Monday, June 29, 2009

Behind the Praise - Sunday July 5, 2009


Blended Worship 9:30AM

“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:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO_bKR2Wzhk&feature=related

“Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”

Ephesians 6:14 Words by George Duffield, 1818-1888 Music by George J. Webb, 1803-1887 Adam Geibel, 1885-1933
In the year 1858 a great city-wide revival swept across the city of Philadelphia. It was called The Work of God in Philadelphia. Of the participating ministers none was more powerful than the twenty-nine year old Episcopalian, Dudley Tyng. He was known as a bold, fearless and uncompromising preacher with great influence on the other spiritual leaders around him. His father, the Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, was for many years the pastor of the large Episcopalian Church of the Epiphany in Philadelphia. After serving a short time as his father's assistant, Dudley succeeded his father in this pulpit. However, some of the more fashionable members soon became upset with their young preacher because of his straight-forward doctrinal preaching and his strong stand against slavery. He resigned this pulpit and with a group of faithful followers organized The Church of the Covenant.

In addition to his duties as pastor of the new and growing congregation, Tyng began holding noon-day services at the downtown YMCA. Great crowds were attracted to hear this dynamic young preacher. On Tuesday, March 30, 1858, over 5,000 men gathered for a noon mass meeting to hear young Tyng preach from Exodus 10:11 - "Go now ye that are men and serve the Lord." Over 1,000 of these men responded by committing their hearts and lives to Christ and His service; the sermon was often termed one of the most successful of the times. During the sermon the young preacher remarked, "I must tell my Master's errand, and I would rather that this right arm were amputated at the trunk than that I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God's message." The next week, while visiting in the country and watching the operation of a corn thrasher in a barn, he accidentally caught his loose sleeve between the cogs; the arm was lacerated severely, the main artery was severed and the median nerve was injured. Four days later infection developed. As a result of shock and a great loss of blood, Dudley Tyng died on April 19, 1858. At his death bed, when asked by a group of sorrowful friends and ministers for a final statement, he whispered, "Let us all stand up for Jesus."

The next Sunday Tyng's close friend and fellow worker, the Rev. George Duffield, pastor of the Temple Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, preached his morning sermon as a tribute to his departed friend, choosing as his text Ephesians 6:14: "Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness." He closed his sermon by reading a poem of six stanzsas that he had written, inspired, as he told his people, by the dying words of his esteemed friend. Rev. Duffield's Sunday School superintendent was so impressed by the verses that he had them printed for distribution throughout the Sunday School. The editor of a Baptist periodical happened to receive one of these pamphlets and promptly gave it a wider circulation. From there it eventually found its way into the hymnals and hearts of God's people across the world.

Click here for a childrens’ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r11Gmdq__-8

“Made Me Glad”

By Hillsong worship leader Miriam Webster

I will bless the Lord forever.
I will trust him at all times.
He has delivered me from all fear.
He has set my feet upon a rock.
I will not be moved and I’ll say of the Lord,
You are my shield, my strength, my portion,
deliverer, my shelter, strong tower,my very present help in time of need.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
There’s none I desire beside you.
You have made meglad and I’ll say of the Lord,
© 2001 Miriam Webster/Hillsong Publishing

Miriam Webster is an Australian gospel singer-songwriter. Her career began at the age of 15, when she won the interstate music awards. She has since toured Australia, New Zealand and the United States, and released several albums, of which the first is Never Alone. She has been serving with the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia since 1996 and featuring on numerous Hillsong Music praise-and-worship albums since 1997.

Click here to worship along with the Hillsong worship team:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmBTV08ylc

"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 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

“O Praise Him”

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.Crowder deeply wanted to find a way to connect these college students to the heart of God, so he began writing songs that he hoped the students at his school could relate to. A band began to form, and a few years and some new members later, the current lineup came into being and they all commited themselves completely to the ministry.This song was written while David and his band were flying back from Atlanta to Waco. It was the sound of wind on a plane that stirred his soul to a phrase “All this for the King”. David took a pencil and a piece of paper and wrote the following lyrics:Turn your ear To Heaven and hear The noise inside The sound of angels awe The sound of angels songs And all this for a King We could join and sing 'All for Christ our King!' How constant How divine This song of ours will riseOh, how constant How divine This love of ours will rise Will rise... CHORUS: Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him! He is Holy! He is Holy!

