-by mission, where meetings were to be held later. "All to Christ I owe" was sung, and after a gentleman had given a short address he hastened away to the mission. He soon heard footsteps close behind him and a young woman caught up with him and said: "I heard you addressing the open-air meeting just now; do you think, sir, that Jesus could save a sinner like me?"The gentleman replied that there was no doubt about that, if she was anxious to be saved. She told him that she was a servant girl, and had left her place that morning after a disagreement with her mistress. As she had been wandering about the streets in the dark, wondering where she was to spend the night, the sweet melodies of this hymn had attracted her, and she drew near and listened attentively. As the different verses were being sung, she felt that the words surely had something to do with her. Through the whole service she seemed to hear what met her oppressed soul’s need at that moment. God’s Spirit had showed her what a poor, sinful and wretched creature she was, and had led her to ask what she must do. On hearing her experience, the gentleman took her back to the mission and left her with the ladies in charge. The young, wayward woman was brought to Christ that night. A situation was secured for her in a minister’s family. There she became ill and had to be taken to a hospital. She rapidly failed and it became evident that she would not be long on earth. One day the gentleman whom she had met on New Year’s night was visiting her in the ward. After quoting a few suitable verses of Scripture, he repeated her favorite hymn, "All to Christ I owe"…and she seemed overwhelmed with the thought of coming to glory…Two hours afterward she passed away.

Click here to worship along
www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxhvivQYfI

Click here to worship along with a younger generation led by Kristian Stanfill:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OOjfaBGnA&mode=related&search=

You can go here to Kristians' myspace and click on the song just to listen
www.myspace.com/kristianstanfill

WOW - here it is in Spanish
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRRBtWP_buA

THIRD SERVICE 6PM

"Open Skies"

When David Crowder was attending Baylor University in Waco, Texas in the mid 90's, he learned that more than half of the 14,000 students enrolled in the college were not attending church. This was very disturbing to Crowder, and after many conversations with a friend of his, they decided to start a church that was college friendly. Thus, University Baptist Church was born. That was 1996. Today, almost a decade later, nearly 1,000 people, most of which are college students, are attending the church. Although David Crowder's music ministry has grown significantly since then, he can still be found leading worship there on many Sundays.

Click here to learn more about David:
www.davidcrowderband.com

Click here to worship along with David Crowder:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PeaDArYoss&feature=related

Click here for another version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwM8vgulzdI&feature=related


"Whole World in His Hands”


Tim Hughes is a British-based Christian music artist, worship leader, and songwriter. Widely respected in Christian music circles, Tim is renowned for his Dove Award-winning modern worship anthem: “Here I Am To Worship”.Tim & his wife Rachel have been involved with Soul Survivor events around the world as well as the Soul Survivor Watford church for many years.

When all around is fadingAnd nothing seems to lastWhen each day is filled with sorrowStill I know with all my heartHe's got the whole world in His hands He's got the whole world in His handsI'll fear no evil For You are with meStrong to deliverMighty to saveHe's got the whole world in His handsWhen I walk through fireI will not be burnedWhen the waves come crashing 'round meStill I know with all my heart

Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG-zoopwV_I

Click here to listen online:
www.last.fm/music/Tim+Hughes

"Mighty To Save"

This is another song from the Hillsong music ministry in Sydney Australia. This song is by Reuben Morgan & Ben Fielding. This song has a great re-occuring text. "OUR GOD IS MIGHT TO SAVE". This is taken from the passage in Zephaniah 3:1717 "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Click here to read more about Reuben Morgan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Morgan

Click here to worship along with the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXCAhKDZRlo

Click here to worship along with the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8rlTIU8_Y

"Jesus Paid it All"

The following is from Alex Nifong who wrote the additional chorus: I have an old hymnal that I frequently play through sometimes during my private times alone with the Lord. I was playing through that song one day in Jan of 05 and I just started praying and singing out the phrase O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead. It was as simple as that. Just a prayer that came right out of my heart. This is a new arrangement of the old hymn, based on the recording from the Passion album "Everything glorious". It adds a new line "O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead". Check out the composer of the tag on his website www.alexnifong.com/

Here’s a story about the song: The words were written by Elvina M. Hall and the music by John T. Grape on New Year’s night, 1886, some missionaries were holding open-air services in order to attract passers-by to a near-by mission, where meetings were to be held later. "All to Christ I owe" was sung, and after a gentleman had given a short address he hastened away to the mission. He soon heard footsteps close behind him and a young woman caught up with him and said: "I heard you addressing the open-air meeting just now; do you think, sir, that Jesus could save a sinner like me?"The gentleman replied that there was no doubt about that, if she was anxious to be saved. She told him that she was a servant girl, and had left her place that morning after a disagreement with her mistress. As she had been wandering about the streets in the dark, wondering where she was to spend the night, the sweet melodies of this hymn had attracted her, and she drew near and listened attentively. As the different verses were being sung, she felt that the words surely had something to do with her. Through the whole service she seemed to hear what met her oppressed soul’s need at that moment. God’s Spirit had showed her what a poor, sinful and wretched creature she was, and had led her to ask what she must do. On hearing her experience, the gentleman took her back to the mission and left her with the ladies in charge. The young, wayward woman was brought to Christ that night. A situation was secured for her in a minister’s family. There she became ill and had to be taken to a hospital. She rapidly failed and it became evident that she would not be long on earth. One day the gentleman whom she had met on New Year’s night was visiting her in the ward. After quoting a few suitable verses of Scripture, he repeated her favorite hymn, "All to Christ I owe"…and she seemed overwhelmed with the thought of coming to glory…Two hours afterward she passed away.

Click here to worship along www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxhvivQYfI

Click here to worship along with a younger generation led by Kristian Stanfill: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OOjfaBGnA&mode=related&search=

You can go here to Kristians' myspace and click on the song just to listen www.myspace.com/kristianstanfill

WOW - here it is in Spanish www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRRBtWP_buA

"How Great is Our God"

This worship song was written by Chris Tomlin. Chris said he almost apologized to the Lord for writing such a simple song, but felt that the English language could only go so far in describing the greatness of our God. After writing the song he felt in his spirit that he had written a song that would be embraced by the church around the world.
Chris received his first guitar from his father, Connie, at the age of eleven after contracting a case of mono. Then, Tomlin wrote his first worship song at age fourteen. He entered college planning to study medicine, but he stated that he felt God's calling to something else and did not pursue that career.In the mid-1990's Tomlin spent time leading worship at the Dawson McAllister Youth Conferences, as well as at various camps around the state of Texas.Following college, at Texas A&M University Tomlin continued to play and write songs, and in 1997, Louie Giglio asked if he would be interested in working with the Passion Conferences. Tomlin agreed, and he has played a key role ever since. His first nationally released solo project, entitled The Noise We Make, was released in 2001, which saw the emergence of songs "Forever" (his most famous song other than "How Great Is Our God"), "Be Glorified", and "Kindness", all of which made the top 200 in the CCLI 2005 top 500 worship songs.
According to Christian Copyright Licensing International's list of the top 25 worship songs in the United States as of August 2007, Tomlin held 5 spots with songs he has either written or co-written with other songwriters: "How Great Is Our God" (#1), "Forever" (#5), "Holy Is the Lord" (#7), "We Fall Down" (#12),and "Indescribable" (#22).

