Thursday, March 6, 2008

Stories behind the songs - Sunday March 9, 2008

** Don't forget to "SPRING FORWARD" Saturday night - set your clocks forward one hour!!

"Unrestrained"


We'll begin our worship Sunday with the Crossroads youth sharing this song:

Calvin Nowell wrote this song. He has had quite a journey to healing. On this path to healing, there were a few obstacles that presented itself. One of the biggest hurdles Calvin has overcome was his struggle with his weight. Calvin unfortunately weighed over 450lbs. At six foot four he was displaying a 60-inch waist and a coat size of 64/66L. Although he weighed a lot physically, the emotional weight seemed to outweigh the pounds. Fear and insecurity were the driving forces behind his struggle. However, there was always an inner knowing that he wasn't going to be overweight if given the chance to record a CD. After losing over 215lbs and many layers of emotional weight, Calvin has started somewhere on the journey to share his experience with everyone. "I always felt that God told me that he would bless whatever I put my hands to, but I had the problem of not putting my hands to anything.

Click here to learn more about Calvin http://www.calvinnowell.com/
Click here to worship along with Mandisa www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhJvIxc92SY

"My Savior Lives"
This is a new song by Jon Egan & Glenn Packiam of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Co. When asked about writing songs for the church in an interview Jon shared the following.
Those songs were written out of innocence just to equip our own church. I think that probably is the reason for the success. The heart of these songs, the heart of us as worshippers or worship leaders, has always been to help our people in our spheres of influence. The fact that it's equipped the Church beyond our church is overwhelming, wonderful, and humbling.

Jared: We weren't really following anyone into it; we were just excited about what God was doing. We started to try our own songs at times other than Sunday morning. We just put it out there to see if it would live. It began that way, and it crept into the culture of Sunday morning.

Click here to listen to the song:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=139038586

Click here to worship with the New Life church:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_SB-SpNm00&feature=related

"I will Trust in Thee" The worship choir & Ginger Garner will share this powerful song of testimony. We are commanded throughout scripture to "trust in the Lord". This song will remind us that we are called to a life of faith and trust.

“Victory in Jesus”
This is one of those standard hymns for baptist churches. The song was written by southern baptist Eugene Bartlett. Eugene's son Gene Bartlett was the Director of Church music for the state of Oklahoma for 25 years. I had the opportunity to attend "Uncle Gene's" funeral in Oklahoma City. At the funeral the grandson of the composer led the congregation in singing this great hymn. I'll never forget that moment, watching Eugene's grandson lead the congregation in this great song.Eugene Monroe Bartlett Senior was born on Christmas Eve of 1885. He wrote the words to this hymn -- his last song -- in 1939. Mr. Bartlett was well known as a gospel singer, writer, teacher, editor, and publisher. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1979.The words from this well-known and cherished hymn remind us that we can experience victory in Jesus every day of our lives.

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory.

O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

Click here for a clip from one of the homecoming concerts, Cynthia Clawson, Mike Allen & Joy Gardner singing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPv_S3RpIF4&mode=related&search=

Click here to sing along
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA_GPPSgRuQ&mode=related&search=

Click here to hear a great organ solo on "Victory in Jesus"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae_b3sYB8Uo&mode=related&search=

Click here for a great country version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFo3ZW_MTQ&mode=related&search=

"Mighty To Save"
This is another song from the Hillsong music ministry in Sydney Australia. This song is by Reuben Morgan & Ben Fielding. This song has a great reoccuring text. "OUR GOD IS MIGHT TO SAVE". This is taken from the passage in Zephaniah 3:1717 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Click here to read more about Reuben Morgan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Morgan

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

"I can only Imagine"

This song was written by Bart Millard of Mercy Me. Millard's lyrics grew out of a period of tremendous personal pain. In 1991, his father died after a long battle with cancer. When people told him that his dad would choose heaven over coming back, the 18-year-old began thinking about what his dad was experiencing in heaven. After that, he found himself repeating the phrase "I can only imagine." He began writing it on napkins, paper bags, and anything he could find. The phrase resonated in his heart and gave him the strength and hope he needed to move on.

Somehow, wondering about that awesome moment when he too would lay eyes on the Lord helped dull the pain of losing his father. This isn't a permanent separation, he told himself. One day we'll be enjoying God's presence together.Years later, in 1999, when MercyMe was writing songs for its freshman project, Millard stumbled across that simple phrase—"I can only imagine"—in an old notebook. About ten minutes later, the song was written.
"People say it's amazing that it was written in ten minutes, when really it had been on my heart for almost ten years," Millard says. In fact, not many days go by that he still doesn't ask himself those questions that form the chorus of his song:

Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?
"I have faith that Christ is real," Millard adds. "Therefore, I ask him questions."

Click here to worship along with Mercy Me:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S70gwFcSK9k

Click here to listen to Wynonna share her testimony and sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S70gwFcSK9k

Jeff will share Sunday "People of His Favor" (Abel, Noah, Moses, & Mary) Genesis 4:4, 6:8, Exodus 33:12, Luke 1:30

"Stand in the Rain"
The Youth Ensemble "Tetelesti" will share this song during the offertory:

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlXlUgHUc60

Click here to listen to the song on Superchicks' myspace website:
www.myspace.com/superchick

She never slows down She doesn’t know why
But she knows that when she’s all alone
It feels like it’s all coming down She won’t turn around
The shadows are longAnd she fears if she cries that first tear
The tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain Stand your ground
Stand up when it’s all crashing down
You stand through the pain You won’t drown
And one day what’s lost can be found You stand in the rain

She won’t make a sound Alone in this fight with herself
And the fear’s whispering If she stands, she’ll fall down
She wants to be found The only way out is through everything
She’s running from Wants to give up and lie down

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