Worship Songs for November 22

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE
Worship Songs
November 22, 2009

"In The Sanctuary"

This song of praise was written by Kurt Carr. Singer, songwriter, producer and musician, Kurt Carr is one of the most celebrated talents of our time. Kurt is a Dove-award winner who has been responsible for some of the most well-known Gospel songs, including "The Presence of The Lord", "In the Sanctuary", "For Every Mountain", and "God Blocked It", to name just a few. At the age of 13, Kurt was inspired by gospel greats such as Walter Hawkins, James Cleveland, and Andrae Crouch. Carr attended the University of Connecticut in his hometown of Hartford, CT, graduating with a degree in fine arts and a newfound appreciation of classical music. He was mentored by the classically-trained gospel legend Richard Smallwood, who broadened the young student's horizons to include elements of different musical styles in his compositions and whom Carr still highly respects. In 1986, Carr joined with Reverend James Cleveland and his ensemble, acting as pianist and musical director until the reverend's death in 1991. He formed the Kurt Carr Singers in the early ‘90s, releasing several albums such as: 'Serious About It', 'No One Else', 'Awesome Wonder' which went gold, selling over 500,000 units, and 'One Church' which won him a Dove award and was nominated for a Grammy award. He is back again with his incomparable singers with his latest double CD, 'Just The Beginning' which contains the hot new single "Peace and Favor".

Click here to learn more about Kurt Carr:
www.myspace.com/kurtcarrgospel

Click here to worship along with Kurt Carr:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY88RiXfzU8

Click here to purchase the song:


“Redeemed”

The word redeemed implies the idea of a slave standing on the trader's auction block being offered to the highest bidder. At last the price is paid by a compassionate new owner, who then gives the slave his unconditional freedom. But the freed slave, out of gratitude to his new owner, offers himself as a loving bond servant for life to his redeemer.

This popular gospel song by Fanny Crosby first appeared with William Kirkpatrick's jubilant tune in the hymnal Songs of Redeeming Love, published in 1882. It is another of the more than 8,000 hymns by the blind American poetess, Fanny Jane Crosby, the most important writer of gospel hymn texts in American history.

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed thru. His infinite mercy
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus;
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

I think of my blessed Redeemer.
I think of Him all the day long;
I sing for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose law I delight,
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps
And giveth me songs in the night.

Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed, His child, and forever, I am.

Click here for a jazz arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNxhcuVodBs

Click here to purchase “Redeemed”:

Worship Songs for November 15

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE
Worship Songs
November 15, 2009

"There is Power in the Blood"

This hymn was written by Lewis E. Jones.

Born: February 8, 1865, Yates City, Illinois.
Died: September 1, 1936, Santa Barbara, California.
Buried: Altoona Walnut Grove Cemetery, Etowah County, Alabama.

A classmate of evangelist Billy Sunday, Jones attended the Moody Bible Institute. After graduation, he worked for the Young Men’s Christian Association in Davenport, Iowa; Fort Worth, Texas (1915); and Santa Barbara, California (1925). Hymn-writing was his avocation. Lewis E. Jones wrote this song in 1899. Jones wrote this song at a camp meeting at Mountain Lake Park, Maryland.

Click here for a gospel arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=im1Mgg7Dz-g

Click here to worship along with Mahalia Jackson:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaNUzh1dVPw

Click here to purchase the Bart Millard version:


"He Knows My Name"

This worship song was written by Tommy Walker. Tommy shared in a recent interview his conversion and call experience:

When I was 11 years old – that was a very big year in my life. That's when I gave my heart to the Lord, and I started playing guitar. This group Love Song, which was one of the first Christian rock bands of all time, was touring through town. That night they were in my living room, and Chuck Girard – the piano player – was playing my mom's baby grand piano, and we were singing a few songs together. It was one of those moments. I said, "That's it. That's who I want to be when I grow up." It was actually a very profound moment. It's through worship music that God really touched me and spoke to me. It's only natural I'd pursue that.

The following is how Tommy wrote the song:

The story of how “He Knows My Name” was written is not very exciting, nor is it inspirational. Basically it’s a story of just trying to be faithful to do my job. In that way, it is a story of self-discipline. Let’s just say, routine discipline stories are far from riveting. However, the fruit of the smallest act of discipline and obedience can be quite another story altogether. When my pastor, Mark Pickerall, wrote a sermon with the title “He Knows My Name,” he asked me if I could write a song to go with it. I felt utterly uninspired that day; but out of the discipline of song writing, which is part of my job description, I dug in and gave it a shot. I remember thinking as the words and music began to come to me, “Wow, this is the simplest song I’ve ever written. Maybe it will work in kids’ church”. Well, I went ahead and finished it – something all songwriters struggle to do when something isn’t coming out just right. And like a good, obedient, somewhat disciplined worship leader, I taught it to my church and basically, nothing happened.
A few months later, the women of my church sang it at their women’s retreat and suddenly God moved. They told me that a sense of the love of God entered the room in such a powerful way that many of them were weeping and experiencing all kinds of inner healing. When I heard this, I thought maybe I should give this song one more try. The following weekend, we sang it at church and sure enough, it happened:  People began to weep. But the funny part is that I also began to weep. God was speaking so intimately to me, reminding me that He knew my name and was concerned about the things that concerned me. *(pg. 3, He Knows My Name – Tommy Walker, Integrity Press)