Click here to listen to the story behind the song: www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-302-HowGreatisOurGod-Tomlin.mp3

Click here to listen to Chris share about how the song came about on newsong café: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfKli_4LQ0&mode=related&search=

Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxPG_mRHDs&feature=related

Click here to learn more about Chris’ ministry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Tomlin#Biography

Click here to visit Chris’ website:
http://www.christomlin.com/

Click here to visit Chris’ myspace:
www.myspace.com/christomlin





Monday, December 22, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday December 28, 2008

BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30AM

“How Great Thou Art”

The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of no where. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made. . . Can you imagine what Boberg felt as he formed these words? There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace. This poem, titled O Store Gud (O Great God) was published in 1891 in Witness of the Truth, the weekly newspaper that Boberg edited. It was later translated in German. In 1927, it was published in a Russian version of the German text.

How Great Thou Art was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks. Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song. Giving God all praise, glory, and honor for who He is -- the Creator of this universe.

Click here to see the different arrangements available from Elvis Presley, Alan Jackson, The Grand Ole Opera Sandy Patti, Crystal Lewis, & David Phelps.
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+great+thou+art+&search_type=

“Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble”

Martin Smith is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter of the English Christian rock and worship band Delirious? He is generally considered to be one of the foremost songwriters in modern Christian worship music. Some of the most recognized songs by Delirious? include "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever”, "History Maker", "My Glorious", "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble", "Shout To The North", "Deeper", "Majesty (Here I Am)", and "What A Friend I've Found".

In 1995, Martin was involved in a near-fatal car accident, and during the weeks of his recovery, he decided to become a full-time musician. He wrote the 'King Of Fools' song 'August 30th' based on this experience.

Click here for the story behind the song:
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-197-DidYouFeeltheMountainsTremble-Smith.mp3

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4Q5vVa0q8Q

Click here to sing along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICRukDH7eKo

Click here to watch Martin Smith:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO_bKR2Wzhk&feature=related

"Blessed Be Your Name"

This powerful worship song by Matt Redman has a phrase that is based on Job 13:15. The Message translates it like this
"So hold your tongue while I have my say, then I'll take whatever I have coming to me.Why do I go out on a limb like this and take my life in my hands?Because even if he killed me, I'd keep on hoping. I'd defend my innocence to the very end. Just wait, this is going to work out for the best—my salvation!"
Click here to hear the story behind the song by Matt Redman.
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-257-BlessedBeYourName-Redman.mp3

Click here to hear the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xo5KogzaI

Click here to worship along with Tree63:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mZH9T9XNVU&mode=related&search=

"It is Well"

Click here to read the story of how the song was written along with the rest of the story http://exchristian.net/exchristian/2003/09/it-is-well-with-my-soul.php

Click here to watch the Gaither video version with David Phelps
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPFVijGcLtI

Click here for a video detailing the story behind the song
www.bluefishtv.com/ProductDetails.aspx?cid=1005&id=1498

Click here for more background information:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_With_My_Soul

To listen to the song click here:
www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM

“For all You’ve Done”

This song is by Reuben Morgan.

Reuben Morgan on men worshipping:
People are more passionate than ever, Morgan observes. I think God's stirring the church. For the most part, churches are singing the same songs no matter where you go, which is pretty incredible. Even in countries that don't speak English, they're still singing the same songs. As a strong male leader, Morgan is particularly interested in seeing the men of the church take more risks in their outward expressions of faith. I think a really good model for men and worship is David, Morgan says. Men can be a little more reserved when it comes to expressing their feelings and really being passionate. But I think there's health in a guy really learning how to do that in the right way. I think the Bible is clear on what are appropriate ways to express our love for God passionately. My personal feeling is that lifting our hands, shouting and all of that is a way of connecting with God. They're expressions, and they can be healthy in our growth.

Click here to read more about Reuben Morgan:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Morgan

My Savior, Redeemer Lifted me from the miry clay
Almighty forever I will never be the same
‘Cause You came near From the everlasting
To the world we live The Father’s only Son You lived and You died
You rose again on high You opened the way For the world to live again
Hallelujah For all You’ve done Hallelujah For all You’ve done

Click here to worship along with the Lakewood Church in Houston:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=60cZ5SmlXMc&feature=related


“Indescribable”

On June 14, 2007, Tomlin's recording of the song "Indescribable" was used as the official wake-up call for Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester on Space Shuttle mission STS-117. What an incredible

This song is all about how great our God is. The artist of this song is Chris Tomlin and originally written by Laura Story. Laura Story holds the CCLI copyright of this song.

Like the twists and turns of a mountain road, Laura Story’s life has held its share of unexpected moments – some exhilarating, some terrifying, and some simply beautiful to behold. Leaning solely on her faith in the sovereignty of God, Story has learned that no matter what comes around the next bend it’s going to be an incredible view.

Once an aspiring symphony conductor, Story didn’t even know she could sing – much less write songs – until she was in her early twenties. Today, Story is not only a gifted vocalist and worship leader but also the composer of one of the most beloved worship songs of our generation – “Indescribable”. The song has topped the charts and been recorded by multiple artists.

Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PTvr755V8s

Click here for a moving DVD with the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmTxZAl7ceU

“Draw me Close to You”

Kelly caught "the worship bug," as he calls it, about 12 years ago while attending a worship conference at his California Vineyard church. He was on the worship team and was able to spend some time with Canadian worship leaders Andy Park and Brian Doerksen. A couple of years after the conference, he started leading worship, as well as writing worship songs.
One of those songs was "Draw Me Close."
As it happened, Kelly had just finished a church service in late January 1994, but his heart was not quite in it. "My heart was heavy that day because I had come to the realization that I had put my ministry in front of my relationship with the Lord. So I literally cried out to Him, "I lay it all down again to hear You say that I'm Your friend." Within 20 minutes, he says, "the song just spilled out."
"This song has always been intensely personal for me," Kelly adds, "and continues to bring me back to my knees, that my relationship with God should come first before the call, the vision, and the ministry that He has given me."
At first, he didn't actually use the song at his church because it was such a personal song. "I cried when I wrote it," he explained. "Still, I actually thought it was a really different song, like something Barry Manilow would write." Worship leader Andy Park was the first to hear the tune, oddly enough, while he was busy replacing the kitchen floor in his house. "He had it playing on a boom box," Kelly says, "and when he heard the line, 'I lay it all down again,' he broke down."
Park then asked him to play on a live record in July of 1994, and asked if he would lead on the original recording of the tune. Over the next couple of years, Kelly was invited to do a lot of conferences, where he would be asked to present his song. But because it was so personal, he rarely did it.
The years following these were filled with struggle and disappointment for Kelly "We've gone through some tough times in the last five years. Times when I felt God was calling me to full-time ministry. Honestly, it's been very difficult figuring out my faith and my walk with God. During these years, 'Draw Me Close' became much more to me than an 'I'm in ministry' kind of song. It became much deeper for me. Life, and all the stuff we wind up going through makes it really hard to keep the Lord at the center. God ends up using pain and brokenness to draw us to Him. The song became very germane and poignant to those moments--a 'come home again' kind of song."
Kelly says brokenness, as he's come to understand it, is a universal experience throughout life. "The song connects with anyone who is going through brokenness." He continues, even years down the road to hear from people who've been impacted by the song.
Over the past few years, a couple of high profile Christian music artists have recorded his song. The Katinas recorded his song for Rocketown Records' Exodus project, taking the song to number one on Christian radio charts. Michael W. Smith recorded "Draw Me Close" on his Worship project, which sold over a million copies in just about a year. It's also on Smith's Worship live video and DVD.
Kelly, a soft-spoken man, is in awe of what's happened, yet at the same time he doesn't follow the charts or keep tabs on where the song is being played or how wide reaching the impact of the song has gone. "I don't even think it's important to know the hugeness of what has happened. I see it as only a gift from God to me...and it's turned into the gift that keeps on giving. People in ministry like to know that what they're doing is making a difference."
He also said he doesn't revel in the uniqueness of the song, choosing to look at this song's success in the larger context. "I've written 75-80 worship songs, probably had about a dozen published, and this is the one that has done well. It's really a bit of a phenomenon, if you ask me."
The song is based upon Psalms 73:28, 84:2, 16:2, 16:11, 42:1-2, 63:1, 73:25

Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWG9-PJFcK8&feature=related

Click here for another arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALzCQn8LA4M

Click here to hear an arrangement by Kutless:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-07PKW9PRI


"Still"

… the challenge of the Church is to keep worship accessible to all people - Rueben Morgan. Rueben wrote the song "Still" as a reminder to "be still and know that I am God". Reuben has a passion to see the church and the world inspired to worship God. A worship pastor on the Hillsong church leadership team, Reuben works alongside
Darlene Zschech to create an atmosphere of praise and worship that draws
people into God’s presence and helps soften hearts to Jesus’ salvation message.
Reuben is an integral leader of the Hillsong church worship team, teaching often
at the Worship and Creative Arts program. Leading worship on a weekly basis at
Hillsong church, Reuben was the youth Music Pastor who helped to establish
‘Hillsong United’- currently one of the most sought after youth praise and worship
bands having appeared at Creation, Edmonton and Soul Survivor in 2003. He
was one of the major producers on four of the United albums including Everyday,
Best Friend, King Of Majesty and To The Ends Of The Earth. With a congregation
of over 15,000 people, Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia is potentially the
nations largest local church with a TV program that reaches over 125 different
countries across the globe. Hillsong has been instrumental in

Click here to worship along with the Hillsong version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk8horRi3_E

Click here for another arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPtZRnQyzSM







Monday, December 15, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday Dec. 21, 2008



BLENDED 9:30AM

"Joy To The World"
One of our most popular Christmas carols is the result of the efforts of Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason—and, some believe, George Frederick Handel. Watts was a frail, quiet man only five feet tall. Mason was an energetic publisher, choir director, and composer. Handel was a large, robust musical genius. Handel and Watts were contemporaries in London and one imagines they must have appreciated each other's talents. Mason lived 100 years later in Boston.
In 1719 Isaac Watts, already a notable scholar and author, sat down under a tree at the Abney Estate near London and began to compose poetry based on Psalm 98. Watts had begun writing verses as a small child. In his teen years he complained that the songs in church were hard to sing. His father said, "Well, you write some that are better." And so he did. For the next two years, young Isaac wrote a new hymn each week. (He would eventually write more than 600 of them, all based on Scripture.) Today, hymns like "Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed" and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" are hallmarks of the Christian church, and Watts is regarded as "the Father of English Hymnody."In 1741 George Frederick Handel, who was already famous as the composer of several operas and oratorios, decided that he wanted to do a truly great work. After spending time in prayer, he arose from his knees and for 23 days labored almost continuously day and night. The immortal Messiah, now a Christmas tradition, was the fruit of that incessant struggle.A nobleman once praised Handel for the "entertainment" he had furnished in one of his compositions. In no uncertain terms Handel let the nobleman know that his music was composed to make men better, not to entertain them.Almost a century later, Lowell Mason set Watts's poem of "joy" to music. For years it was assumed that Mason used tunes from Handel's Messiah for portions of the arrangement, but the veracity of that claim is now debated among scholars. Listeners can judge for themselves. But this we know: It was Mason who ultimately brought the pieces together to give us "Joy to the world"

Click here to listen to the acapella group Take 6:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=evywpq32Oa0

Click here if you like Michael Bolton:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXY8Vtnrsxc

Click here for the various recordings:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joy+to+the+world&search_type=&aq=f

"The First Noel"

The word Nowell comes from the French word Noël meaning "Christmas", from the Latin word natalis ("birth"). It may also be from the Gaulish words "noio" or "neu" meaning "new" and "helle" meaning "light" referring to the winter solstice when sunlight begins overtaking darkness.

Click here to read more about the song:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_No%C3%ABl#Animaniacs_parody

Click here to listen to Clay Aiken sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJhlB-CzCsc

Click here to hear Helmut Lotti sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=We4xRHMuCNg&feature=related**

Click here for an interesting arrangement - one person, two guitars:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cyWiw3cSOI

"Go Tell it on the Mountain"

"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual dating back to at least 1865 that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers. It is considered a Christmas carol because its original lyric celebrates the Nativity: "Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born."

Like many carols, the precise history of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a bit fuzzy. Although generally considered an anonymous work, Studwell believes the piece was written by Frederick Jerome Work (1880-1942), a black composer, teacher and scholar. Work was deeply involved in the collection, arrangement and dissemination of black spirituals, so it is possible, says Studwell, that Work only discovered and preserved the song. However, Studwell’s research has led him to believe that Work actually penned the piece, which was then arranged and disseminated by his nephew John Wesley Work. Studwell places its first publication in the early 1900s, but the piece gained little notice until the 1920s when the Fisk University Singers began performing the song. Even then, it did not make much of a splash.“I looked through hundreds of carol collections and other song books and I could not find it in any collection prior to the 1950s,” says Studwell. About that time the song steadily began to gain in popularity, winning over listeners with energetic beat and its enthusiastic call to action. “Most carols of the 20th century are not so enthusiastic. This is more like some of the older carols, like Joy to the World or Come All Ye Faithful in that regard,” says Studwell. “It shows some real enthusiasm for the Christmas holiday."

Click here to listen to James Taylor sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEUn1AxDYo

Click here to see the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=go+tell+it+on+the+mountain+&search_type=&aq=f

"Emmanuel"

In 1976, Robert McGee, then an associate pastor at The King's Temple Church in Seattle, Washington, wrote the chorus "Emmanuel." The chorus first appeared in a collection of 11 choruses entitled Choruses From The King's Temple, 1976 Book I and was used by the church in their worship services. In 1983, C.A. Music, Inc. acquired the copyright in "Emmanuel" and licensed the song to dozens of companies. Bob McGee was sued in 1999 by a former associate who claimed he stole the song from another popular song in the church. After a court battle, McGee was cleared of the charge of plagarism.

Click here to listen online:
www.imeem.com/flamzofice/music/eu_uev0E/bob_mcgee_emmanuel/

Click here for a piano arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBEG3U0N5aA

CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM

"O Come All Ye Faithful"

Also known in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis", this Christmas carol is credited to an English hymnist named John Francis Wade (1711-1786). Written originally in Latin, 'O Come All Ye Faithful', it was penned as a hymn by an Englishman called John Wade. In Latin, it is known as 'Adeste Fideles'. Another Englishman called John Reading composed its music in early 1700s, which was first published in 'Cantus Diversi' in 1751. Rev. Frederick Oakley translated it to English in 1841.

