Behind the Praise - Sunday September 7, 2008

BLENDED SERVICE 9:30 & CONTEMPORARY 11:00

"Jesus Paid it All”

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" (Jesus, Paid it All) 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 for a solo arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo4WcozMTlU

Click here for an instrumental arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZDc-1AV6SA

Click here for a choir arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUMLHsMZ5Gk

Go here for a solo arrangement by Ben Forde, scroll down on the rhapsody player to song # 32
http://play.rhapsody.com/playlistcentral/playlistdetail?playlistId=ply.11990274&didAutoplayBounce=true

"You are My All in All"

This powerful worship song was written by Dennis Jernigan. Dennis Jernigan is a singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music. He is native to Oklahoma, and headquarters a music-based ministry from there. Self-avowedly ex-gay, Jernigan now lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma with his wife and their nine children. Jernigan has been married to his wife for more than twenty five years.
A primary source of inspiration for Jernigan's message and music is an experience he describes as his "deliverance from homosexuality". Jernigan states that this began during a 2nd Chapter of Acts concert in Norman Oklahoma.Jernigan believes his prior identification as homosexual was related to an erroneous childhood perception that he had been rejected by his father.
As a boy I needed a role model to show me the way to manhood. But because I felt rejected by the main man in my life I, in turn, rejected him and began to yearn for intimacy with a man in perverse ways. Because of this wrong thinking I came to believe I was homosexual. It must have begun early in my life because I remember having those feelings for the same gender at a very early age.
It was then [during a critical moment at the 2nd Chapter of Acts concert] that I lost the need to be accepted or loved by others because I realized Jesus would love me and accept me no matter what, even when I was rejected by others! It was also at this same time that those sexually perverse thoughts and desires were changed...and He began to replace them with holy and pure thoughts about what sexual love was all about.
Following the experience at the concert, Jernigan developed a ministry based on his personal experience, which he shares at churches and other locations around the world.
Dennis has written many of the worship songs we sing including "Who can Satisfy", "We will worship the Lamb of Glory", "I belong to Jesus", "When the night is Falling" and "You are my all in all". Here are some links that will share more about Dennis' ministry.

Click here to listen to Dennis share about the song; http://shareyourstorynow.org/2007/09/19/dennis-jernigan-jesus-worth-every-struggle/

Click here for an article about Dennis
www.okbu.edu/news/view_article.php?id=1127

Click here for Dennis' website
www.dennisjernigan.com/

Click here to hear Dennis ministering in Brazil * must see
http://mickey.tv/r/Video.aspx?v=B_O6TUAMWIw&key=Dennis+Jernigan

Click here to hear Dennis’ share about his daughters’ traffic accident and her amazing story:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K2KX9yy2v4

Click here for an arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC617kE1maU&feature=related


"Blessed Be Your Name"

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

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

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

www.dennisjernigan.com

"I Cry Holy"

Click here to listen online: http://play.rhapsody.com/dennisjernigan/icryholy/icryholy?didAutoplayBounce=true

This song is based upon Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; Revelations 5:12

What makes a strong man Suddenly weak Humbled and shaken And fall to his knees? When his heart is broken By the love of a holy God. What makes a weak man Rise up in praise When moments before He was hurt and afraid? When his heart is broken By the love of a holy God.

(Chorus) And I cry, “Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy is the Lamb who was slain To wash all my guilty stain away!”And I cry, “Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy is the lamb! Holy is the Lamb!” What makes a blind man Open his eyes,Once dead in darkness Now alive in the Light? When his eyes are opened By the love of a holy God! What makes a sinner,Lost and unclean,A brand new creation, Washed and redeemed?When his heart is broken By the love of a holy God!
© 2006 Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc. (admin. by Praise Charts) / BMI. All rights reserved

DENNIS' BIO:

Dennis Jernigan is a singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music. He is native to Oklahoma, and headquarters a music-based ministry from there. Jernigan now lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma with his wife and their nine children. He claims to have overcome homosexuality. Jenigan has been married to his wife for more than twenty five years.

A primary source of inspiration for Jernigan's message and music is an experience he describes as his "deliverance from homosexuality". Jernigan states that this began during a 2nd Chapter of Acts concert in Norman, Oklahoma. Jernigan believes his prior identification as homosexual was related to an erroneous childhood perception that he had been rejected by his father.