Click here to read more about Tommy Walker:
http://www.tommywalker.net/

Click here to listen to Tommy’s music on his myspace site:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=97429791

Click here to worship along with the Promise Keepers worship team:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60

Click here to purchase “He Knows My Name”:

Worship Songs for November 8

We're excited to share "City On Its' Knees" with our church this Sunday - it's a great reminder that we need to reach our cities and communities through prayer.  Everyone we meet needs prayer of some kind.  It's amazing when we ask someone, maybe a waiter at a restaurant, "How can I pray for you?", there is always a need and they are always receptive to it.  I challenge you to do it - next time you are out to eat and about to say the blessing over the food, ask your server how you can pray for them.  You will be encouraged by the result!  It's a simple way to "live a life of love".  May it be!

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE
Worship Songs
November 8, 2009

“City On Its’ Knees”

Jeff Richfield shares the following about how this song came about:

In the summer of 2000, after I had lost my business, I had found God in a new way. I was inspired to write a book about the cities of the earth kneeling in prayer, calling upon the Lord to send a great awakening of revival across our land. The book is called, "A City on its' Knees." The song came out of that title as I cried out to God in the woods out at our Camp Eagles Landing. The Lord breathed on it, and many people came to sing on the chorus, and help record it. The first time the song was performed live was in 2001 at our nation's capitol at the National Day of Prayer, DC! As the day came to an end the band played the song, and it began raining. The event host then saw a rainbow on the horizon and she declared, "Look, God really loves this song!" Then came 911, and as I looked back at the course of events that led to the formation of the song and book, I felt the Lord say to me, "See, Jeff, I foretold you of the events to take place, and am using this song”.

Click here to purchase “City on its' Knees”:


“Crown Him With Many Crowns”

This worshipful text is the combined effort of two distinguished Anglican clergymen, each of whom desired to write a hymn of exaltation to our suffering but now victorious Lord.
Matthew Bridges' version first appeared in 1851 with six stanzas. Twenty-three years later, Godfrey Thring wrote six additional stanzas, which appeared in his collection Hymns and Sacred Lyrics. The hymn's present forrn includes stanzas one, two, and four by Bridges and the third verse by Thring.

Each crown in this hymn text exalts Christ for some specific aspect of His person or ministry:
(1) Stanza one for His eternal Kingship;
(2) Stanza two for His love demonstrated in redemptive suffering;
(3) Stanza three for His victorious resurrection and ascension, and
(4) Stanza four as a member of the Triune Godhead ever worthy of worship and praise.

The tune, DIADERNATA (the Greek word for crowns), was composed especially for this text by George Elvey, a noted organist at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England, where British royalty often attend.

Click here to read more about this hymn: http://songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/crown-him-with-many-crowns

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdK4lzg8gsU 

Click here for another arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWCEFKsZqLY

Click here to purchase the song:

Worship Songs for October 25

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE Worship Songs
October 25, 2009

“I Have a Hope”

I have a hope, I have a future
I have a destiny that is yet awaiting me
My life’s not over, a new beginning’s just begun
I have a hope, I have this hope


God has a plan, it’s not to harm me
But it’s to prosper me and to hear me when I call
He intercedes for me, working all things for my good
Though trials may come I have this hope

I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer
I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life
He takes my darkness and He turns it into light
I will yet praise Him, my Lord my God


My God is for me, He’s not against me
So tell me whom then, tell me whom then shall I fear
He has prepared for me
Great works He’ll help me to complete
I have a hope, I have this hope


Goodness and mercy, they’re gonna follow me
And I’ll forever dwell in the house of my great King
No eye has ever seen all He’s preparing there for me
Though trials may come, I have this hope

There’s still hope for me today
‘Cause the God heaven loves me

Tommy Walker has led worship at Christian Assembly in Los Angeles, California with his pastor, Mark Pickerill, since 1990. He has traveled with Promise Keepers, Greg Laurie Harvest Crusades, and Franklin Graham.

He has also been privileged to serve with such church leaders as Jack Hayford, Bill Hybels, and Rick Warren. He has recorded worship projects for Maranatha! Music, Integrity Music, and Get Down Ministries.

He has written over 100 songs that are currently being tracked by C.C.L.I. and are being sung in churches around the world, including "He Knows My Name", "Only A God Like You", "That's Why We Praise Him", "Lord, I Believe In You", "Mourning Into Dancing", "Break Through", and "This is What Christmas Means to Me".