Click here to read more about the history of the song:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeste_Fideles

Click here to listen to Bianca Ryan sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I8XAf4Rwa4

Click here to hear a traditional setting:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZKp4npV47Q&feature=related

Click here for the various recordings of this Carol: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=o+come+all+ye+faithful&search_type=&aq=f

"O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Rector Phillips Brooks (1835-1903) of Philadelphia, wrote the words to O Little Town of Bethlehem in 1868, following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was inspired by the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine especially at night time hence the lyrics of O Little Town of Bethlehem. His church organist Lewis Redner (1831-1908) wrote the melody to O Little Town of Bethlehem for the Sunday school children's choir.

Click here to listen to Sarah McLachlans's version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioStjMFOJZs

"Away in a Manger"

Away in a manager is always the first carol that children are taught. Away in a Manger was originally published in 1885. The publication of Away in a Manger was in a Lutheran Sunday school book and this created the misconception that the lyrics of Away in a Manger were actually written by Martin Luther himself. The author is unknown. The music to Away in a Manger was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895.

Click here to see the various versions available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=away+in+a+manger&search_type=&aq=f

Click here to hear celtic arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOJb6uOF05Q


"Go Tell it on the Mountain"

"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual dating back to at least 1865 that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers. It is considered a Christmas carol because its original lyric celebrates the Nativity: "Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born." Like many carols, the precise history of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a bit fuzzy. Although generally considered an anonymous work, Studwell believes the piece was written by Frederick Jerome Work (1880-1942), a black composer, teacher and scholar. Work was deeply involved in the collection, arrangement and dissemination of black spirituals, so it is possible, says Studwell, that Work only discovered and preserved the song. However, Studwell’s research has led him to believe that Work actually penned the piece, which was then arranged and disseminated by his nephew John Wesley Work. Studwell places its first publication in the early 1900s, but the piece gained little notice until the 1920s when the Fisk University Singers began performing the song. Even then, it did not make much of a splash.“I looked through hundreds of carol collections and other song books and I could not find it in any collection prior to the 1950s,” says Studwell. About that time the song steadily began to gain in popularity, winning over listeners with energetic beat and its enthusiastic call to action. “Most carols of the 20th century are not so enthusiastic. This is more like some of the older carols, like Joy to the World or Come All Ye Faithful in that regard,” says Studwell. “It shows some real enthusiasm for the Christmas holiday."

Click here to listen to James Taylor sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEUn1AxDYo

Click here to see the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=go+tell+it+on+the+mountain+&search_type=&aq=f

Friday, December 5, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday Dec. 14, 2008


BLENDED 9:30AM

"O Come All Ye Faithful"

Also known in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis", this Christmas carol is credited to an English hymnist named John Francis Wade (1711-1786). Written originally in Latin, 'O Come All Ye Faithful', it was penned as a hymn by an Englishman called John Wade. In Latin, it is known as 'Adeste Fideles'. Another Englishman called John Reading composed its music in early 1700s, which was first published in 'Cantus Diversi' in 1751. Rev. Frederick Oakley translated it to English in 1841.

Click here to read more about the history of the song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeste_Fideles

Click here to listen to Bianca Ryan sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I8XAf4Rwa4

Click here to hear a traditional setting:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZKp4npV47Q&feature=related

Click here for the various recordings of this Carol: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=o+come+all+ye+faithful&search_type=&aq=f

"Emmanuel"

In 1976, Robert McGee, then an associate pastor at The King's Temple Church in Seattle, Washington, wrote the chorus "Emmanuel." The chorus first appeared in a collection of 11 choruses entitled Choruses From The King's Temple, 1976 Book I and was used by the church in their worship services. In 1983, C.A. Music, Inc. acquired the copyright in "Emmanuel" and licensed the song to dozens of companies. Bob McGee was sued in 1999 by a former associate who claimed he stole the song from another popular song in the church. After a court battle, McGee was cleared of the charge of plagarism.

Click here to listen online:
www.imeem.com/flamzofice/music/eu_uev0E/bob_mcgee_emmanuel/

Click here for a piano arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBEG3U0N5aA


"Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

“Hark the herald angels sing” Christmas Carol was written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church, in 1739. A sombre man, he requested slow and solemn music for his lyrics and thus “Hark the herald angels sing” was sung to a different tune initially. Over a hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) composed a cantata in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s music to fit the lyrics of “Hark the herald angels sing” already written by Wesley.

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDPwNPAV6tAg:

Click here see the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hark+the+herald+angels+sing&search_type=&aq=f

"Angels We have Heard on high"

The words of the song are based on a traditional French carol known as Les Anges dans nos Campagnes (literally, The Angels in our Countryside). Its most common English version was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick. It is most commonly sung to the hymn tune "Gloria", as arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes. Its most memorable feature is its chorus: Gloria in Excelsis Deo! (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")

Click here to listen to Josh Groban:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSfhyjKr7pE

Click here for an arrangement by Christina Aguilera:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zlz1NNBsOw


CONTEMPORARY 11:00PM

"Joy To The World"

One of our most popular Christmas carols is the result of the efforts of Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason—and, some believe, George Frederick Handel. Watts was a frail, quiet man only five feet tall. Mason was an energetic publisher, choir director, and composer. Handel was a large, robust musical genius. Handel and Watts were contemporaries in London and one imagines they must have appreciated each other's talents. Mason lived 100 years later in Boston.
In 1719 Isaac Watts, already a notable scholar and author, sat down under a tree at the Abney Estate near London and began to compose poetry based on Psalm 98. Watts had begun writing verses as a small child. In his teen years he complained that the songs in church were hard to sing. His father said, "Well, you write some that are better." And so he did. For the next two years, young Isaac wrote a new hymn each week. (He would eventually write more than 600 of them, all based on Scripture.) Today, hymns like "Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed" and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" are hallmarks of the Christian church, and Watts is regarded as "the Father of English Hymnody."In 1741 George Frederick Handel, who was already famous as the composer of several operas and oratorios, decided that he wanted to do a truly great work. After spending time in prayer, he arose from his knees and for 23 days labored almost continuously day and night. The immortal Messiah, now a Christmas tradition, was the fruit of that incessant struggle.A nobleman once praised Handel for the "entertainment" he had furnished in one of his compositions. In no uncertain terms Handel let the nobleman know that his music was composed to make men better, not to entertain them.Almost a century later, Lowell Mason set Watts's poem of "joy" to music. For years it was assumed that Mason used tunes from Handel's Messiah for portions of the arrangement, but the veracity of that claim is now debated among scholars. Listeners can judge for themselves. But this we know: It was Mason who ultimately brought the pieces together to give us "Joy to the world"

Click here to listen to the acapella group Take 6: www.youtube.com/watch?v=evywpq32Oa0

Click here if you like Michael Bolton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXY8Vtnrsxc

Click here for the various recordings: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joy+to+the+world&search_type=&aq=f

"We Three Kings"

Written by Rev. John Henry Hopkins (1820-1891) in 1857, he wrote both the music and lyrics of this carol. In 1863 the said Christmas carol was published in Rev. Hopkins' Carols, Hymns and Song. "We Three Kings" was written for the General Theological Seminary in New York during their Christmas pageant. Interesting Fact: Aside from being a writer and editor, Hopkins was also a stained glass artist and book illustrator.