"As a boy I needed a role model to show me the way to manhood. But because I felt rejected by the main man in my life I, in turn, rejected him and began to yearn for intimacy with a man in perverse ways. Because of this wrong thinking I came to believe I was homosexual. It must have begun early in my life because I remember having those feelings for the same gender at a very early age."

"It was then [during a critical moment at the 2nd Chapter of Acts concert] that I lost the need to be accepted or loved by others because I realized Jesus would love me and accept me no matter what, even when I was rejected by others! It was also at this same time that those sexually perverse thoughts and desires were changed...and He began to replace them with holy and pure thoughts about what sexual love was all about.
”
Following the experience at the concert, Jernigan developed a ministry based on his personal experience, which he shares at churches and other locations around the world. However, Jernigan is concerned that passage of the proposed Hate Crimes Bill (H.R. 1592) would strip him of his right to speak freely about his departure from a homosexual self identity.

Behind the Praise - Sunday August 31, 2008

Blended Worship 9:30 am

“Be Glorified”

This worship song was written by Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio in 1999. 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).On why his album which includes this song was entitled “Arriving”, Chris said.
“I feel as though we’re like this landing strip in the desert for our great, incredible God to arrive on; a way for Him to come into people’s lives,” Tomlin says of the album’s metaphorical moniker inspired in part by Isaiah 40.

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 the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3SM73aB5Sc


“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

Click here to hear Fernado Ortego's version:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfhsOQyZqtg&mode=related&search=


“Open the Eyes of My Heart”

Dove Award winner Paul Baloche believes the best worship songs spring from the act of worship itself. Case in point: "Open the Eyes of My Heart," birthed during prayer time at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where he has served as worship pastor for more than 15 years.
Several years earlier Baloche heard a pastor pray, "Open the eyes of our hearts so that we can understand Your Word." The phrase stuck, inspiring Baloche to search the Scriptures—primarily Ephesians 1:18 and stories of biblical heroes who had seen the Lord in His glory.
Then one morning Baloche was lightly strumming his guitar as men and women came to the altar during a revival at his church. "The music had gone on for hours, and I had played everything I knew," he remembers. Aloud, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, we ask You to come and touch our hearts." At that moment "the phrase popped into my mind: 'Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. We want to see You.'
"It felt right—a sincere prayer," he says. "I sang the phrase a few times and people started singing with me. I don't recall how the rest came about. I was just remembering when Isaiah saw the Lord, and thought, Lord, to see You high and lifted up. It's shining so bright, Lord. Shining in the light of Your glory."
Later that week, Baloche polished the idea into a simple prayer song. "I'd much rather stumble upon a song idea in the midst of worship or in the midst of prayer," he says, "because it rings more true than sitting in a room trying to come up with clever lyrics."
Baloche receives numerous e-mails from Christians sharing the impact the song has had in their lives. His voice cracks as he tells the story of a family that had gathered around the deathbed of a loved one who had asked them to sing "Open the Eyes of My Heart" together as his last prayer.
The song has been recorded many times and in many languages. According to Baloche, some of the most exciting moments on his recent world tour occurred in Sweden and Germany when he sang the song and the audience sang it back to him in their native language.
"It was beautiful," he says. "I feel extremely grateful to be part of a song that helps people connect with God."

Click here to listen to the song:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ3tn2nJrDo

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


“Open My Eyes that I may See”

This hymn was written by Clara H. Scott daughter of Abel Scott and Sarah Fiske. Scott at­tend­ed, in 1856, the first Mu­sic In­sti­tute held in Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois by C. M. Ca­dy. She went on to teach mu­sic at the La­dies Sem­in­a­ry, Ly­ons, Io­wa (1859). She mar­ried Hen­ry Clay Scott in 1861. In 1882, she pub­lished the Roy­al An­them Book, the first vol­ume of an­thems pub­lished by a wo­man.
Scott met and was great­ly en­cour­aged by Ho­ra­tio Palm­er, who helped pub­lish ma­ny of her songs. She is­sued three col­lect­ions be­fore her un­time­ly death.
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me; place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Click here for a piano arrangement:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y5d4FH4TPc

Click here to read more about the hymn and listen:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y5d4FH4TPc

CONTEMPORARY 11:00 am

“Open up the Gates”

