Stories behind the songs - Sunday October 28, 2007

“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”

C. S. Lewis

"Say So"
Another great song by Israel Houghton click here to read about his ministry with "NEW BREED"
www.newbreedmusic.com/
Click here to listen to Israel in the studio singing "SAY SO"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayuUrynTMy0
Click here to worship along at a worship event the song "SAY SO"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGlVQzUweso&mode=related&search=
Click here to watch more of Israel sharing a new song "If not for Your Grace"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgizH3sIizU&mode=related&search=

"You are so Awesome" Worship Choir with Soloist John Brewer
This dynamic song is from the group "Youthful Praise" click here to read more about J.J. Hairston and the ministry of "Youthful Praise", you can also scroll down on this website and listen to the song
www.gospelflava.com/articles/youthfulpraiseliveaudio.html
Click here to worship along with "Youthful Praise"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTg1mfo_81k
Click here to worship along with the New Life Inspirational Gospel choir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxVFTPUwXjo

"At Calvary"
Daniel Brink Towner (1850-1919) was an American Gospel music composer and teacher. In 1885, entered full-time evangelistic work and was associated with D. L. Moody, L. W. Munhall, Major D. W. Whittle and others. Music director at Moody Bible Institute from 1893 to 1919. Composed over 2000 hymns tunes, including the music for "Trust and Obey," Anywhere With Jesus," "Saved By the Blood," and "At Calvary."
Click here to read the lyrics of this great hymn
www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/t/atcalvry.htm
click here to listen to a gospel organ version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8uBu3Ix7Wk
click here to worship along
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYxRPEZSYLo
click here to worship along with Lynda Randle & Jessy Dixon on one of the Gaither videos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTsREFcTKbE

"Untitled Hymn"
This song by Chris Rice was on his recording "Run the earth and watch the sky". What a great name for a recording.
Click here to learn more about Chris www.christianmusic.com/chrisrice/bio.html
Click here to worship along with the song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=39XD1ImxGWw&mode=related&search=
Click here to listen to worship along with song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4g8_e16dc&mode=related&search=

Message - 2020 Vision Team and Personnel Reports

"Wherever He leads I'll go " Click here to read the lyrics and listen to the song http://home.fuse.net/rust/130.html

"I love You Lord - Medley"
A remote mobile home gleams faintly in the crisp Autumn sunrise. Within that metal refuge in the high deserts of central Oregon, a young mother is having a quiet time with the Lord. Her toddler is still asleep. Her husband is a full time college student, and the couple is surviving on $400 per month. They have no home church, no friends nearby, and she does not drive. Even the expense of a long distance phone call might leave them without milk or bread in weeks to come. Such is the backdrop of Laurie Klein's classic praise song, "Love You, Lord", written in 1974.
"It was a very hopeless time, a very depressed time," she summarizes. "I felt the poverty of my own life keenly at that point, both emotionally and physically."
"That morning I was so empty," she says, recalling her time with the Lord. "I knew I didn't have anything to offer Him. I asked if He would like to hear me sing . . if He would just give me something He would be in the mood to hear." Klein describes "I Love You, Lord", as a gift from God that emerged spontaneously: "I sang the first half and put the chords with it with no effort," she says.
I love You Lord and I lift my voice To worship You O my soul, rejoice!
Intrigued and moved by these words, she remembers thinking, "maybe I should write that down." She stopped long enough to get a pen. When she came back, the last two phrases came just as easily:
Take joy, my King in what you hear May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.
Laurie's husband, Bill, recognized the simple beauty of the song and encouraged her to play it for a local pastor and some visiting musicians. Eventually the song surfaced at Jack Hayford's Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California. There Buck and Annie Herring learned the song and included it on Annie's Kids of the Kingdom. But its greatest exposure was on Maranatha! Music's Praise 4 in 1980. Since then, Bill Klein has lost count but estimates the song has been released on 60 or 70 recordings. As of this writing, the most recent recording is a classic rock arrangement on Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus. Laurie's personal favorite is Phil Keaggy's instrumental on The Wind and the Wheat. "I Love You Lord" has emerged in at least a half-dozen dialects, but the author particularly enjoys a Pidgin English version that starts, "Me like-a You, Papa-God". Pondering the enduring popularity of the classic, she says, I feel like God not only gave me the song, but He kissed it. He has kind of a "Midas touch." The things He touches are golden ... and I think people recognize this. I also think that's why it has translated well into other languages and cultures.