Click here to listen to David share how the song came about:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2fbX4dRLO0&feature=related

Click here to worship along with David Crowder:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2qfCynlTVg

“Unchanging”

Chris Tomlin wrote this song about how our Lord never changes. Our response to His faithfulness and sovereignty is worship.

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

Click here to worship along with Chris Tomlin:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLhB99vnkp8

Click here to worship along with Chris Tomlin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrGbVmfOw1A

Here are the lyrics:

Great is Your faithfulnessGreat is Your faithfulness
You never changeYou never fail, O God
True are Your promises True are Your promises
You never change You never fail, O God So we raise up holy hands
To praise the Holy One Who was and is and is to come
Wide is Your love and grace Wide is Your love and grace
You never changeYou never fail, O God
You were, You areYou will always be

“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

"Great is Thy Faithfulness"

In praise of God, 'Great is Thy Faithfulness,' a hymn written by Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960), is a worship song that uplifts through trials and tough times. It was a result of a writer's daily experiences and realization of God's faithfulness. The tune is composed by William M. Runyan (1870-1957), with scripture reference from the Bible's Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." This sacred song has been an all-time favorite among Christians. Popular gospel singer and songwriter Beverley Shea says that it was first introduced to audiences in Great Britain by the Billy Graham Crusades in 1954

Click here to sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kabwrNk3JAQ

Click here for an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CIjceUj_oI&feature=related

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Behind the Praise - Sunday June 29, 2009

BLENDED SERVICE 9:30am

"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord"

The words of this chorus come from Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever” The composer of the tune and the author of the lyrics are uncertain. Fred Fillmore and James Fillmore were brothers living in the Cincinnati area. Both of them were ministers and traveling music teachers, teaching piano, organ and singing in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and elsewhere. Together they started a music company called the Fillmore Brothers Publishing company, and they published a magazine that contained some of the new songs they wrote.
Since James wrote more music than Fred, it had been assumed that his song should be credited to James, but recently someone found the melody in one of Fred’s collections of gospel songs. Whoever wrote it, the song had been forgotten until it was rediscovered in the 1950’s when youth groups, Sunday schools, and vacation bible schools started singing it again.

Click here for an arrangement by the Maranatha kids:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4wZRiI66SY

Click here for a gospel piano arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMl2CEPQVNI

"Great is Thy Faithfulness"

In praise of God, 'Great is Thy Faithfulness,' a hymn written by Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960), is a worship song that uplifts through trials and tough times. It was a result of a writer's daily experiences and realization of God's faithfulness. The tune is composed by William M. Runyan (1870-1957), with scripture reference from the Bible's Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." This sacred song has been an all-time favorite among Christians. Popular gospel singer and songwriter Beverley Shea says that it was first introduced to audiences in Great Britain by the Billy Graham Crusades in 1954.

Click here to sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kabwrNk3JAQ

Click here for an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CIjceUj_oI&feature=related

“All The Way My Savior Leads Me”

This hymn was written by one of the most pro­lif­ic songwriters in history. Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 Christian hymns despite the handicapped she struggled with during her life. An inept doc­tor left Fanny without her eyesight at six weeks of age after a botched procedure. She said, “ If per­fect earth­ly sight were of­fered me to­mor­row I would not ac­­cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis­tract­ed by the beau­ti­ful and in­ter­est­ing things about me.” “All The Way My Savior Leads Me” is one of her songwriting masterpieces.
This beloved hymn came to Fanny as a result of a prayer. Struggling financially, she desperately needed some money. As her usual custom, Fanny began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. Later recalling the incident, she said, “I have no way of accounting for this except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money.” The poem she wrote afterward became “All The Way My Savior Leads Me.” As both a songwriter and a woman of faith, Fanny Crosby serves as an example to all.

