Verses 1-11: This scene is spectacular! It’s a gospel-scene that requires faith and meditation to fully appreciate because of the threat of familiarity breeding its ugly, callousing contempt in our hearts. There is concentrated wonder for us here but the devil lurks in the shadows to steal, kill and destroy because he knows that wonder is uniquely and inextricably linked to our satisfaction in God and our effectiveness in the world.
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Verses 1-26: This is the chapter, and the exact passage, that often pops up during worship training days and seminars – and so it should! Jesus gives the reading world a crash course in the radically changing nature of worship that He was actually in the process of orchestrating. (more…)
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given for writing songs is from a top, top guy called Steve Parsons who once gave me the analogy of moving into a new house and turning on the kitchen tap for the first time in months: initially as the water runs it can be muddy-brown and not fit for much; after a while it runs clear and the clarity comes allowing you (and others) to drink. (more…)
The final gig in God’s Great Dance Floor UK Tour kicked off last night in Edinburgh. It was beautiful, it was memorable, it was powerful, it was intimate and probably, for that reason, the best gig I’ve ever been to. Here’s a more intimate moment. (more…)
The brilliant brand new album from Rex Allchurch, Praise In My House, landed on social media and iTunes this week.
I’ve never met Rex before but, that he is a great man of the presence, I am sure – my awesome bro, Steve, has been friends with him for years.
Here are a series of stories of dear friends who have journeyed through their own valleys but who also have awesome testimonies of the faithfulness of Jesus constantly being with them. Thanks so much to Jo, Naomi, Andrew, Josh, Roger and Sheena who plucked up courage to go for it!
The video also explains a little about my deep desire to see our homes increasingly becoming our Head Quarters of radical prayer and worship where we retreat to be with Him together and from where we advance, filled with the Holy Spirit, full of faith and love, to reach those black and blue but who are without hope and without God in the world (what a terrible thought – see Ephesians 2:12)
Our stories shared from black and blue seasons in life can help us all stand on our bedrock foundation that “God Is With Us”. Why not share your own black and blue stories with others – when God has always been with you – they’re unique, powerful testimonies that will bring others much-needed sanity! (See: 2 Corinthians 1: 3-5)
We all know what it’s like to feel black and blue – battered by life, beaten up and bruised by stuff that we go through along our journey of faith. Sometimes we feel like we’re on our knees and that God’s no-where to be found. But He always comes through for us, and, whether we feel Him near or not, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.
My prayer for you watching this is that you would know the presence of Jesus with you wherever you’re currently at, whether mountain or valley, and that faith would arise in your heart that the very real, living and all-powerful Comforter is with you as you listen and sing your own new song.
The extended track with a powerful spontaneous “You’ve saved our souls, You’ve healed our hearts, You’ve helped our minds, You are the Christ” section at the end can be listened to by clicking on the link under the video
*apologies for technical issues we had on the night with vocal monitoring (this is very much “live”)
Special thanks to Beth Ward of Bob and Betty photography (bobandbetty.co.uk) and Joshua Carpenter of @joshcarpdrums for their help with this small glimpse of last week’s live worship from HTR, London.
Thanks also to: Mark Stevens for leading and vocals, Ben Patterson on bass, Connor Patterson on acoustic guitar and BVs, Shamuel Thomas on electric guitar, Josh Carpenter on kit, Jo Garcia on cello and Kate Thornton and Manuela Weikl for beautiful BVs. Final thanks to Andrew Cathcart on sound and Mairi Franks on AV
Last week here at Holy Trinity in Richmond we had the privilege of hosting my good friend Mark Stevens for 24 hours of worship training. Mark was previously on the worship team at Hillsong in Sydney Australia and, more recently, Creative Director at Life Church in Bradford until 2011. It was a joy for me to see Mark again after three years since I left Bradford myself in 2011 & to hear about all that God is doing in and through him. What a great guy! I encourage you check out his ministry and, especially his albums (the second of which will be released later this year) and his brand new book Strength For The Road. Please see: http://www.markstevensmusic.com/ (more…)
Have you ever caught your moustache in one of these?
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