Thursday, May 17, 2007

Stories behind the songs - Sunday May 20, 2007

"YOUR NAME"

We'll begin with the song "Your Name" led by soloist John Brewer and the worship choir. The song is by composer Travis Cottrell. Travis is the worship leader for the "Living Proof" conferences with teacher Beth Moore. Click here for an in depth article on Travis' ministry.

www.integritymusic.com/worship/artist/0105.html

Here's an insightful quote by Travis on worship:
When asked what kind of a musical legacy he would like to leave the church, Travis Cottrell expressed “I would hope that I would be remembered as someone who has a passion for Jesus, passion that supersedes any kind of musical style,” he says, ardently. “I would hope to make a mark – small as it may be – that shows that we can’t define our expressions of worship generationally. Part of what’s going on in the church and in our disagreements about worship, is that we all want to worship like we grew up worshipping. We want it to sound pleasing to us. To me that’s not what worship is about. Worship is not a sound, it’s a lifestyle, it’s our heart. If I could change someone’s perspective on what worship is, that’s exactly what I set out to do.
"BLESSED BE YOUR NAME"
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=
"TRADING MY SORROWS"
This song is by Darrell Evans. Darrell lives in Haltom City.

"FRIEND OF GOD"
This is a great song by Israel Houghton click here to hear the story behind the song.
"RESCUE"
We'll learn a new song "Rescue" by Jared Anderson.
Click here to listen to the story behind the song:
http://www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-232-Rescue-Anderson.mp3
Click here to listen to the song on Jared's myspace.
http://myspace.com/jaredandersonmusic
Following a time of prayer over our graduates, Chad Carpenter a high school senior will lead us in worship.
"HERE I AM TO WORSHIP"
Click here to listen to the story behind the song by Tim Hughes.
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-196-HereIAmtoWorship-Hughes.mp3
Click here to worship along with Darlene Zschech in Australia leading the song.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2d10n1Cpcc&mode=related&search=
Click here to read more about the composer Tim Hughes
www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/worship/1227531/
"HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD"
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.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfKli_4LQ0&mode=related&search=
Click here to worship along with Darlene Zschech
Trivia question this week: One of the first songs that Travis Cottrell wrote called "It's only Thunder" was recorded by what christian artist.
Chris on the song:
Another simple song that started from the thought of God's greatness and presence. My hope is that it is simple enough to sing, yet profound enough to cause the heart and soul to stand in wonder. I've already been overwhelmed from the response I've seen from this song.
Sermon topic this Sunday is
"Escape From Purposelessness"
John 10:39-42
Offertory Sunday will be "Homeward Bound" shared by Rachel Brown, Chad Carpenter, and Aaron Lagrone.
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

I received an email from my niece Candis who spent the month of January touring France. She sent these pictures of the friends she toured with, a view of the countryside and St. Francis Cathedral. Amazing I was reading about St. Francis, Candis was experiencing St. Francis.
CANDIS ROCKS! She would be the one with her mouth open the widest!












View of the Cathedral
Candis' comments:
I went to Assisi while in Italy over January! Thanks to Rick James, I did a walking tour of Assisi which ended at the cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi. That cathedral was one of the biggest we went to in all of Italy. One of the many cathedrals in Assisi, had the prayer of St. Francis posted at an alter...the very spot, supposedly, where he prayed the prayer and gave his life to Christ. Assisi was a beautiful place, just as St. Francis was a beautiful servant of Christ. Candis Garner
THE CATHEDRAL
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Great short story

You have to take time to watch this short story.

http://www.stservicemovie.com/
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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Thoughts on St. Francis of Assisi



I was reading recently about St. Francis of Assisi and found this information and paragraph from Brennan Manning inspiring. He sounds like a guy I would have loved spending some time with. St. Francis was born at Assisi in 1182. After a care free youth, he turned his back on inherited wealth and committed himself to God. Like many early saints, he lived a very simple life of poverty, and in so doing, gained a reputation of being the friend of animals. He established the rule of St Francis, which exists today as the Order of St. Francis, or the Franciscans. He died in 1226, aged 44. Contemporaries of Francis of Assisi called him le jon gleur de Dieu - the clown of God. At the first mass meeting of Franciscans, with three thousand brothers in attendance, Francis gently instructed the birds to stop chirping so that the friars might hear his sermon. They obeyed instantly. He tamed a wolf who was eating people in the village of Gubbio and extracted a promise from the locals to provide food each night for the carnivore. He picked up two stray pieces of wood, pretending that one was a bow and the other a fiddle, and sang love songs to God in French. He composed a canticle praising God for Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Fire, Sister Water, and even Sister Death. He often stood on his head to see the world upside down, reminding his neighbors and himself that life on planet earth hangs precariously on the strings of God's loving kindness.
Ruthless Trust Pg 70 Brennan Manning

THE PRAYER OF St. FRANCIS of ASSISI

Lord, make me an
Instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Stories behind the songs - Sunday May 13, 2007



As we prepare for worship this Sunday, start by asking yourself these questions.
Am I seeing God anew in the Word through discovery and meditation so I am compelled to draw near to Him?
Am I being sincere?
Is my heart fixed on Him and undivided?
Am I fully assured that only faith in Christ can bring me to God’s throne?
Am I coming humbly, realizing I can draw near only because of what Christ has done for me?
Is there any sin in my life I haven’t dealt with?