Click here for a traditional arrangement of the hymn:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vstvy-oBmz4&feature=related

Click here for a new arrangement by Chris Tomlin:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKkDzII4s4s

Click here for meditate piano arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZwjEeHV18

Click here an arrangement by the late Rich Mullins:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a602nNtyWQ&feature=related

CONEMPORARY 11:00am

"Open up the Gates"

This worship song is by the group Planetshakers: Living by the core Planetshakers mandate "to empower a generation to win a generation", the Planetshakers Band are passionate and anointed. United by the vision set by Senior Pastors Russell & Sam Evans, they travel internationally, bringing God's breakthrough anointing to conferences and churches worldwide. Dedicated to the cause of Christ, it is their desire to see this planet impacted by the power God. Team members include worship leaders Henry Seeley, Sam Evans, Rudy Nikkerud and Matt Garner, drummer Mike Webber, guitarist and keyboard player Jonathon Hunt.

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

Click here for an arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L-2BElFeAY&feature=related

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
“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

"Our God Reigns"

This powerful worship song is by Delirious.
Click here to learn more about the group:
www.delirious.co.uk/html/

Click here for their version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G7AKpKayac

"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

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Behind the Praise - Sunday June 21, 2009



BLENDED 9:30AM



"Not To Us"

One of the premier songwriters of today, Chris Tomlin is shaping the language of worship for generations present and future. And yet his gifts are rooted in one central truth, that God is the center of everything.Even as a small town Texan boy pounding out new tunes with his rag-tag garage band, Chris Tomlin had been blessed with a passion for purpose. He wanted to be more than just another guy with a song. As he grew, he became even more aware of the fact that everything-what we do, who we are-exists only for God's glory. Tomlin's sophomore studio project, NOT TO US, is an organic, edgy pop blend of his most compelling lyrics to date, the longest and most rewarding mile in his passionate pursuit of real life. NOT TO US is not just another worship album; it's a soundtrack for all of life. "God is a mystery beyond our comprehension," says Tomlin, whose most recent work includes WoW Worship and Passion: Our Love is Loud. "We can't figure God out. He won't be boxed in. He's bigger than all our questions and bigger than our answers. And when our lives become aligned with Him, we see life in a different light, hearts are restored and people are healed."

Lyrics:
The cross before me the world behind
no turning backraise the banner high
It's not for me it's all for YOU

let the heavens shake and split the sky
let the people clap their hands and cry
it's not for usit's all for YOU
not to us but to YOUR name be the glory
not to us but to YOUR name be the glory

Click here to listen to Chris share more about how he wrote the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zt9K5rLHVk

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



“Be Thou My Vision”


The text (Rop tú mo baile) is often attributed to Dallan Forgaill in the 8th century; in any case, this text had been a part of Irish monastic tradition for centuries before the hymn itself was written. It was translated from Old Irish into English by Mary E. Byrne in “Eriú," Journal of the School of Irish Learning, in 1905. The English text was first versified by Eleanor H. Hull in 1912, and this version of the lyrics is the most common. However, slight variations of these lyrics are sometimes seen. The first verse of Hull's version follows:


Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.


Thus, the English translation of the hymn itself is fairly recent and the Elizabethan vocabulary and structure is somewhat an anachronism. Be Thou My Vision has become the quintessential Irish hymn in English-speaking churches and is often sung around St. Patrick's Day. Despite its traditional nature and the seemingly archaic quality of the text, Be Thou My Vision has become a popular song performed by Contemporary Christian musicians, such as Rebecca St. James and Ginny Owens.


