Behind the Praise - Sunday November 2, 2008

"Sing to the King"

This song was written by Billy James Foote. The song is based upon the hymn by Charles S. Horne. Here are the original words penned in 1910. Notice the similarity between the Horne's words and Billy's adaptation of the song.

Sing we the King Who is coming to reign,
Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain.
Life and salvation His empire shall bring,
Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.
RefrainCome let us sing, praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King,
This is our song, who to Jesus belong:
Glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.

Billy and his wife Cindy live in San Antonio. Billy started leading worship in 1990, right out of college. Back then Christiandom didn't demand bands. They were satisfied with simplicity. Billy played his guitar and led worship by himself until several years later. He added a drummer (Joe McArthur) first and then a bass player (Shawn Skeen) and then Cindy joined in with vocals in 2001. Sometime around the year 2000 Billy began having vocal trouble which turned out to be a neurological condition called hyper-disphonia. There's really no cure for this condition. So Cindy began singing more of the lead vocals over time. Though Cindy sings most of the songs, Billy is still the person giving direction to the worship time and, of course, he writes most of the songs the band plays. Billy began song writing in the late 1990's. He's written several well known songs including:"Break Our Hearts", "Goodness and Mercy", "You Are My King (Amazing Love)", "Sing to the King", "I Have a River", "Die the Death", "You Are God Alone (not a god)", "You Are Welcome Here" and "Welcome to the Cross".
Learn more about Billy's ministry on his myspace website & ministry website:
www.myspace.com/billyfooteband

Learn more about Billy's ministry here:
www.billyfoote.com/

Click here to worship along on the passion recording:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrsrPfGmpPg&feature=related

Click here to purchase “Sing to the King”


"Carry the Light"
The worship choir will share this song from Community Bible Church in San Antonio.

"He Keeps me singing"

A Methodist preacher by the name of Luther Bridges, was born in 1884, he married Sarah Veatch and three lovely sons were born of their union. Pastor Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky in the year 1910, so he left his family in the care of his father-in-law and made the trip to Kentucky. There, two wonderful weeks of ministry resulted. The last service closed with great joy and he was excited to be called to the telephone. He couldn't wait to tell his wife about all the blessings. But it wasn't her voice on that long distance line. He listened in silence to the news that a fire had burned down the house of his father-in-law and his wife and all three of his sons had died in the blaze. That distraught father leaned heavily on His Savior and expressed his faith in God during a tearful moment by penning these words:

There's within my heart a melody Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still, In all of lifes ebb and flow.

Click here to listen to a quartet arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNQ4RbfF4jM

Click here for a recording of the song:
http://my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis/hekeepsmesinging.mid

Click here for a ragtime piano version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiJrzRg17l4

Click here to purchase a version of the song by Babbie Mason:


“Made Me Glad”
By Hillsong worship leader Miriam Webster

I will bless the Lord forever.
I will trust him at all times.
He has delivered me from all fear.
He has set my feet upon a rock.
I will not be moved and I’ll say of the Lord,You are my shield, my strength, my portion,
deliverer, my shelter, strong tower,my very present help in time of need.Whom have I in heaven but you?
There’s none I desire beside you.
You have made meglad and I’ll say of the Lord,© 2001 Miriam Webster/Hillsong Publishing

Miriam Webster is an Australian gospel singer-songwriter. Her career began at the age of 15, when she won the interstate music awards. She has since toured Australia, New Zealand and the United States, and released several albums, of which the first is Never Alone. She has been serving with the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia since 1996 and featuring on numerous Hillsong Music praise-and-worship albums since 1997.


Click here to worship along with the Hillsong worship team:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmBTV08ylc

Click here to purchase the song "Made me Glad":


“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=

Click here to purchase the song:


“Offering”
This worship song was written by Paul Baloche. As a worship leader, Paul's unpretentious and approachable style has encouraged many to draw near to God in worship. "I want my music, and more importantly my life," Paul explains, "to inspire people to pursue a sincere, authentic relationship with Christ."
For fourteen years Baloche has served as the Worship Pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where he lives with his wife Rita and their three children. During a morning of worship he noticed the congregation just listening to the music. He stopped an reminded the congregation
“Hey guys we’re singing a powerful song, and some of you are sitting here just enjoying the music. We are not here to entertain. We are here to facilitate worship. We are here to bring gratitude and thanks. Even if you heart is cold you can bring that today and lay it at the feet of Jesus.”
He shut down the band and led the congregation in what he called simple worship. Following that experience this song came forth. He was convinced that the one thing each person can bring in worship is their heart.
I bring an offering Of worship to my King No one on earth deserves The praises that I sing Jesus may you receive The honor that You're due O Lord, I bring an offering to you I bring an offering to you
Click here to hear Paul share the story behind the song:
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-198-Offering-Baloche.mp3

Click here to worship along with Paul Baloche:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxuyRyi8ulw

Click here to purchase "Offering" by Paul Baloche: