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