Click here to read about the origin of the hymn:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be_Thou_My_Vision

Click here to listen to Rebecca St. James version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZ3ja-quhA


“Here I Am to Worship”


If songs are like children to their writers, then 25 year-old Englishman Tim Hughes carried"Here I Am To Worship" to full term, letting the reverent tune take perfect shape over a nine-month period. Back in 1999 while still in college, he first sat down to craft a musical response to his reading of Philippians 2:5, which says, "Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus." And from the start, he had the humility part mastered. "I was playing around with my guitar when the verse just came out," he modestly recalls. "However, I couldn't get a chorus that I was happy with. The original one was embarrassingly bad!" Thankfully, Tim recorded the verse into his Dictaphone, and months later during a quiet creative time, he patched it together with another strong melody idea and brought "Here I Am To Worship" to fruition. "I'd been reading about the cross and thinking through Jesus' amazing sacrifice," Tim says of the lyrical theme. "Sometimes when God meets with us we don't quite know how to respond properly. It's often too much for us to take in. Hopefully in a small way the chorus captures that: 'Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say that you're my God. You're altogether lovely, worthy, wonderful.'" Although the song had been completed, the writer was still not convinced of its potential. Leading worship at his Soul Survivor home church one day, Tim sang "Here I Am To Worship" for his fellow members and was duly advised by his pastor Mike Pilavachi to start using it more often. Since then, Hughes - who built his own chops leading Delirious and Matt Redman favorites - has seen the song take on a life of its own. It must be a God thing.... People have seemed to really connect with it, and we've had some special times in worship using the song," he admits. "I remember one time at the end of a Worship Together conference in San Diego when we'd been performing the song. The band stopped, and then the congregation just kept singing the chorus for about 15 minutes."


Click here to listen to the story behind the song by Tim Hughes.
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-196-HereIAmtoWorship-Hughes.mp3


Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_kAjok4-Uk


Click here to read more about the composer Tim Hughes
www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/worship/1227531/


"I have Decided to Follow Jesus"


CLick here to read the fascinating story behind the song:
http://subversiveinfluence.com/2009/05/hymns-of-my-youth-104-i-have-decided-to-follow-jesus/



Click here to sing along on the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=55eESzdyPoY



CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM



"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


“Everything Glorious”

After the tragic lost of their pastor in Waco, David Crowder was preparing for a Passion tour. His understanding of grace was challenged by the loss of his friend and mentor. This song was birthed as David began to understand the sovereignty of a loving God. That in the midst of tragedy God was making all things glorious.

Click here to listen to David share his story:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKgM_fv_4EI

Click here to read more about the tragedy:
www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=4112

Click here to worship along with David:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsxNPM4P0w4


The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hueWould lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
(chorus)You make everything glorious

You make everything gloriousYou make everything glorious
And I am YoursMy eyes are small but they have seenthe beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believethere's light enough to see that
From glory to gloryYou are glorious You are gloriousFrom glory to glory

You are glorious. You are glorious
Which leads me to believe why I can believe that


"Nothing but the Blood"

Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would write these words, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Romans 3:25) The emphasis of this verse is on the shed blood that satisfies or propitiates our sin debt. Another way of saying the same thing is, "What can wash away our sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." More than likely it was this verse or one like it, dealing with the subject of blood, which caused Pastor Robert Lowry to write a hymn.
Born in Philadelphia, on March 12, 1826, young Robert accepted Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 17 and later graduated from Bucknell University with high scholastic honors. In the 73 years of his life here on earth, he pastored churches in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York City and Brooklyn. Along with his preaching, Dr. Lowry also had the gift of music in the writing of hymns. When asked about his method for writing songs, he would answer by saying:
I have no set method. Sometimes, the music comes and the words follow…. I watch my moods, and when anything strikes me, whether words or music, no matter where I am, at home or on the street, I jot it down…. My brain is sort of a spinning machine, for there is music running through it all the time. The tunes of nearly all the hymns I have written have been completed on paper, before I tried them on the organ. Frequently, the words of the hymn and the music have been written at the same time.
He supplied the music for such familiar hymns as We’re Marching to Zion, Savior, Thy Dying Love, Where Is my Wandering Boy Tonight, I Need Thee Every Hour and Fanny Crosby’s song, All the Way my Savior Leads Me. The words and music would come together in 1864 to produce Shall We Gather at the River. Then, in the Easter season of 1874, Christ Arose would flow from his pen and his heart. Finally, in 1876, Pastor Lowry would give us the answer to our sin debt in his song, Nothing but the Blood.
Down through the ages, man has tried to work off his sin debt in good works and religion—only to fail. The Bible says, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22) Robert Lowry understood this very well:


Oh! Precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Click here to sing along with the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxDHamIhF7o


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


"Majesty"

This song from Delirious? is the expression of a heart humbled by the love shown in the sacrifice, grace and majesty of our God. The song was written by Martin Smith & Stuart Garrard.

Martin James Smith (born 6 July 1970) 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, along with people like Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and David Crowder. He co-wrote three songs on Michael W. Smith's album Healing Rain and is going to be collaborating with Michael W. Smith on his upcoming album. Martin also co-wrote two songs on Matt Redman's album Beautiful News (" Take it to the streets" and "All over the World"). Some of the most recognised 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. Smith was one of the founding members of Delirious? along with Stewart Smith (no relation) and Tim Jupp, when they formed the band under The Cutting Edge.
Stuart Garrard is a guitarist who has developed his own unique style of playing, which has become known to some people, although probably not many, as 'octave distortion'. He also writes music and lyrics, and sings backing vocals and occasionally lead vocals. He is instantly recognisable as a result of his bald head and goatee beard. He is the oldest member of the band "Delirious".

Here I am humbled by your Majesty
Covered by your grace so free
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man
Covered by the blood of the Lamb
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice

Majesty, Majesty Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands
Majesty, MajestyForever I am changed by your love
In the presence of your Majesty
Here I am humbled by the love that you give
Forgiven so that I can forgive
Here I stand, knowing that I'm your desire
Sanctified by glory and fire
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice


Click here to worship along with Delirious
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNjH8QDpBFY

Click here to visit their myspace:
www.myspace.com/delirious














Thursday, June 4, 2009

Behind the Praise - Sunday June 14, 2009

BLENDED SERVICE 9:30AM


"Love Divine, All Love Excelling"


This is one of the loveliest hymns by Charles Wesley (1707-88), first published in 1747 in his brother John Wesley's collection, rather dauntingly entitled Hymns for those that seek, and those that have, Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. But Charles Wesley must share some of the credit: he is thought to have been inspired, perhaps unconsciously, by a thoroughly pagan popular song of the day, 'Fairest isle, all isles excelling', written by John Dryden for Act 2 of Henry Purcell's opera King Arthur (1691), and the wonderful closing line turns out to be an unambiguous crib from a poem by Joseph Addison:


When all thy mercies, o my God, My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view I'm lost In wonder, love and praise.

Nobody has ever satisfactorily explained the meaning of 'changed from glory into glory' in the last verse, though it has been suggested that the line relates to 2 Corinthians 3:18: 'But we all, with open face beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image fromglory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'
Percy Dearmer points out 'how few of the earlier hymns dwell upon the thought of God as Love. The popularity in recent years of this fine hymn of Wesley's is probably due to the fact that it does address God in this way.'


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

Click here for an organ arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=duGFcNE8Up4

"To God be the Glory"

Fanny Crosby.Fanny Crosby was prob­ab­ly the most pro­lif­ic hymn­ist in his­to­ry. Though blind­ed by an in­com­pe­tent doc­tor at six weeks of age, she wrote over 8,000 hymns. About her blind­ness, she said:"It seemed intend­ed by the bless­ed prov­i­dence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dis­pen­sa­tion. If per­fect earth­ly sight were of­fered me to­mor­row I would not ac­cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis­tract­ed by the beau­ti­ful and in­ter­est­ing things about me."


Click here for a newer arrangement by Tommy Walker:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qlfNZiDV4A


Click here a more traditional arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymrZO1PZbU4


“You Are My 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 with the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNBZXzN0tLU


Click here for another arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUO0NhsaGKc


“Turn Your eyes Upon Jesus”

Words & Music: Hel­en H. Lem­mel, 1922.
This hymn was first pub­lished in Glad Songs, by the Brit­ish Na­tion­al Sun­day School Un­ion. Its lyr­ics were in­spired by the Gos­pel tract Fo­cused, by Lil­i­as Trot­ter, which in­clud­ed these words:
So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full in­to His face and you will find that the things of earth will ac­quire a strange new dim­ness.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?No light in the darkness you see?

