.jpg)
BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30am
“A Mighty Fortress is our God”
(German, Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott) is the best known of Martin Luther's hymns. Luther wrote the words and composed the melody sometime between 1527-1529.[ It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages.The words are a paraphrase of Psalm 46.The most popular English version, "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing," was translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853. Another popular English version by Thomas Carlyle begins "A safe stronghold our God is still."
Click here to read more about this great hymn:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Mighty_Fortress_Is_Our_God
Click here to worship along with Steve Green:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRJHKzU_t1M
Click here to listen to an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E54lZUnMucc&feature=related
"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
(German, Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott) is the best known of Martin Luther's hymns. Luther wrote the words and composed the melody sometime between 1527-1529.[ It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages.The words are a paraphrase of Psalm 46.The most popular English version, "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing," was translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853. Another popular English version by Thomas Carlyle begins "A safe stronghold our God is still."
Click here to read more about this great hymn:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Mighty_Fortress_Is_Our_God
Click here to worship along with Steve Green:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRJHKzU_t1M
Click here to listen to an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E54lZUnMucc&feature=related
"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
"Living for Jesus"
The author of this hymn is Thomas Obadiah Chisholm. He was born in Franklin, Kentucky, on July 29, 1866. He was a schoolteacher and an editor of a weekly newspaper. He was converted at the age of 27. In 1903, Chisholm was a pastor at the Methodist church in Scottsville, Kentucky. When his health began to fail, he moved his family to Winona Lake, Indiana, and became an insurance salesman. In 1916, he moved to Vineland, New Jersey. He always loved writing, and wrote over 1,200 poems, of which 800 got published.
The author of this hymn is Thomas Obadiah Chisholm. He was born in Franklin, Kentucky, on July 29, 1866. He was a schoolteacher and an editor of a weekly newspaper. He was converted at the age of 27. In 1903, Chisholm was a pastor at the Methodist church in Scottsville, Kentucky. When his health began to fail, he moved his family to Winona Lake, Indiana, and became an insurance salesman. In 1916, he moved to Vineland, New Jersey. He always loved writing, and wrote over 1,200 poems, of which 800 got published.
"Living for Jesus" was written in 1917, Mr. Lowden wrote Mr. Chisholm asking him to write a poem to a piece of music and suggested the title and the type of refrain he felt it should have. Mr. Chisholm replied saying that he did not have the slightest Idea as to the method used in writing words to music. Mr. Lowden wrote that God had led him to select Mr. Chisholm, and believed that God would somehow enable him to write the hymn. Within a couple of weeks Mr. Chisholm had the words to it finished. The result has been translated into more than 15 languages. Mr. Chisholm died February 29, 1960, in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. The composer of this hymn is Carl Harold Lowden. He was born October 12, 1883, in Burlington, New Jersey. At the age of 12, he sold his first song to a publishing company, where he was later employed. Mr. Lowden taught music for several years at the Bible Institute of Pennsylvania. He was also a minister of music for the Linden Baptist Church in Camden, New Jersey, for 28 years. For another 12 years, Lowden was music editor for the Evangelical and Reformed Church Board. He died February 27, 1963, at Collingswood New Jersey.
Click here to read the words and play a traditional arrangement of the song:
www.scriptureandmusic.com/Music/Text_Files/Living_For_Jesus.html
"My Jesus, I love Thee"
Sixteen year old William Featherston of Montreal, Canada wrote this simple but profound hymn in 1862, not long after he was converted to Christ. William wrote no other hymns that we know of and his brief life ended just before his twenty-seventh birthday. Here is a story about the influence of this song:
"My Jesus, I love Thee"
Sixteen year old William Featherston of Montreal, Canada wrote this simple but profound hymn in 1862, not long after he was converted to Christ. William wrote no other hymns that we know of and his brief life ended just before his twenty-seventh birthday. Here is a story about the influence of this song:
A Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Michigan once related the following incident to a large audience in one of the Rev. E. P. Hammond’s meetings in St. Louis. “A young, talented and tender-hearted actress was passing along the street of a large city. Seeing a pale, sick girl lying upon a couch just within the half-open door of a beautiful dwelling, she entered, with the thought that by her vivacity and pleasant conversation she might cheer the young invalid. The sick girl was a devoted Christian, and her words, her patience, her submission and heaven-lit countenance, so demonstrated the spirit of her religion that the actress was led to give some earnest thought to the claims of Christianity, and was thoroughly converted, and became a true follower of Christ. She told her father, the leader of the theater troupe, of her conversion, and of her desire to abandon the stage, stating that she could not live a consistent Christian life and follow the life of an actress. Her father was astonished beyond measure, and told his daughter that their living would be lost to them and their business ruined, if she persisted in her resolution. Loving her father dearly, she was shaken somewhat in her purpose, and partially consented to fill the published engagement to be met in a few days. She was the star of the troupe, and a general favorite. Every preparation was made for the play in which she was to appear. The evening came and the father rejoiced that he had won back his daughter, and that their living was not to be lost. The hour arrived; a large audience had assembled. The curtain rose, and the young actress stepped forward firmly amid the applause of the multitude. But an unwonted light beamed from her beautiful face. Amid the breathless silence of the audience, she repeated:
‘My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
’This was all. Through Christ she had conquered and, leaving the audience in tears, she retired from the stage, never to appear upon it again. Through her influence her father was converted, and through their united evangelistic labors many were led to God.”