We three kings of Orient areBearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain Following yonder star
O Star of wonder, star of nightStar with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceedingGuide us to thy Perfect Light

Click here for an arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHf1p3C8iVw

Click here for another arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDe3zcTejjQ

“Remedy"

This song is by David Crowder. As you might guess from the title and the medical cross on the cover, Remedy focuses on God's constant presence as the answer to our hurts while challenging listeners to be the balm needed in the lives of others. Indeed, the Texas band's 2007club tour is part worship experience, part rallying cry to inspire change in local communities. At the same time, one could view this album as the band's personal healing in response to the tragic death of their friend and pastor Kyle Lake shortly after the release of A Collision.
Here is Davids' answer to what is worship? This is actually a really difficult question because language is such a fluid thing. A word like “worship” changes and evolves and provokes different meanings for different community sets. Over the last few decades, at least within Christian culture, the word has become synonymous with “music within a congregational context.” You say the word “worship” and a person immediately pictures in his head people singing in a room with lyrics projected on a screen. Words and the objects they signify are very difficult to separate. I’ll show you what I mean. Okay, in your head, say the word, “eight”—and try to not picture the number eight. It’s nearly impossible. So, once a word begins to signify something, it is hard to separate it from the thing it is signifying. For me, I tend to not trust moments of congregational singing as an indicator of where our true affections lie. It is a very simple thing to get caught up in the beauty of music and song erupting in a room full of people. So I rarely trust that moment. I think a better indicator of worship may be the way we interact with the world around us.

Click here to watch the David Crowder band on tour: www.youtube.com/profileuser=davidcrowderband

Click here to learn more about The David Crowder band: www.davidcrowderband.com/

Click here to visit Davids' myspace: www.myspace.com/davidcrowderband

Click here to worship along with a powerful video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3UWiJCZAz8

Click here for a live performance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIth9d_LXE&feature=related

Here we are Here we are The broken and used Mistreated, abused Here we are Here You are Here You are The beautiful one Who came like a Son Here You are are So we lift up our voices We open our hands To cling to the love That we can’t comprehend

"The First Noel"

The word Nowell comes from the French word Noël meaning "Christmas", from the Latin word natalis ("birth"). It may also be from the Gaulish words "noio" or "neu" meaning "new" and "helle" meaning "light" referring to the winter solstice when sunlight begins overtaking darkness.

Click here to read more about the song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_No%C3%ABl#Animaniacs_parody

Click here to listen to Clay Aiken sing the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJhlB-CzCsc

Click here to hear Helmut Lotti sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=We4xRHMuCNg&feature=related**

Click here for an interesting arrangement - one person, two guitars:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cyWiw3cSOI




Monday, December 1, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday December 7, 2008

BLENDED 9:30AM



"Of the Father's Love Begotten"

Of the Father's Love Begotten is a Christmas carol. The text is by Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius, from his Liber Cathemerinon, hymn no. IX, beginning "Da puer plectrum," which includes the Latin stanzas listed below. There are two translations commonly sung today, one by Roby Furley Davis, and another by John Mason Neale and Henry W. Baker. Neale's original translation began "Of the Father sole begotten," in his Hymnal Noted (London, 1851), and contained only six stanzas. It was Neale's music editor, Thomas Helmore, who paired this hymn with the Latin plainchant Divinum Mysterium. Neale's translation was later edited and extended by Henry W. Baker for Hymns Ancient and Modern (London, 1861; below).Divinum Mysterium appeared as early as 1582 in Piae Cantiones, where it bore the title "De Eucharistia."

Click here to listen to this advent carol:

Click here for another arrangement:


"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

O come, O come, Emmanuel is a translation of the Christian Latin text ("Veni, veni, Emmanuel") by John Mason Neale in the mid-19th century. It is a metrical version of a collation of various Advent Antiphons (the acrostic O Antiphons), which now serves as a popular Advent and Christmas hymn. Its origins are unclear, it is thought that the antiphons are from at least the 8th Century, but "Veni, veni Emmanuel" may well be 12th Century in origin. The text is based on the biblical prophesy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us). Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

Click here to listen to the carol:

Click here for Whitney Houstons' version:

Click here for a carol arrangement and dance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrJAilZYoR4&feature=related


"What Child is This"

"What Child Is This?" is a popular Christmas carol that was written in 1865. At the age of twenty-nine, writer William Chatterton Dix was struck with a sudden near-fatal illness and confined to bedrest for several months, during which he went into a deep depression. Yet out of his near-death experience, Dix wrote many hymns, including "What Child is This?". It was later set to the traditional English melody of "Greensleeves".

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiZt6MgoVgg

Click here to listen to Josh Groban:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ULS8_4lizY


"Emmanuel"

In 1976, Robert McGee, then an associate pastor at The King's Temple Church in Seattle, Washington, wrote the chorus "Emmanuel." The chorus first appeared in a collection of 11 choruses entitled Choruses From The King's Temple, 1976 Book I and was used by the church in their worship services. In 1983, C.A. Music, Inc. acquired the copyright in "Emmanuel" and licensed the song to dozens of companies. Bob McGee was sued in 1999 by a former associate who claimed he stole the song from another popular song in the church. After a court battle, McGee was cleared of the charge of plagarism.

Click here to listen online:
www.imeem.com/flamzofice/music/eu_uev0E/bob_mcgee_emmanuel/


Click here for a piano arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBEG3U0N5aA


CONTEMPORARY 11:00PM



"You are Good"

Nearly Disposed - Israels' Testimony
My mother became pregnant at the age of 17 in Waterloo, Iowa. You can imagine how this is shaping up. She was given the choice of a back-alley abortion or being disowned by her family. Thank God she chose the latter. Ultimately, she was disowned, abandoned by my biological father, and ended up in San Diego, California. Picture this. It was 1971 and my mother was 8 months pregnant, all alone, thousands of miles from home, and forced to enter reality unprepared. Pretty bleak. One day while walking down the street, a lady pulled up in her Volkswagen Bug, got out, and respectfully yet boldly, began to share the Gospel with her. Words of life and hope began to overtake the words of rejection and abandonment she had grown accustomed to. There on a street corner, she ended up on her knees and cried out to God-committing her life to Jesus Christ. The lady gave her a bible and that's how I got my name. My mother started reading at page one and well, you know-you have a bible, my name's on every page!
I'm often asked by skeptics or the stoic, why I'm as passionate about worshiping God as I am. The answer is simple for me. In this age of disposable relationships, I could have easily become a statistic and at best, a distant memory of a youthful mistake. Instead, a Sovereign God rescued my mother and me and gave us hope, a future, and a testimony of the providence of God. The very least I can do is enter into His gates with fresh thanksgiving, His courts with a passionate praise, and eventually bow before His throne in intimate worship. As far as leading worship goes (which is my passion and calling), I now realize that there have been demands put on me from every part of my experience since day one - culturally, emotionally, musically, and more. So things tend to sound cross-cultural, cross- denominational, and cross-generational. I like to call it, "The Sound of New Breed Worship." I tend to lead from an internal platform founded in Psalm 124:2, "If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side"....where in the world would I be? In an age of disposable relationships, maybe we should be asking ourselves that question a lot more often. I am confident that we would worship with far more conviction, intensity, and overwhelmed gratitude if we did. It is my delight to encourage you today.
Israel

Israel leads a worship band called "New Breed" here's their website, you can listen to portions of the songs they sing including "You are Good"www.newbreedmusic.com/



Click here to learn more about Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Houghton

Click here to worship along with Israel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAGZ8HmiWCM

Click here to see Israel singing "You are Good" in concert:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCpy1Bg255A&feature=related


"Beautiful One"


Tim Hughes wrote this song based upon Isaiah 53:


Click here to listen to Tim Hughes share how he wrote the song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJj6fiJ2aW8&mode=related&search=

Click here to worship along with Jeremy Camp
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdF-cBk9CBU


Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMyVZW0zY14&mode=related&search=


Click here to learn more about Tim
www.timhughesmusic.com/


“Enough”

This worship song is by Chris Tomlin. Chris is instrumental in shaping the language for this present body of worshippers. Chris wrote this song along with Louie Giglio. Louie gave Chris a note right before one of their passion tours. The note simply said:

God is enough, He is really more than enough.