There’s a light for a look at the Savior,And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,In the light of His glory and grace.

Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR0LiRiz4l4

Click here to sing along with Alan Jackson:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90&feature=related


LIFEHOUSE - EVERYTHING

Our youth will present a powerful skit to the song "Everything" click here to preview another churches version:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA


CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM


"God of Wonders"


This song by Steve Hindalong has become a classic. Here is a description of how the song came about: When Marc played the chord progression and melody, it felt really big. I kind of got a chill-I got goose bumps on my arms. I just thought, 'This song needs to be big, with really vast language.' So 'God of wonders beyond our galaxy' was as big as I could think." Having attended an Episcopal church for the last few years, Hindalong has been introduced to a new inspiration for his songwriting. "The liturgy, the old words, is kind of new to me. I flipped through The Book of Common Prayer, and I remember 'Lord of all creation, water, earth and sky.' That became the first line of the song." Lord of all creation Of water, earth and sky The heavens are your tabernacle Glory to the Lord on high God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth But it isn't the vastness of the song that seems to really impact people, relates Hindalong. "People have sent me emails about the song and referred to the second verse. I think the real power of the song is there, when all of the sudden it gets intimate. It says 'When I stumble in the darkness, I will call Your name by night.' This God that is the God of not only our earth, but of all the worlds, that is so big-but when I'm afraid, when I'm alone, when I sin, when I'm in trouble, He comes close enough that I can call His name. It's the truth that's powerful, not the song. It is that particular truth that is so moving."



Click here to worship along with Third Day & Caedmans' call
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBNE25rtnE


Click here for another version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZL0cjcLBYY


“Everything Glorious”

After the tragic lost of their pastor in Waco, David Crowder was preparing for a Passion tour. His understanding of grace was challenged by the loss of his friend and mentor. This song was birthed as David began to understand the sovereignty of a loving God. That in the midst of tragedy God was making all things glorious.

Click here to listen to David share his story:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKgM_fv_4EI

Click here to read more about the tragedy:
www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=4112

Click here to worship along with David:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsxNPM4P0w4

The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hueWould lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
(chorus)


You make everything gloriousYou make everything glorious
You make everything gloriousAnd I am Yours
My eyes are small but they have seen the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believethere's light enough to see that
From glory to gloryYou are glorious You are glorious From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious Which leads me to believe why I can believe that


"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:
www.christomlin.com

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


“Only You”

David Crowder wrote the song based upon a conversation he had with a friend. His friend was talking about how you can be eating dinner with a large group, but if your spouse is in the group you can catch her eye at the same time you are with other and there can be a moment when even in a crowd you are caught up together in that moment. There is a non-spoken language that happens. David thought to himself, what a picture of corporate worship. We can look at each other, but yet we can disappear alone with our maker. David said those thoughts spilled out and he wrote the song.

Click here to hear David share how he wrote the song:
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-234-OnlyYou-Crowder.mp3

Click here to worship along with David Crowder
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPs-2hn5ZOg

Monday, June 1, 2009

Behind the Praise - Sunday June 7, 2009


Blended 9:30am

We'll be led this Sunday by our Youth Praiseteam

“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

“To the Ends of the Earth”

Marty Sampson (b. May 31, 1979) is a Christian songwriter and a worship leader at the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. Originally featuring in the Youth Alive albums of the late 1990s, he was one of original Hillsong United worship leaders and has led worship on every United album to date. He plays guitar and occasionally piano. He was married in November of 2006 to Michelle. Sampson was a former worship leader for Hillsong United together with Joel Houston (son of pastor Brian Houston). His last album with United in the 2007 United album All of the Above, could be his last album with Houston and the Hillsong United team. Since his marriage with Michelle, Sampson has moved from Hillsong United to the Hillsong band and helps lead worship with Darlene Zschech and the rest of the team. He is now one of the main worship leaders in Hillsong Church along with Zschech and Reuben Morgan. Sampson recently released a solo album entitled "Let Love Rule Love unfailing Overtaking my heart
You take me in Finding peace again