Worship along with Avalon by clicking here:
Worship along with Avalon by clicking here:
"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
Click here to learn more about Israel Houghton's ministry.
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
Click here to learn more about Israel Houghton's ministry.
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"
Click here to learn more about Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Houghton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Houghton
Click here to worship along with Israel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAGZ8HmiWCM
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"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCpy1Bg255A&feature=related
"Beautiful One"
Tim wrote this song based upon Isaiah 53:
Wonderful so wonderful is your unfailing love Your cross is spoken mercy over me
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart can fully knowHow glorious, how beautiful you are
Beautiful one I love Beautiful one I adore
Beautiful one my soul must sing
Powerful so powerful your glory fills the skies Your mighty works displayed for all to see
The beauty of your majesty awakes my heart to sing
How marvelous, how wonderful you are
You opened my eyes to your wonders anew
You captured my heart with this love
‘Cause nothing on earth is as beautiful as you
Click here to listen to Tim Hughes share how he wrote the song
Click here to worship along with Jeremy Camp
Click here to worship along with Tim Hughes
Click here to learn more about Tim
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 allthat 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:
Click here to worship along with David at a Passion event:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg-1yM6insA&feature=related
“Agnus Dei”
Michael Whitaker Smith has become one of the most enduringly popular artists on the Christian Contemporary Music front and is also finding considerable success as a mainstream artist. He was born in Kenova, West Virginia, the son of an oil refinery worker and a caterer. He became a devout Christian at age ten and spent his teens hanging around with a solid support group of fellow believers who frequently gathered to play and make music. After high school, that support group split up, and Smith turned to alcohol, drugs and wild times. He scraped through a couple semesters of college and began honing his songwriting skills. In 1978, a songwriting company expressed interest in his songwriting, and he moved to Nashville, where he played with local bands, including Rose. He was still heavily into drugs and continued using until October 1979, when he suffered a sort of emotional mental breakdown that culminated in recommitting to Christ. The next day he auditioned for a new CCM group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist. While touring with them, Smith cleaned up his act. In 1981, he signed to Meadowgreen Music as a staff writer, where over the next few years he provided gospel hits for such artists as Sandi Patti, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither and Amy Grant. He began touring as a keyboardist with Grant in 1982 and the following year, after releasing his first album, The Michael W. Smith Project, became her opening act. His debut album garnered him a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance.Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of humanity in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices.
Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith and a fantastic boy’s choir:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTWFYRA2j74&feature=related
Click here to worship along with Third Day:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbKXJ1Jm_jg
“Agnus Dei”
Michael Whitaker Smith has become one of the most enduringly popular artists on the Christian Contemporary Music front and is also finding considerable success as a mainstream artist. He was born in Kenova, West Virginia, the son of an oil refinery worker and a caterer. He became a devout Christian at age ten and spent his teens hanging around with a solid support group of fellow believers who frequently gathered to play and make music. After high school, that support group split up, and Smith turned to alcohol, drugs and wild times. He scraped through a couple semesters of college and began honing his songwriting skills. In 1978, a songwriting company expressed interest in his songwriting, and he moved to Nashville, where he played with local bands, including Rose. He was still heavily into drugs and continued using until October 1979, when he suffered a sort of emotional mental breakdown that culminated in recommitting to Christ. The next day he auditioned for a new CCM group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist. While touring with them, Smith cleaned up his act. In 1981, he signed to Meadowgreen Music as a staff writer, where over the next few years he provided gospel hits for such artists as Sandi Patti, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither and Amy Grant. He began touring as a keyboardist with Grant in 1982 and the following year, after releasing his first album, The Michael W. Smith Project, became her opening act. His debut album garnered him a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance.Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of humanity in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices.
Click here to worship along with Michael W. Smith and a fantastic boy’s choir:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTWFYRA2j74&feature=related
Click here to worship along with Third Day:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbKXJ1Jm_jg
No comments:
Post a Comment