The Kleins, now parents of two grown daughters, live in Dearpark, Washington. Both have served on staff at various churches over the years, but their focus these days is House of Mercy, through which Bill acts as consultant to worship leaders of various denominations. A sampling of their song writing, including a stunning version of "I Love You, Lord", is available on a 1996 independent recording called All My Days.
Now 47 years old, Laurie Klein is more driven by a thirst for intimacy with God than ever. God has placed the phrase, "prepare Me a place" on her heart as a personal theme for this year. "We're called to prepare room for Him," Laurie explains. The heart of a worshiper becomes evident as she speaks. "We must be prepared to meet Him no matter who we're talking to or what we're doing, whether we're worshiping in church or worshiping with all the tasks that make up our day." That, she has come to understand, genuinely makes a "sweet, sweet sound" in God's ear.
Click here to hear an acapella version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6QE2k1FepQ
Click here to hear the DaeGu male choir sing the song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHmi3kr-JWY
Click here to hear Bill Gaither and the Homecoming friends sing the song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUbeq90ZsCM

Stories behind the songs - Sunday October 21,2007

Worship Quote this week:

“To sing a wrong note is insignificant, to sing without passion is inexcusable”

Beethoven

"Sing for Joy"

This song was written in 1996 by Lamont Hiebert who considers himself an abolitionist. He set aside his music career for three years while he worked to confront child trafficking, click here to read about his work to abolish slavery
www.lamontsongs.com/
He is involved with the work of LOVE146 click here to watch a disturbing video on child trafficking http://www.jfci.org/
Click here to read more of about Lamonts ministry.
http://lamontsongs.blogspot.com/
Click here to hear a short sample of the song "Sing for Joy"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8sJsFFl3zs&mode=related&search=

"Say So"
Another great song by Israel Houghton click here to read about his ministry with "NEW BREED" http://www.newbreedmusic.com/
Click here to listen to Israel in the studio singing "SAY SO"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayuUrynTMy0
Click here to worship along at a worship event the song "SAY SO"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGlVQzUweso&mode=related&search=
Click here to watch more of Israel sharing a new song "If not for Your Grace"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgizH3sIizU&mode=related&search=


"No More Night" Soloist Ben Mclallen
Click here for the song sung by David Phelps and narrated by Joni Erickson Tada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQijZ0OpaU&mode=related&search=

Walt Harrah is a noted song writer, session singer and record producer.His songs include Think About His Love (Integrity Music), In The Lord Alone (Maranatha Music), and No More Night (Word). He has been a session singer for 20 years, appearing on dozens of film soundtracks from "King Kong" to "Amistad," and numerous television programs, including the Oscars and the Tonight Show. He served as producer and singer with the vocal group Haven, a regular contributor to Haven Ministries radio programming. He has appeared on numerous recordings for Integrity Music, Maranatha Music, Word and other Christian recording companies. He received a bachelor of church music from the University of Southern California and a masters of divinity from Fuller Seminary. He serves as worship minister at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, California.

"Pass me not O Gentle Saviour" This hymn was writen by Fanny Crosby here is the story behind the song: As ear­nest Christ­ian pas­tor told of a young man about whom he had long felt much an­xi­e­ty, as he had seemed so un­con­cerned about his soul, and was, in re­al­i­ty, a real cause of dis­turb­ance and in­ter­rupt­ion in class­es for other young men. Meet­ing him one day, the lov­ing pas­tor sought once more to in­flu­ence him, urg­ing, “We want you for Christ and his ser­vice.” There was a cer­tain change in his man­ner which did not es­cape the eye of the pray­er­ful watch­er for souls, and—lack­ing time to do more—he seized the op­por­tun­i­ty to se­cure the pre­sence of his young friend at a Christ­ian En­dea­vor meet­ing soon to be held. True to his prom­ise he was there. When an op­por­tun­i­ty was giv­en for some of the young men to choose a song, it was seen that he was urg­ing his com­pan­ion to se­lect some par­tic­u­lar hymn. The other, yield­ing to his re­quest, asked if the hymn, “Pass me not, O gentle Sav­iour,” might be sung; and both young men joined in the sing­ing with ev­i­dent in­ter­est and heart­i­ness. Lat­er in the ev­en­ing it was re­quest­ed that all who were def­in­ite­ly on the Lord’s side would con­fess their al­le­giance by stand­ing. Where­up­on the one over whom the heart of the pas­tor was spe­cial­ly yearn­ing rose at once, and with de­ci­sion.
“Tell me about your con­ver­sion,” the thank­ful pas­tor re­quest­ed at the close of the meet­ing, when hands were clasped in glad, bro­ther­ly wel­come and re­cog­ni­tion.
“Oh, yes,” as­sent­ed the other. “It was all through that hymn we have just sung. I was work­ing on the canal at G–, and there was a meet­ing be­ing held at the Mar­in­er’s Cha­pel, near­by. The words float­ed out over the wa­ter, and from the tug where I was work­ing I could hear them plain­ly enough. When they were just go­ing to sing those lines—‘While on others Thou are call­ing, Do not pass me by!’ a great fear came over me, and I thought, ‘Oh, if the Lord were to pass me by, how ter­ri­ble it would be!’ Then and there, on the tug, I cried out, ‘O Lord, do not pass me by.’ And”—with a bright smile—“he didn’t pass me by. I am saved.’”