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
We'll begin Sunday with a short video tribute to Moms, following that we'll move into worship with the song

"Sing to the King"

The song was written by Billy James Foote. Billy is a member of the Alamo City Christian Fellowship. 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:
http://www.myspace.com/billyfooteband
http://www.billyfoote.com/

"Gentle Shepherd"
Worship Choir anthem, Oboe - Lauren Graham
The worship choir will share a new arrangement of this classic by Bill Gaither. The song is based on the scripture, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."John 10:11
Jesus used many metaphors to explain his identity. One of the most beautiful is that of the sheep and the shepherd.
Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need You to help us find our way Gentle Shepherd come and feed us, for we need Your strength from day to day There's no other we can turn to who can help us face another day Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need you to help us find our way
"You are My All in All"
Many of you will remember our joint concert with area churches up at First Baptist Church of Grapevine.. The evening of praise was led by Dennis Jernigan. 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 for an article about Dennis
Click here for Dennis' website
http://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

"Whiter than Snow"
Click here see the lyrics and listen to the song
http://www.tagnet.org/digitalhymnal/en/dh318.html
This hymn text was written by a Christian layman. James Nicholson emigrated to America around the age of 25. He spent the early part of his life as a clerk in the post office of Philadelphia, yet he was active in the work of the Wharton Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The hymn was first published in a pamphlet titled "Joyful Songs" in 1872. The hymn's popularity greatly increased with its inclusion in the well-know GOSPEL HYMNS series published by Sankey and Bliss. Around 1871, he moved to Washington DC and worked as a clerk in the Post Office Department.

Click here to listen to the song and see the lyrics:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/h/i/whiterts.htm
Here is one of the verses we'll sing Sunday, I love the imagery of Jesus applying his blood and extracting our stain.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract ev’ry stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Everything to me "
Charla West and Christie Taylor will share this song after the ministry of prayer. The song is by the group Avalon click here to learn more about the group http://www.avalonlive.com/
Listen to the song and follow along with the words -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x7LpTizSOc&mode=related&search=

"Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)"
New Song Cafe - story behind the song "Amazing Grace" * must see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU_4lIik9D8
More information on how the song came about.



"The Sermon Topic - Escape From Delusional Living"
Amos 2:14-16 (Jeremiah 46:6; Psalm 33:16-22)
Trivia Question today - What verse of "Amazing Grace" was actually written 100 years later. Hint check out Chris Tomlin on youtube.
Email the answer to mark@firsthurst.com

"He's not on His Knees Yet"
The offertory Sunday will be Lisa Speir singing accompanied by the dance ministry.
Here are the lyrics:
He doesn't know his worth
Wears the saddest smile on earth
But he denies it
Love is reaching out to him
But he won't let it in
He defies it He defies it
He's not ready
He's not on his knees yet
He's too strong to be weak
Show him mercy
He's not on his knees yet
Let him break please make him better
Put the pieces back together
He thinks that he's alone I have walked the road he's
I know he's searching Looking everywhere but up
He can't fill his empty cup
So he keeps hurting
He keeps hurting Help him please,
He's not on his knees yet
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Sunday, May 6, 2007

Great song writers, part one - Lenny Leblanc



Here is a picture I had made at one of the Integrity Worship conferences in Ft. Worth with Lenny Leblanc. Lenny is a great song writer who lives in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. My brother Eddy served as the Campus minister at the University of North Alabama and would have Lenny over to lead worship periodically. Eddy said Lenny "the person" is the same guy as Lenny "the artist". I think that says a lot. I was re-reading Brennan Manning's book "Abba's Child". His second chapter is simply called "The Impostor", this section convicted me concerning how I treat others.

One lonely night in the Colorado Rockies, I heard this message: "Brennan, you bring your full presence and attention to certain members of the community but offer a diminished presence to others. Those who have stature, wealth, and charisma, those you find interesting or charming or pretty or famous command your undivided attention, but people you consider plain or dowdy, those of less rank performing menial tasks, the unsung and uncelebrated are not treated with the same regard. This is not a minor matter to me, Brennan. The way you are with others every day, regardless of their status, is the real test of faith." Brennan Manning "Abba's Child" pg 38

Two of my favorite songs he wrote are

1) "Above All"

In 1991, years after Paul and Lenny had become well-known Christian songwriters and worship leaders, Lenny invited Paul to his Alabama home to collaborate on a project. Paul sang Lenny an unfinished song that he had started. The lyric began, Above all powers, above all kings/Above all nations and all created things, and went on to extol more of God's greatness. It was powerful, but Paul wasn't happy with any of the choruses he had written for it. Early the next morning, Lenny slipped into his studio to play around with the tune. Instead of expanding on Paul's verses with more majestic phrases, God gave him a chorus that touched on the paradoxical nature of Christ's life: Crucified, and laid behind a stone/You lived to die, rejected and alone.