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

Click here to listen online: www.imeem.com/people/1gedK/music/0oLABVBy/planetshakers_open_up_the_gates/

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

Chorus: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

“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 faithfulness Great is Your faithfulness

You never changeYou never fail, O God True are Your promises

True are Your promises You never changeYou 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 change You never fail, O God

You were, You areYou will always be


“Consuming Fire”

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

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

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

“Remedy"

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

Click here to watch the David Crowder band on tour:

www.youtube.com/profile?user=davidcrowderband

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

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

Click here to worship along with a powerful video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3UWiJCZAz8

Click here for a live performance:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIth9d_LXE&feature=related

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

Behind the Praise - Sunday August 24, 2008

Blended Worship 9:30

"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


“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


“The Heart of Worship”
Still, as prolific as these works make him, he says the story behind “The Heart of Worship” in particular is a personal reminder that, “I’m just a little songwriter—and a pretty foolish one at that!”
The song dates back to the late 1990s, born from a period of apathy within Matt’s home church, Soul Survivor, in Watford, England. Despite the country’s overall contribution to the current worship revival, Redman’s congregation was struggling to find meaning in its musical outpouring at the time.
“There was a dynamic missing, so the pastor did a pretty brave thing,” he recalls. “He decided to get rid of the sound system and band for a season, and we gathered together with just our voices. His point was that we’d lost our way in worship, and the way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away.”
Reminding his church family to be producers in worship, not just consumers, the pastor, Mike Pilavachi, asked, “When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?”
Matt says the question initially led to some embarrassing silence, but eventually people broke into a cappella songs and heartfelt prayers, encountering God in a fresh way.
“Before long, we reintroduced the musicians and sound system, as we’d gained a new perspective that worship is all about Jesus, and He commands a response in the depths of our souls no matter what the circumstance and setting. ‘The Heart of Worship’ simply describes what occurred.”
When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come / Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart… / I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus
Redman remembers writing the song quickly in his bedroom soon after the church’s journey together, with no grand intentions, by any means, for it to become an international anthem. He viewed the words simply as his personal, subjective response to what he was learning about worship.
But when Matt shared “The Heart of Worship” with Pilavachi, the pastor suggested making a few small adjustments to the lyrics so any member of the church could relate to it as well.
Amazed by how God has since taken the song around the world for His purposes, the songwriter smiles in regard to his own lack of foresight. “It nearly didn’t go any further than my bedroom. But I love that…”
The trademark tune soon became the title track for Matt Redman’s 1999 album, The Heart of Worship. The recording process was consistent with the artist’s sensitive approach to being in the studio.
“We decided to not get all complicated, and just let the song ‘breathe.’ We’re always trying to create more of a church atmosphere in the studio rather than just a technical musical gathering. Something happens when the people of God gather together and play out the praises of God in the presence of God. Hopefully something of that passion and purpose transcends beyond that studio room onto the recordings themselves.”
Following Matt’s original release, which featured a guest vocal appearance by Martin Smith, lead singer of Delirious, “The Heart of Worship” became a new standard of the modern worship music movement, sung by fellow artists, choirs, and church families alike. Among the ever-rising number of reinterpretations, Redman is especially fond of Michael W. Smith’s from his 2001 classic, Worship.
“I honestly like them all,” he admits. “It’s a great encouragement when people take the songs and run with them. Perhaps my favorite is Michael’s— maybe because it’s a live version and therefore really captures and conveys the heart of the song’s theme.”

Click here to worship along:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH-snsXw1as

Click here to sing through:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOYhkc4n6Sg

“And Can it Be”
Not many hymns begin with a question as does this one. However, it is not an expression of doubt but of wonder and awe. · How can it be that the shedding of Jesus’ blood 1900 years ago is relevant to me today? · How was it possible for the Son of God to have died for me? · Why should our Lord empty Himself of all His divine glory and become a man, in order to save “Adam’s helpless race?” There is considerable evidence that this hymn was written by Charles Wesley soon after his own conversion. Charles Wesley’s crisis experience occurred on May 20, 1738. He had been sick in body as well as in spirit. It seemed that God spoke to him through a vision. According to his Journal, this confrontation took place after reading the bible for some time. Following is his account: “At midnight I gave myself up to Christ: assured I was safe, sleeping or waking. I had continued experience of his power to overcome all temptation; and confessed, with joy and surprise, that he was able to do exceedingly abundantly for me, above what I can ask or think.” And Can it Be, that I Should Gain And can it be, that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood`? Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?