Chris took the rough words and crafted the song around that one phrase. Chris showed up in Louie’s kitchen played it for Louie and it was then that Louie realized that the song was really birthed out of the heart of God.

Click here to hear the story in Louie & Chris’ words on New Song Café:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaLNjeTEeE4

Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHEm-b4IRYk&feature=related


"O Come All Ye Faithful"

Also known in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis", this Christmas carol is credited to an English hymnist named John Francis Wade (1711-1786). Written originally in Latin, 'O Come All Ye Faithful', it was penned as a hymn by an Englishman called John Wade. In Latin, it is known as 'Adeste Fideles'. Another Englishman called John Reading composed its music in early 1700s, which was first published in 'Cantus Diversi' in 1751. Rev. Frederick Oakley translated it to English in 1841.

Click here to read more about the history of the song:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeste_Fideles

Click here to listen to Bianca Ryan sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I8XAf4Rwa4

Click here to hear a traditional setting:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZKp4npV47Q&feature=related


Click here for the various recordings of this Carol:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=o+come+all+ye+faithful&search_type=&aq=f

THIRD SERVICE 6PM

"Here is our King"

This worship song was written by David Crowder in response the Tsunami on December 24, 2004. David and his wife were watching the images of devastation preparing to attend the Passion meeting in Nashville later that month. David was having trouble processing the level of devestation. He remembered telling his wife that 9-11 made more sense, as we are used to humanity doing something to each other. Historically we've done unkind things to each to each other and all we have to do is turn on the news. David knew how to process that devestation, but to be able to see such devestation unfold before his eyes was a new process for him. He struggeld with how to look at that and still say "God is Good". This song was David's response to God in the face of such a tragedy.From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground From wherever searching comes the look itself A trace of what we’re looking for So be quiet now and wait The ocean is growing the tide is coming in Here it is Here is our king, here is our love here is our God who’s come to bring us back to him He is the one, he is Jesus, Jesus

Click here to worship along with David Crowder:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Fl_nqGJc0

Click here to listen to David share about how the song came about:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aea5Mq4sSUA

"Savior Please"

Savior, please take my hand I work so hard, I live so fast
This life begins, and then it ends And I do the best that I can,
but I don't know how long I'll last I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough I can't do this alone,
God I need You to hold on to me I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love Savior, please keep saving me Savior,
please help me stand I fall so hard, I fade so fast

Will You begin right where I end And be the God of all I am because
You're all I have Hallelujah Everything You are to me Is everything I'll ever need And I am learning to believe That I don't have to prove a thing '
Cause You're the one who's saving me

Cick here to visit Joshs' website - Check out his advent calendar a daily video leading up to Christmas
www.joshwilsononline.com/

Click here to visit Josh' myspace:
www.myspace.com/joshwilson

Click here to worship along with Josh Wilson:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=diUhGip85U8

“Mighty is the Power of the Cross”

This song was written by Chris Tomlin & Jesse Reeves. Chris was stirred by the phrase "What can take a dying man and bring him back to life again". Chris and Jesse were amazed by the mystery of the cross, as it is foolishness to those who are perishing.

What can take a dying man And raise him up to life again?
What can heal the wounded soul? What can make us white as snow?
What can fill the emptiness?What can mend our brokenness?
Brokenness?Chorus:Mighty, awesome, wonderful Is the Holy cross.
Where the Lamb lay down His lifeTo lift us from the fall.
Mighty is the power of the cross.

Click here to hear more about how this song on the cross was written:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gDVwQ_Oyhc

Click here for a moving visual portrayal of the cross:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkO-D0fatRQ&feature=related

"May the Words of My"

Tim Hughes has become one of the most well-known lead worshippers of his generation in the space of just a few years. Tim's first solo project 'Here I am to Worship' was produced by Dwayne Larring and Jason Halbert of SonicFlood. One of our most popular albums.
This album won the Inspirational Song of the Year category at the Dove Awards in Nashville 2003. Tim was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
Bless Your name, bless Your name, Jesus
And the deeds of the day and the truth in my ways
Speak of You, speak of You, Jesus
For this is what I'm glad to doIt's time to live a life of love that pleases You
And I will give my all to YouSurrender everything I have and follow You
I'll follow YouLord, will You be my vision, Lord, will You be my guide
Be my hope, be my light and the wayAnd I'll look not for riches, nor praises on earth
Only You'll be the first of my heartI will followI will followI will follow You

Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnxv24Y_fx0

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Behind the Praise - Sunday Nov. 30, 2008

BLENDED SERVICE 9:30AM

“Holy, Holy, Holy”

Holy, Holy, Holy is a hymn written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826). Its lyrics speak specifically on the Trinity as stated in Christian theology. It was written specifically for the use on Trinity Sunday, which occurs eight weeks after Easter The tune used for this hymn, "Nicaea", was named after the Nicaean Council in 325. It was composed by John Bacchus Dykes in 1861 specifically for the lyrics. The composer wrote many tunes to hymns (over 300) and many are still in use today.

Click here to listen to the story behind the song: http://hymns.lifespringonline.com/?p=13

Click here to listen to the song: www.joyfulministry.com/holyholyt.htm

Click here to read more about the song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy,_Holy,_Holy

Click here to hear a vocal arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTuPeErzEWk&feature=related

Click here to listen to an organ arrangement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=una7Q2z0WME

Click here to listen to another organ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWCXI-b0O54

Click here for an acoustic guitar arrangement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFrhK1n_K9M

“How can I keep from Singing”

There is an endless song echoes in my soul I hear the music ring and though the storms may come I am holding on to the rock I cling How can I keep from singing Your praise How can I ever say enough How amazing is Your love How can I keep from shouting Your name I know I am loved by the King And it makes my heart want to sing

Chris Tomlin joined Ed Cash and Matt Redman to write this song. The song is on the album "See the Morning". This song anchors the theme of hope found on the album. "How Can I Keep From Singing," is a rendition of the 1860 hymn by Robert Lowry. "How Can I Keep From Singing?" is listed in some hymnals by the opening line "My Life Flows On". The original composition has now entered into the public domain. The song is frequently cited incorrectly as a traditional Quaker hymn. Chris reworked the original text and crafted a song that could be sung to God during the difficult times.