2) "There is none like You" - I couldn't find a story behind this song, I guess the lyrics speak for themselves.

There is none like You No one else can touch my heart like You do I could search for all eternity long And find there is none like You Your mercy flows like a river wide And healing comes from Your hands Suffering children are safe in Your arms There is none like You

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Thursday, May 3, 2007

Stories behind the songs - Sunday May 6, 2007










Chris Tomlin Isaac Watts

We'll begin our worship with the great hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross". The original song was written by Isaac Watts, the new chorus was written by Chris Tomlin. Isaac was born in 1674 and Chris was born in 1972. Even though they are separated by three hundred years, there is no separation between their passion and commitment to leading God's people in worship. WOW! The past meets the present.


Click here to hear Chris Tomlin talk about how this new arrangement came about. http://www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-306-TheWonderfulCross-Tomlin.mp3

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

You can listen to more of Chris Tomlins' music on his myspace website.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=94631118

Isaac Watts (July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) is recognized as the "Father of English Hymnody", as he was the first prolific and popular English hymnwriter, credited with some 750 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in active use today and have been translated into many languages.

Click here to read more about Isaac Watts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Watts

This is an interesting read on Isaac Watts.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/w/a/t/watts_i.htm

Isaac is best known for his emphasizing the role of music in worship, where the congregation actually began to sing with the choir. Watts became the congregation's pastor in 1702. Just five feet tall, he was an unprepossessing figure in the pulpit. Health problems continued to plague him, and an assistant had to be appointed to fill in for him after a severe bout with illness in 1703. Despite these problems, Watts was a powerful preacher. The Mark Lane congregation outgrew its quarters and twice had to move to larger facilities, and Watts' sermons began to be collected and printed. Part of his success was due to his emphasis on the role of music in worship. A minister, he felt, should not only write sermons but should seek to involve his congregation in worship through music.

"In Christ Alone" by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Click here to read more about how the song was composed
http://www.crosswalk.com/1275127/

"I’m Amazed" - Worship choir anthem - we'll have a special guest soloist Cederick Johnson, former roommate of John Brewer.

Carol Cymbala says she wrote the song after speaking to a group of choir directors and sharing with them the story of a homeless man who came to hear the choir sing on Easter Sunday and ended up turning his life around. From that came the fitting lyrics, "I’m amazed that you love me, I’m amazed how you care."
Here are the lyrics
No one knew how alone I was feeling,
And the emptiness I tried so hard to hide
Though I laughed and said my life was fine without You,
I was covering up the secret tears I cried
Then one day someone told me of Your mercy
And the love You showed on a hill called Calvary
There you died and purchased my redemption
When you broke sin’s power and set my spirit free
I’m amazed that you love me
I’m amazed how you care
Through your precious blood,
I’ve found pardon And my sins are washed,
They’re all washed away All my sins are washed away
It’s true there have been days when I’ve failed You Lord,
you know the many times I’ve gone astray
But I’ve learned that Your love is stronger than my weakness
And your ear is open every time I pray.
No one else has ever cared for me like You, Lord
Other friends could never be as close to me
I’m not afraid to face the problems of tomorrow
Knowing You are everything I’ll ever need
Carol Cymbala Copyright 2005 Carol Joy Music/ASCAP

"Your Grace is Enough" By Matt Maher -
This song was popularized by Chris Tomlin, here is a clip on youtube of Chris and Matt talking about the song meaning along with a performance of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIgGHA27nG4&mode=related&search=

Click here to learn more about Matt Maher the composer.
http://www.mattmahermusic.com/

"Grace Greater than our Sins"
Sometimes the argument is advanced that since God's grace covers all our sings, then we are free to live as we please. God's grace does provide for our freedom, but it is meant to free us from a slavery to our selfish, sinful nature in order that we might pursue "every good work" - to become all that God intends us to be.
Julia Johnston was for many years involved in the work of Sunday schools at the First Presbyterian Church of Peoria, Illinois, and as a writer of lesson materials for primary age children for the David C. Cook Publishing Company. She also wrote approximately 500 hymn texts. The composer of this hymn, Daniel B. Towner, was for many years the director of the music department at Mood Bible Institute. "Grace Greater than Our Sin" first appeared in Towner's compilation, Hymns Tried and True, 1911.

After the ministry of prayer
John Brewer and Cederick Johnson will sing the song "Everything" by Lifehouse.
Click here to listen to the song

Click here to learn more about how this group was formed.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2001/006/22.28.html

Here is the bands website.
http://www.lifehousemusic.com/

Here is some more information on the group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifehouse_(band)

"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. Today's' trivia question is two fold "How tall was Isaac Watts and where is his tomb?" Email the correct answer to mark@firsthurst.com - first correct answer receives a $10.00 Blockbuster Video card.
Here is Jennie's myspace:
Jeff's Sermon Sunday
"Escape From Temptation in a Sinful Culture"
2 Peter 1:3-4 (Genesis 7:7; 1 Corinthians 10:12-13) 2 Timothy 2:26
Offertory this Sunday will include a preview of "Operation Back to School 2007"
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