Amazing love! how can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design? In vain the first-born seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!

Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel-minds inquire no more. He left his Father’s throne above,
(So free, so infinite his grace!)
Emptied himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race: ’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed thee. No condemnation now I dread,

Jesus, and all in him, is mine! Alive in him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Click here to listen to the tune:
http://gbgm-umc.org/Umhistory/Wesley/hymns/umh363.mid

Click here to worship along on the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQeIGbKqiw8

CONTEMPORARY 11:00


“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

"King of Majesty"

This song was written by Marty Sampson. Marty (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".

Click here to learn more about Marty Sampson:

http://www.martysampson.nett/

Click here to worship along with the Hillsong worship ministry:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyyRfx563Zs

Click here for an arrangement by Marty Sampson:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg9Zqipk2nU


"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 thereIn the end, he’ll be there, he’ll be there And After all our hands have wroughtHe 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 allfor 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


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

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

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

Behind the Praise - Sunday August 17,2008

BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30am

"We've a story to tell to the Nations"

H. Earnest Nichols wrote this powerful missions hymn. He was born De­cem­ber 10, 1862, Hull, York­shire, Eng­land and departed this life on Au­gust 30, 1926, in Skir­laugh, York­shire, Eng­land.
He often used a pseudonym: Colin Sterne (an an­a­gram of the let­ters from his name).
He originally plan­ned to be an en­gin­eer, but switched his stu­dies to mu­sic, grad­u­at­ing from Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty (BM 1888). Most of his hymn tunes were writ­ten for Sun­day School an­ni­ver­sar­ies.

1. We've a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right, a story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light, a story of peace and light. (Refrain)
2. We've a song to be sung to the nations, that shall lift their hearts to the Lord, a song that shall conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword,and shatter the spear and sword. (Refrain)
3. We've a message to give to the nations, that the Lord who reigneth above hath sent us his Son to save us, and show us that God is love, and show us that God is love. (Refrain)
4. We've a Savior to show to the nations, who the path of sorrow hath trod, that all of the world's great peoples might come to the truth of God, might come to the truth of God. (Refrain)

For the darkness shall turn to dawning, and the dawning to noonday bright; and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth, the kingdom of love and light.

Click here to sing through the song:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j92_wuLFAIY&feature=related

"Shout to the North"

Click here to read about Martin Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Smith_(songwriter)

Click here to worship along with Delirious:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BUe_8I4j54

Click here to worship along with Charlie Hall:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBuakvHqE9E&mode=related&search=

"O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"

It is generally agreed that Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley have been the two most influential writers of English hymnody to date. Following the new metrical psalmody introduced by Watts, the eighteenth-century Christian church was ready for the more warm, experiential hymns of Charles Wesley. God providentially raised Charles Wesley up to take the harp of Watts when the older poet laid it down and thus kept the church's song vibrant.John and Charles Wesley, while students at Oxford University, formed a religious "Holy Club" because of their dissatisfaction with the spiritual lethargy at the school. As a result of their methodical habits of living and studying, they were jokingly called "methodists" by their fellow students. Upon graduation these young brothers were sent to America by the Anglican Church to help stabilize the religious climate of the Georgia Colonies and to evangelize the Indians.On board ship as they crossed the Atlantic, the Wesley brothers came into contact with a group of German Moravians, a small evangelical group long characterized by missionary concern and enthusiastic hymn singing. The spiritual depth of these believers soon became evident during a raging storm.

The following account is taken from Wesley's journal, January 25, 1736:"In the midst of the Psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main sail in pieces, covered the ship and poured in between the decks.... A terrible screaming began among the English. The Moravians looked up, and without intermission calmly sang on, I asked one of them afterwards, 'Were you not afraid?' He answered, 'Thank God, no!'"John Wesley was so impressed with these people that he eventually made a detailed study of the hymnal used in their home church in Herrnhut, Germany. Soon he introduced a number of English translations of these Moravian hymns into the Anglican services. Between 1737 and 1786 the Wesleys published between them sixty-three hymnals, with many hymns of Moravian background.Following a short and unsuccessful ministry in America, the disillusioned Wesleys returned to England, where once again they came under the influence of a group of devout Moravian believers meeting in Aldersgate, London.