Click here to hear a gospel organ version of the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmDDUSpD7PI click here to see a moving clip of the song sung by Fantasia Barrino http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzB9C7lSlc&mode=related&search=music%20church%20gospel%20christian%20saviour%20jesus Click here to hear Romance Watson sing it on a Gaither video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8O4zEkIs1Y&mode=related&search=music%20church%20gospel%20christian%20saviour%20jesus

"We Fall down" Click here to learn more about the song with an interview with Chris Tomlin & Steven Curtis Chapman www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWVrKOzxuQg Click here to worship along with Chris Tomlin www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEswcXc-CCU

"In the Secret" Click here to listen to Andy Park share the story behind the song: www.theheartofworship.com/stories/Story-340-IntheSecret-AndyPark.mp3 Click here to learn more about Andy Park www.andypark.ca/bio.shtml Click here to worship along with Shane & Shane http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWHaHK4kHUs

"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.’
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: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at67q_staZ8 Worship along with Paul Baloche by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENJB2rZ-VE8 Worship along with an acoustic guitar version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvzq0-Qe2TI

Message "For You These Things I Pray"

"What a Friend We have in Jesus" Click here to hear the story behind the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLnfqpBQbnU

Stories behind the songs Sunday October 14, 2007

Worship Quote of the Week:
“We cannot choose our path in life, but we can choose to walk down it with a worshipful trust in the sovereignty and Father heart of God.”

"Freedom"
This powerful declaration song was written by Darryl Evans. Darryl lives in Haltom City, Texas with his wife and two kids. You can read more about his ministry on his website http://www.darrellevans.com/ .


"Trading My Sorrows"
Here is a short description of how this popular song came about:
This song was birthed out of a prayer and worship service at Open Bible Fellowship in Tulsa, Okla. It was an ordinary night. The room was filled with voices lifting up the name of Lord and worshiping Him. Toward the end of the service people began to step forward for prayer. Darrell watched as one by one, people came - their hearts heavy, some weeping and some still dealing with deep sorrows. Kneeling before the Lord, they allowed their deepest pains to be exposed and their lives to be healed.
As he watched, the Lord began to speak to his heart about his own internal condition. Evans had been holding onto personal shame that was consuming him. His gaze once again moved to the people bowing before the Lord. The worship continued and Darrell in agreement with the Lord said two words, "Yes, Lord." He kept singing. The words of what would become 'Trading My Sorrows' simply came to him as he recounted all that he was experiencing. People were coming forward heavy hearted but leaving with their burdens lifted. It was one of those rare times when the Spirit decides to speak succinctly, and the result is part of the Church's musical history.
At that very moment "Trading My Sorrows" was written, nearly word for word. It is an expression of the miraculous love and grace of the Lord being poured out onto a people full of sorrow and pain: "I'm trading my sorrows/I'm trading my shame/I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord." The words flowed not only from what he could see God doing in the lives of the people, but also from what he knew God was doing in his own life.
Evans felt the mood of the room change from the tenderness of the moment to a joyful celebration, for the Lord had made this exchange possible - a literal trade of mourning for dancing. People laid down their emptiness, guilt, pain, and sorrows and in exchange, received joy and love from the Lord.