Fear is lost in all You are And I would give the world to tell Your story
Cause I know that You've called me I know that You've called me
I've lost myself for good within Your promise I won't hide it I won't hide it

Click here to visit Marty Sampsons’ myspace:
www.myspace.com/martysampsonmusic

Click here to learn more about Martys’ ministry:
http://martysampson.net/

Click here to worship along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0G5azgrTUo

"Give Me Jesus"

Click here to read through some other verses of this spiritual:
www.theinterpretersfriend.com/songs/gv-m-jss.html

The spiritual often elects Jesus as the slave’s closest and most reliable friend. He is coming in person to gather up his friends and
take them to heaven. Give Me Jesus shows a touching faith in that relationship.
“You may have all this world. Give me Jesus”.
There are two different versions of this spiritual. this comes from : www.negrospirituals.com/history.htm

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.
When I am alone,When I am alone, When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.
When I come to die,When I come to die,
When I come to die,Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.

Click here to listen to Jeremy Camps' version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=we6G6q1i9Wo

"Still"

… the challenge of the Church is to keep worship accessible to all people - Rueben MorganRueben 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.

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

CONTEMPORARY SERVICE 11:00AM

“Everything Glorious”

After the tragic lost of their pastor in Waco, David Crowder was preparing for a Passion tour. His understanding of grace was challenged by the loss of his friend and mentor. This song was birthed as David began to understand the sovereignty of a loving God. That in the midst of tragedy God was making all things glorious.

Click here to listen to David share his story:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKgM_fv_4EI

Click here to read more about the tragedy:
www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=4112

Click here to worship along with David:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsxNPM4P0w4

The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hue
Would lead me to believe Which leads me to believe
You make everything gloriousYou make everything glorious

You make everything gloriousAnd I am Yours
My eyes are small but they have seenthe beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believethere's light enough to see that
From glory to gloryYou are glorious You are glorious
From glory to gloryYou are glorious. You are glorious
Which leads me to believewhy I can believe that

“I am Free”

Click here to listen to Jon talk about being desperate for the Lord:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=px68ruEnOjk&feature=related

Jon serves as the Youth Worship Pastor and Graphic designer for New Life Church in Colorado Springs.

Jon Egan: (responding to the Ted Haggard situation) One of the things I marvel at with our youth is that they love the community that they have with each other. When the news hit, I think all they wanted to do was be together as a family. We opened up our offices to our youth right after it happened, and it was flooded with people who were laughing, crying, playing games, and counseling each other in the corner. There was confusion, for sure, but there was great resolve too—in their commitment to each other and to this family.

Click here to visit Jon Egan’s myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=34106535

Click here to worship along with Promise Keepers:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjaC6AfuFLY&feature=related

Click here to worship along with the Newsboys:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq3ZFdpOGYs&feature=related

Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith in Brazil:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8_KO18A0Lw&feature=related

"Give Me Jesus"

Click here to read through some other verses of this spiritual:
www.theinterpretersfriend.com/songs/gv-m-jss.html

The spiritual often elects Jesus as the slave’s closest and most reliable friend. He is coming in person to gather up his friends and take them to heaven. Give Me Jesus shows a touching faith in that relationship.“You may have all this world. Give me Jesus”.There are two different versions of this spiritual. this comes from : www.negrospirituals.com/history.htm

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.
When I am alone,When I am alone, When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.
When I come to die,When I come to die,
When I come to die,Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.

Click here to listen to Jeremy Camps' version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=we6G6q1i9Wo

"One Pure and Holy Passion"

This standard worship song was written by Mark Altrogge. Mark has been senior pastor of what is now Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “I Stand in Awe” and “I’m Forever Grateful.” Mark and his wife, Kristi, have four sons and one daughter.

Click here to learn more about Marks’ ministry:
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/

Click here to listen online:
www.last.fm/music/Mark+Altrogge/_/One+Pure+And+Holy+Passion

Click here to worship along with the passion band:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I17edLkBDCo