In May, 1738, both of these brothers had a spiritual heart-warming experience, realizing that though they had been zealous in the Church's ministry, neither had ever personally accepted Christ as Savior nor had known the joy of their religious faith as did their Moravian friends. From that time the Wesleys' ministry took on a new dimension and power.Both John and Charles were endued with an indefatigable spirit, usually working fifteen to eighteen hours each day. It is estimated that they traveled a quarter of a million miles throughout Great Britain, mostly on horseback, while conducting more than 40,000 public services. Charles alone wrote no less than 6,500 hymn texts, with hardly a day or an experience passing without its crystallization into verse.

"O For a Thousand Tongues" was written in 1749 on the occasion of Charles's eleventh anniversary of his own Aldersgate conversion experience. It is thought to have been inspired by a chance remark by Peter Bohler, an influential Moravian leader, who exclaimed, "Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise Christ Jesus with all of them. " The hymn originally had nineteen stanzas and when published was entitled, "For the Anniversary Day of One's Conversion. " Most of the verses, no longer used, dealt in a very personal way with Wesley's own conversion experience. For example, "I felt my Lord's atoning blood close to my soul applied Me, me He loved--the Son of God--for me, for me He died."Charles Wesley died on March 29, 1788, having spent over fifty years in the service of the Lord he loved so intimately and served so effectively. Even as he lay on his death bed, it is said that he dictated a final hymn of praise to his wife.

Other hymns by Charles Wesley include "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" (No. 13), "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" (No. 45), "A Charge to Keep I Have" (101 More Hymn Stories, No. 1), "Depth of Mercy" (ibid., No. 20), and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (ibid., No. 31).

Click here to sing along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz36RlpnQCw


Click here for another arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8A1x2Xytkg&feature=related


“How can I keep from Singing”

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

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



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

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

CONTEMPORARY 11:00 am

“Point of Difference”

This songs from the Hillsongs worship was written by Joel Houston. Joel Houston is a musician and songwriter, best known as the key worship leader and producer of Sydney based worship band Hillsong United, the worship band of Hillsong Church's youth group, also known as Hillsong United. In 2008 he became the Creative Director at Hillsong Church. He is the oldest son of the church's senior pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston and grandson of the church's founder Frank Houston. He has two siblings, a brother Benjamin and a sister, Laura.
Lyrics:
The tide is turning this is redemption's hour
In the midst of the world lost for love you are all we have now
The lost returning salvation is all around in the midst of the world broken down
You are all we have now for You are God and this hope is ours
So Father open the skies flood the earth with your light
This is love, to break a world indifferent
Our hearts are burning the fire that won't burn out
In the midst of a world that's grown cold you are all we have now
The earth resounding the anthem of your renown
As we lift up our eyes and look to your glory
Call us out let the world see you are God and this hope is ours
So call us out, let the world see You are God as we sing
Open the skiesFlood the Earth with your light This is love to break a world indifferent
As we lift up our eyes fill our hearts with your fire
In a world the same we'll be the difference, the difference
So call us out let the world see you are God and this hope is ours
Our eyes are open every chain now broken in this world we are different
Let your love become us as we live to make you famous
We're in this world but we are different
So call us out, let the world seeYou are God as we sing
Father open the skiesFlood the Earth with your life
This is love to break a world indifferent as we lift up our eyes
Fill our hearts with your fire in a world the same we'll be the difference, the difference
So call us out let the world see You are God one and only
In this world you are all we have now

Click here to worship along with the Hillsongs worship ministry: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohyE2vxwoxM

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

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

Click here to learn more about Chris Tomlin:
www.christomlin.com/index2.html

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

"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


"Wonderful Maker"


You spread out the skies over empty space Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and formless world Your light was born
You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said "let there be light" Into a dark and hopeless world Your Son was born
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only Son for You are good
What a wonderful Maker What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers and how humble Your love
With a strength like no other and the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
No eye has fully seen, how beautiful the cross
And we have only heard
The faintest whispers of how great You are



Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPT-8zrWWJk


Click here to worship along with Jeremy Camp:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPT-8zrWWJk

Behind the Praise - Sunday August 10, 2008

BLENDED WORSHIP 9:30 am

“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

Click here for an arrangement at a Billy Graham crusade in St. Louis:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfTf1uXUE-I

“God is Great”

This song was written by Marty Sampson one of the Hillsong worship leaders from Australia. When asked about the modern worship movement Marty commented recently “I think young people are getting more and more passionate about their relationships with God and His kingdom. They desire to see God moving in their lives and in the lives of those around them.” 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.