Click here to listen to Chris share how he wrote the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6lTZySpbpo

Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQI5wxtH6OY&feature=related


"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"

Charles Wesley wrote over 6,000 hymns. Like most hymn­ists, his works were fre­quent­ly al­tered. In the pre­face to the 1779 Col­lection of Hymns for the Use of the Peo­ple called Meth­od­ists, his bro­ther John wrote:
I beg leave to men­tion a thought which has been long up­on my mind, and which I should long ago have in­sert­ed in the pub­lic pa­pers, had I not been un­will­ing to stir up a nest of horn­ets. Ma­ny gen­tle­men have done my bro­ther and me (though with­out nam­ing us) the hon­our to re­print ma­ny of our hymns. Now they are per­fect­ly wel­come to do so, pro­vid­ed they print them just as they are. But I de­sire they would not at­tempt to mend them, for they are real­ly not able. None of them is able to mend ei­ther the sense or the verse. There­fore, I must beg of them these two fa­vours: ei­ther to let them stand just as they are, to take things for bet­ter or worse, or to add the true read­ing in the mar­gin, or at the bot­tom of the page, that we may no long­er be ac­count­a­ble ei­ther for the non­sense or for the dog­ger­el of other men.
In addition to hymn writ­ing, Charles and John found­ed the move­ment which be­came the Meth­od­ist de­nom­in­a­tion.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee Israel’s Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Click here for an instrumental arrangement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg8OJf40LJE


“Breathe”

A friend's suicide had left her reeling, but out of Marie Barnett's desperate need for God came a worship classic sung around the world.

Marie Barnett didn't consider herself a worship songwriter, although she had led worship with her husband John for years and wrote her own compositions during her personal worship time. John was the writer, penning what Barnett terms "tons" of worship music through the years (including "Holy and Anointed One"). "He's the worship writer," she explains, adding "I never sat down and wrote thinking, This could be sung in a congregation. It was more between me and the Lord in my bedroom with the door locked."
But that all changed during a Sunday evening service at the Mission Viejo Vineyard in Southern California. The Barnetts were leading worship as they had done hundreds of times before, and words to what would become the worship song "Breathe" just spontaneously came out.
" We had been singing 'Isn't He' by John Wimber," Barnett recalls, "and my husband continued to play. I was so enthralled with Jesus at that moment, thinking I could never live, I could never even take a breath if I didn't have a word from Him every day. And so I heard those words-'this is the air I breathe, this is my daily bread'-and I started singing them."
Before she knew it, the congregation had joined her. Still, it wasn't as if Barnett left that night convinced she has a worship hit on her hands. There had been other spontaneous songs, but she soon realized "Breathe" was different. "People would come up to me at the grocery store and say, 'You know what we were singing on Sunday night? I've been singing it all week.'"
So they began to sing the song regularly in church and it continued to elicit a strong response, bringing many to tears. Barnett says even now she can hardly get through it. "I think the word 'desperate' digs deep into me," she says by way of explanation. "The longer I'm a Christian, the more desperate I am for God."
Not to mention Barnett was feeling particularly desperate around the time the words for "Breathe" came to her. A dance teacher by day, Barnett's boss of 10 years had recently taken his own life, leaving behind a note asking her to take over the dance studio. "He was very depressed and had just gone through a divorce and was on all kinds of weird medications and into New Age thinking," she recalls of the tragic incident. "He even came to church with me once right before he took his life and I was like, Well, what good did that do? In the end, the event left Barnett with questions for which there were no answers. And that desperation came out in her songwriting."
Shortly after being written, "Breathe" wound up on Vineyard's Touching the Father's Heart #25 and seemed to be on its way to finding a broader audience. But if there's one thing Barnett learned from watching her husband's songwriting career, it's that the timing isn't up to us.
"We recorded the song for Vineyard and then nothing happened," Barnett says. "Not that I thought anything about it because to me it was just a neat thing the Lord gave to our church." Five years later, worship leader Brian Doerksen was putting together Vineyard's Hungry and contacted Barnett about including "Breathe." Then came Michael W. Smith's version on his 2001 release, Worship.
Barnett was driving in her car when she first heard the track playing on the radio. "I just started bawling. I love that version because at the end when he's saying 'Cry out to Him' it's like 'Oh! People are worshipping Jesus! Yea!'"
Since writing "Breathe" Barnett regularly contributes songs to the worship time at Vineyard Community Church of Laguna Niguel, the California church plant where she and her husband lead worship today. And she continues to run the dance studio as her late boss wished. With more than 600 students and 20 classes to teach each week, Barnett says the business venture provides with her plenty of material for her songwriting. And to round out her schedule, she also teaches at worship conferences, going "wherever people invite me."

Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oad8ov10AjY

Click here for a moving video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwLgyMzzh0M


CONTEMPORARY SERVICE 11:00AM
"Open up the Gates"

“Open up the Gates”Planetshakers is more than a band name, it’s more than just a ministry and it’s far from an isolated experience. Planetshakers is a foundation shaking movement that’s sweeping Australia off its feet and it’s about to burst the bubble of American culture. The concept is simple: combine cutting edge speakers with topical relevance and worship woven music that reflects cultural relevance under the context of a super charged conference. Consider it comparable to the Hillsongs movement, but with an explosive, youth-oriented twist.“There’s something powerful that happens when you mesh a spoken word message with the energy and explosion of live music,” says Planetshakers’ founder and director Russell Evans in his thick accent and contagiously pleasant tone. “This generation is looking for energetic, raw passion and they’re attracted to anything they can perceive as real. Seeing the enthusiastic blend is attractive to people. That passion on stage, no matter if it’s speaking or singing, makes them hungry.”Planetshakers have been satisfying the appetites of the once spiritually bankrupt since 1997 when its first weekend conference was staged in front of 300 students at Paradise Community Church in Adelaide, South Australia. In the years that followed, the event ballooned at rapid rates, reaching 4,000 attendees by January 2000. Come this winter, Planetshakers pulled in 20,000 faithful in three major Australian cities: Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.“Other than God’s hand being over the ministers, I think the reason for the growth is because Planetshakers understands young people’s needs and are able to bring it beyond just a worship experience,” contends Evans after a moment of reflection on its evolution. “The goal is for people to have an encounter with God and the objective from there on out is to build local churches and ministries that young people can get plugged into. It all boils down to the fact that this is an instrument in raising up a new generation for the church.”

We come into this Holy place To bring a sacrifice of praise Bow down before You and seek Your face We sing of the mighty things You've done Cry out to You"Let Your will be done" Tell all the world You're the Holy One Hear the shouts of praise As they're rising up to You Come and fill this place As we bring glory to Your name Open up the gates and let the King of glory in Fill this house with praises as we Lift our hands and worship You Open up the doors and let Your Glory fill the earth King of heaven we dance before Your throne King of heaven come and Take Your place Dwell among us as we Seek Your face

Click here to learn more about the Planet Shakers: www.planetshakers.com/

click here to worship along with the Planet Shakers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW1y9Lfz2OA

Click here to listen online: www.rhapsody.com/planetshakers/open-up-the-gates--2002-planet-shakers-ministries-international-inc/its-all-about-jesus

“Forever”

This worship song is based upon the passage in Psalm 136 “His love endures forever”. It took four years for Chris to finally finish the song after working on the song off and on.

