BEHIND THE PRAISE - Sunday April 27, 2008

BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30am

"HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD"

HOW MONO LAUNCHED AN INCREDIBLE CAREER

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

"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

CONTEMPORARY SERVICE 11:00

"Friend of God"
Israel Houghton serves as one of the worship pastors for Lakewood Church in Houston. Here is a portion of his amazing story.
I really should have been one of those abortion statistics you read about. My mother became pregnant with me when she was 17. My mother's white and my biological father's black. Her family wasn't supportive of their relationship and gave her the choice to have a back-alley abortion or to be disowned. I'm here because of the decision she made-and because of her conversion shortly after that. So when I lead worship I'm crazy. I realize how fortunate I am to be called by God and to be protected, to be covered by him. I'm incredibly grateful.

I grew up in a fairly legalistic home. My parents loved God, and they did the very best they could with what they knew. They came from a very discipleship-oriented, fairly heavy-handed way of doing kingdom work. So I would have more easily said, "I am afraid of God" than "I am a friend of God." The view I had of God was dysfunctional, almost like he was looking for opportunities to punish me. That was more what I caught than what was taught. But the more I said "I am a friend of God," the more that old, condemning view was purged from my life. I gained a healing sense of God saying, "I want to know you."

Here is a devotional thought on the song
www.gospelflava.com/articles/songinword-friendofgod.html

Here is an interview with Israel that gives great insight into Israel’s walk with the Lord. www.cbn.com/700club/guests/interviews/israel_houghton_041205.aspx

Click here to listen to the song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty0SO7IvtXM

"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

(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that
From glory to glory
You 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

"Oh the Glory of it All"
This worship song by David Crowder is a play on the word glory. David said even as believers we struggle with defining glory.
At the start he was there, he was there
In the end,he’ll be there, he’ll be there
And After all our hands have wrought He forgives
Oh the Glory of it all is:
He came here
For the rescue of us all that we may live
for the glory of it all for the glory of it all

Click here to listen to David share about how he wrote the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_XWX00lH8

Click here to worship along with David at a Passion event:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg-1yM6insA&feature=related