When it comes to penning songs, Marty is sometimes a little unorthodox in his approach. For example he explains the inspiration behind "God is Great." "The story is that me and Joel Houston, another guy in our youth group, were cruising along in his car, with a tape recorder. And we were just talking about music and singing, and we decided we needed to write a new song for the youth. We were near my house, and we were singing as loud as we could! Joel started doing this beat box, and then I just started singing, 'God is great, and His praise, fills the earth, fills the heavens!' We both turned around, looked at each other, and said, 'Whoa! That's awesome!' So I put on the tape player and recorded it, and it went from there."

Click here to worship along with Marty:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfZOUVD46TI&feature=related

Click here to learn more about Marty’s ministry:
www.myspace.com/martysampsonmusic

Click here to check out Marty:
www.martysampson.net

"Before the Throne of God Above"

This song was written by Charitie Lees Smith Bancroft in 1863, but was recently published by Vikki Cook who wrote an alternate melody for it.
You can hear the old version by clicking here. http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/beforetg.htm
You’ll recognize the tune as “Sweet hour of Prayer”

Click here to read through the words:
www.inchristalone.org/BeforeTheThrone.html
What a great line in the second verse:
“For God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me”.

Click here to worship along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_GB_N_79-Q&mode=related&search=

* Click here to hear the Carolina Crown drum and bugle corps' rendition:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuDSHr7QoIg&mode=related&search=


"Footsteps of Jesus"

The lyrics were written by Mary Bridges Canedy Slade, a Fall River, Massachusetts teacher, assistant editor of The New England Journal of Education and wife of a minister. The melody is by Asa B. Everett who completed his medical training only to pursue a career in music. He studied in Leipzig, Germany for four years

Click here to sing along
www.cgmusic.com/cghymnal/others/f/footstepsofjesus.htm

"Blessed Be Your Name"

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

Click here to hear the story behind the song by Matt Redman.

www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-257-BlessedBeYourName-Redman.mp3

Click here to hear the song

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xo5KogzaI

Click here to worship along with Tree63

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mZH9T9XNVU&mode=related&search=

Contemporary 11:00am

“Point of Difference”

This songs from the Hillsongs worship was written by Joel Houston. Joel Houston is a musician and songwriter, best known as the key worship leader and producer of Sydney based worship band Hillsong United, the worship band of Hillsong Church's youth group, also known as Hillsong United. In 2008 he became the Creative Director at Hillsong Church. He is the oldest son of the church's senior pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston and grandson of the church's founder Frank Houston. He has two siblings, a brother Benjamin and a sister, Laura.

Lyrics:

The tide is turning this is redemption's hour

In the midst of the world lost for love you are all we have now

The lost returning salvation is all around in the midst of the world broken down

You are all we have now for You are God and this hope is ours

So Father open the skies flood the earth with your light

This is love, to break a world indifferent

Our hearts are burning the fire that won't burn out

In the midst of a world that's grown cold you are all we have now

The earth resounding the anthem of your renown

As we lift up our eyes and look to your glory

Call us out let the world see you are God and this hope is ours

So call us out, let the world see You are God as we sing

Open the skiesFlood the Earth with your light This is love to break a world indifferent

As we lift up our eyes fill our hearts with your fire

In a world the same we'll be the difference, the difference

So call us out let the world see you are God and this hope is ours

Our eyes are open every chain now broken in this world we are different

Let your love become us as we live to make you famous

We're in this world but we are different

So call us out, let the world seeYou are God as we sing

Father open the skiesFlood the Earth with your life

This is love to break a world indifferent as we lift up our eyes

Fill our hearts with your fire in a world the same we'll be the difference, the difference

So call us out let the world see You are God one and only

In this world you are all we have now

Click here to worship along with the Hillsongs worship ministry:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohyE2vxwoxM

"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 seenthe 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 gloryYou are glorious. You are glorious

Which leads me to believewhy I can believe that

"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

"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