Click here to hear the Women of Faiths' version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GglZPS7dWho
Click here to listen to Darrell Evans songs on his standalone player:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=36203670

"Be Thou My Vision" Violin soloist - Morgan Mclallen
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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZ3ja-quhA
Click here to hear Fernado Ortego's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfhsOQyZqtg&mode=related&search=


"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:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BUe_8I4j54
Click here to worship along with Charlie Hall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBuakvHqE9E&mode=related&search=

"There is Name I love to Hear"
Click here to read through the lyrics of this great hymn:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/h/ohiljesu.htm
Click here to listen to a gospel version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3glsjnbJuc
Click here to listen to the Crabb Family's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV9EJ2IgbeQ

"The More I seek you"
click here to read more about Zach Neese who wrote this powerful worship song
http://www.gatewaypeople.com/churchinfo/index.php?action=staffbiodetails&sid=180
Click here to worship along with Kari Jobe (LD Bell High school graduate)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3GijrnfStk

"Doxology"

A doxology (from the Greek doxa, glory + logos, word or speaking) is a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian worship services, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue.[1]

All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
Him serve with fear His praise forthtell, Come ye before Him and rejoice

For why? The Lord our God is good, His mercy is forever sure:
His truth at all time firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

This text, which was originally the seventh and final stanza of "Glory to thee, my God, this night", a hymn for evening worship written by Thomas Ken in about 1674. The lyrics are usually sung to the tune Old 100th, but also to Duke Street by John Hatton, Lasst uns erfreuen, and The Eighth Tune by Thomas Tallis, among others.

Click here to hear and see the Doxology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHCGwJvKRBY&mode=related&search=
Click here to hear one of the most accomplished guitarist present a unique version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBE6dfT87yo&mode=related&search=

Stories Behind the songs Sunday October 7, 2007

Worship Quote of the week:

“Otherness gives us a sense that God is so pure, matchless and unique that no one else and nothing else even comes close.”

"Faithful"

We'll start the service with a song by the Crossroads Youth choir & the Worship choir with soloist Kaylee Dean & John Brewer

This song is by Hezekiah Walker. In 2006 Hezekiah was slandered by an online gossip column, he went through a deep valley and this song came forth through that experience. You can hear his testimony and the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soTeXr6sAMk

Faithful, Faithful Faithful is our God (repeat 4x)

I'm reaping the harvest God promised me

Take back what the devil stole from me

And I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all

Yes I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all.

"The Happy Song"

This worship song from 1994 was written by Martin Smith of the band Delirious. Martin was involved in a near-fatal car crash that was instrumental in him surrendering his life to full-time music ministry. Click here to read more about his journey. The band he belongs to "Delirious" was at the fore-front of the modern worship renewal.

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

Click here to listen to the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ9jOr-1xpA&mode=related&search=Delirious%20live%20Revival%20Town%20Happy%20Song%20funny

"Incredible God"

Click here to read more about James Hairston who wrote this song the Crossroads youth choir will sing. Soloist are Jordan Garner & Rhyanna Thomsen.

http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/youthfulpraiseliveaudio.html

Click here to listen to the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBIaDVQ3-lQ

"He Keeps me Singing"

Click here to read through how the song was written:

http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2003/05/daily-05-27-2003.shtml

Click here to read through the words and listen to the tune:

http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh380.sht

"When the night is Falling"

Click here to read more about Dennis Jernigan

www.dennisjernigan.com/

Click here to listen to the song:

http://wordmusicnow.com/Song.asp?SongID=305

"Revelation Song"

I was at an Integrity music conference listening to Paul Baloche take some Q&A after a large group session. There were about 15 people standing around when I noticed the name tag on the lady beside me. Her name was Jennie Riddle, I turned and asked her "Your name sounds familiar, how do I know your name?" She said, "Well I did write the song "Revelation Song". Since then I've run into her at the Lamar Boschman worship pastor luncheons. She is housewife in from McKinney, Texas who simply heard what I would call a song from the "other side". You can listen to "Revelation song" on Jennie's myspace, the recording is by Karen Wheaton.
Here is Jennie's myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=92675621
This song is sweeping the country and literally being sung around the world.Click here to listen to the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8

Sermon Sunday is

2 Kings 6

"The unseen host Elijah with the army of God - we don’t see with the physical eye."

Offertory -

"He's Always Been Faithful to Me"

Carrie Hollingsworth, Georgia Phinney, Kim Souther

Here are the lyrics

Morning by morning I wake up to find

the power and comfort of God's hand in mine.

Season by season I watch him amazed,

in awe of the mystery of his perfect ways

All I have need of his hand will provide.

He's always been faithful to me
I can't remember a trial or a pain he did

not recycle to bring me gain.

I can'tremember one single regret in serving

God only and trusting his hand

This is my anthem, this is my song, the theme of the stories

I've heard for so long.God has been faithful, he will be again.

His loving compassion, it knows no end.