Click here to listen to Chris tell about how he wrote the song: www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-263-Forever-Tomlin.mp3

Click here to learn more about Chris Tomlin: http://www.christomlin.com/

Click here to worship along with Chris Tomlin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOZVFHqKg1k

“Consuming Fire”

Tim Hughes (born July 23, 1978) is a Christian worship leader and songwriter with Survivor Records, who is currently Director of Worship at Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican church in central London and heads up Worship Central, a new worship training resource. The son of an Anglican vicar, he grew up in Birmingham, later moving to High Wycombe as a teenager as his father was appointed vicar of St Andrew's Church, Hatters Lane. In 1997, aged only 19, Hughes was asked by Mike Pilavachi to lead worship at the Soul Survivor festivals. He also studied History at Sheffield University, graduating in 2000.
Prior to his current post, Hughes worked at Soul Survivor Watford Church, where he was Worship Pastor (the current Worship Pastor is Ben Cantelon). He moved to Holy Trinity Brompton in 2005 and, with Associate Director of Worship Al Gordon, has set up the Worship Central project. He is married to Rachel and in October they had Phoebe whom Mike Pilavachi is the godfather of.

Click here to visit Tim Hughes myspace:
www.myspace.com/timhughesmusic

Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-yRfVWBWM0

"Surrender"

This worship song was written by Marc James. Marc has been involved in music for many years, as a front man of hard rocking trio Verra Cruz, a song writer and session guitarist, and has performed in many different countries and settings. Before setting up his own label full circle records in 2005 (fullcirclerecords.co.uk), Marc released most of his songs through vineyard music. He features on the well known 'Hungry' album and wrote the popular worship song 'Surrender' which, after being featured on the 'Surrender' album went on to be sung and played all over the world. Marc has been the vocalist on many Vineyard albums since, most notably 'Holy' and 'Beautiful' and more recently 'Winds of worship' live from Nottingham.

Click here to worship along with Marc James: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0nmTY88p-Q&feature=related

Click here for Marc James' myspace, you can play the song on his standalone player: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=52418918

THIRD SERVICE 6PM

"Here is our King"

This worship song was written by David Crowder in response the Tsunami on December 24, 2004. David and his wife were watching the images of devastation preparing to attend the Passion meeting in Nashville later that month. David was having trouble processing the level of devestation. He remembered telling his wife that 9-11 made more sense, as we are used to humanity doing something to each other. Historically we've done unkind things to each to each other and all we have to do is turn on the news. David knew how to process that devestation, but to be able to see such devestation unfold before his eyes was a new process for him. He struggeld with how to look at that and still say "God is Good". This song was David's response to God in the face of such a tragedy.From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground From wherever searching comes the look itself A trace of what we’re looking for So be quiet now and wait The ocean is growing the tide is coming in Here it is Here is our king, here is our love here is our God who’s come to bring us back to him He is the one, he is Jesus, Jesus

Click here to worship along with David Crowder: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Fl_nqGJc0

Click here to listen to David share about how the song came about: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aea5Mq4sSUA

"You never let Go"

This powerful new song by Matt Redman has been described as follows from Christianity Today:"You Never Let Go" begins with a quiet piano and moody atmospherics that mirror far-from-ebullient lyrics based on Psalm 23: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death/You're perfect love is casting out fear/And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life/I won't turn back, I know you are near…The chorus is a loud, exultant proclamation that God will never let go of us and in it Redman uses the minor-key construction to subtly (and maturely) declare that God's love is still valid, even in the midst of pain.

Click here to listen watch the video www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIAdgLR1ZGw

Click here to read more about Matt Redman on his myspace - you can play the song directly from his stand-alone player and can buy the song from his website http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=120781688

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death Your perfect love is casting out fear And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life I won’t turn back I know You are near

And I will fear no evil For my God is with me And if my God is with me Whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let goThrough the calm and through the storm Oh no, You never let go In every high and every low Oh no, You never let go Lord, You never let go of me

"Watch over Me"

Here is Aaron's story behind the song:

I was wondering if the people of Israel felt butterflies of excitement in their stomachs when Moses said something to them like, “Pack your bags quickly, because after 430 years of slavery, I’m here to tell you that God has heard your prayers, and He’s giving us a land of our own. We’re leaving tonight!” God watched over His people as they journeyed through the desert to a place they couldn’t yet see. It’s easy to feel their pain as they hoped to be delivered from slavery in Egypt; while they searched their own hearts to discover if they really believed in this “God of their forefathers,” and whether or not He would truly deliver them. Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” So, when your night seems long, when you walk through a dark valley in life, He will show the way before you. He will never leave you alone. He will watch over you. Believe that! -- AARON SHUST

“Watch Over Me” is Aaron’s current hit single and can be found on his most recent project, Whispered and Shouted (Brash). Visit Aaron’s artist page for more

I was lonely YOU came waltzing over to meAnd YOUR eyes they saw right through me And YOU heard each one of my cries for helpAnd YOU came to rescue meI was broken Every prayer that I had spokenReached YOUR ears and all my tears weren’t cried in vain YOU carried all my pain and put me back together again YOU watch over me in the darkest valleys YOU watch over me when the night seems long YOU help me to see the way before me YOU watch over me; You watch over me Always faithful To be leading, at this moment Interceding for YOUR children Though I’ve wandered astray from YOUR infinite waysYOU’VE never left me alone Take my frozen heart; awaken me Never once have YOU forsaken me Even though I walk through this shadow of death YOU will guide and defend me YOU’LL guard and protect meEven though I walk through this shadow of death YOU will lead me home

Click here to learn more about Aaron Shust: www.aaronshust.com/index.html

Click here to listen to "Watch over Me" www.youtube.com/watch?v=u52_5VuwKVI

"It is Well"

Click here to read the story of how the song was written along with the rest of the story http://exchristian.net/exchristian/2003/09/it-is-well-with-my-soul.php

Click here to watch the Gaither video version with David Phelps www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPFVijGcLtI

Click here for a video detailing the story behind the song
www.bluefishtv.com/ProductDetails.aspx?cid=1005&id=1498

Click here for more background information: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_With_My_Soul

To listen to the song click here: www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

"I've Had Questions"

Tim Hughes is a British-based Christian music artist, worship leader, and songwriter. Widely respected in Christian music circles, Tim is renowned for his Dove Award-winning modern worship anthem: ”Here I Am To Worship”.Tim & his wife Rachel have been involved with Soul Survivor events around the world as well as the Soul Survivor Watford church for many years.Tim now heads up the worship at Holy Trinity Brompton, having previously been Worship Pastor at Soul Survivor Watford (a post now held by Ben Cantelon) and is passionate about resourcing musicians and worship leaders.

I've had questions, without answers I've known sorrow, i have known pain but theres one thing, that i'll cling toyou are faithful, Jesus your true when hope is lost, I'll call you saviour when pain surrounds, I'll call you healer when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart in the lone hour, of my sorrow through the darkest night of my soul you surround me, and sustain me my defender, forever more when hope is lost, i'll call you saviour when pain surrounds, I'll call you healer when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart

I will praise you, I will praise you when the tears fall, still I will sing to you I will praise you, Jesus praise you Through the suffereing still I will sing when hope is lost, I'll call you saviour when pain surrounds, I'll call you healer when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart

I've had questions, without answers I've known sorrow, I have known pain but theres one thing, that I'll cling to you are faithful, Jesus your true when hope is lost, I'll call you saviour when pain surrounds, I'll call you healer when silence falls, You'll be the song within my heart I will praise you, I will praise you when the tears fall, Still i will sing to youi will praise you, Jesus praise you through the suffereing still i will sing

Click here to learn more about Tim Hughes: www.timhughesmusic.com/

Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty37eb_NaVk