For the last decade, Tommy has traveled internationally holding worship concerts and mercy-ministry outreaches in places where people are in great need. He has led his worship team to the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Guatemala, Zambia and Brazil.

Tommy has been married to his wife, Robin, for seventeen years. They have four children, Jake, Levi, Emmie and Eileen. To be found faithful to His God, his family and his local church will always be his greatest achievement.

Click here to learn more about Tommy Walker:
http://www.tommywalker.net/
Play the song on Tommy’s myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=97429791

Click here to worship along with Tommy Walker:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcjhNjO_l5o

Click here to purchase Tommy Walker's version:


“The Wonderful Cross”

ISAAC WATTS and CHRIS TOMLIN

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. The past meets the present.

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

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

You can listen to more of Chris Tomlin's 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:
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.

Click here to purchase Chris Tomlin’s arrangement:

Planning Center Tutorial

Volunteer Training from Planning Center on Vimeo.

Worship Songs for October 18

This Sunday we begin a studies in Ephesians 5.  Ephesians 4 and 5 are such encouraging words for all of us - if we would only listen to these words and follow them, the world would be such a better place!  Listen to some of these great exhortations from Paul:

"Live a life worthy of your calling."
"Be completely humble and gentle, bearing with one another in love."
"Make every effort to keep the unity."
"Speak the truth in love."
"Do not let the sun go down on your anger."
"Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what will build up."
"Get rid of all bitterness, anger, and slander."
"Be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other."
"Be imitators of God."
"Be filled with the Spirit."
"Be careful how you live, as wise, making the most of every opportunity."
"Live a life of love."

Wow - I could live on those words for years!  What a better place this world would be if we followed these!  I love the last command, it sums up all the rest:  "Live a life of love.  WALK IN LOVE."  Ask yourself, "How can I walk in love today?"

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE
Worship Songs
October 18, 2009

"The Solid Rock"

The name of Edward Mote does not often rest on the lips of the church today in the same fashion as Fanny J. Crosby, B.B. McKinney, Ira Sankey, or other greats in hymnody. However, the testimony of his life is one that should inspire all Christians. Mote was not brought up in a godly home and did not have the advantage of early exposure to Scripture. In fact, his parents managed a pub in London and often neglected young Edward, who spent most of his Sundays playing in the city streets. Of his theological upbringing, he said “So ignorant was I that did not know that there was a God.”
Eventually Mote became exposed to the Word of God, and was baptized at the age of 18. This event, however, did not send Mote immediately into the ministry. He was apprenticed to become a cabinetmaker, a career which he successfully conducted for another 37 years. Eventually, at the age of 55, he became pastor of a Baptist church in Horsham, Sussex, where he did not miss a Sunday in the pulpit for the next 21 years. He resigned from this pastorate in 1873 due to ill health, and died the following year at the age of 77.
It was with this background that Mote wrote the hymn we have today, "The Solid Rock." It was during his career as a cabinetmaker that the hymn came into being. One morning in 1834 as he was walking to work, it entered his mind to write a hymn. By the time he got to work, he had the chorus. He wrote four more verses over the course of that day and two additional verses before he was finished.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

"In the day I had four first verses complete, and wrote them off. On the Sabbath following I met brother King as I came out of Lisle Street Meeting…who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her. I had an early tea, and called afterwards. He said that it was his usual custom to sing a hymn, read a portion, and engage in prayer, before he went to meeting. He looked for his hymn-book but could find it no where. I said, ‘I have some verses in my pocket; if she liked, we would sing them.’ We did, and his wife enjoyed them so much, that after service he asked me, as a favor, to leave a copy of them for his wife. I went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote the whole off, and took them to sister King…As these verses so met the dying woman’s case, my attention to them was the more arrested, and I had a thousand printed for distribution."

Click here to listen to an arrangement by the Cadet sisters:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJnb3l9UuYU&feature=related

Here is a gospel arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGv-2Yb8a4&feature=related

Here is a more traditional arrangement of the song on organ:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGv-2Yb8a4&feature=related

Click here to purchase “The Solid Rock”:


"The Lord Reigns"

Here is Klaus' testimony in his own words:

"There are moments in each person’s life that shape us and cause us to change our course. One such moment in my life happened in the spring of 2003 at an “Encounter” event in Mexico. I attended the conference to help with worship and ended up with an encounter that would change my life. The word I received that weekend from Lindell Cooley was that I had not been forgotten, the Lord had need of me in this hour, and that a fountain for the nations was about to open up.
Soon after, I received an invitation to be the Worship Leader at Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. From the fall of 2003 through the spring of 2005, I had the privilege of entering into the presence each morning with about 1,000 students who were hungry to see God move in their life. That season also opened up the opportunity to produce two CFNI Worship projects,"Glorious" and "Overtaken".
I was born in Germany, but by the time I was ten, my family ended up in Canada after several years in Chicago and Michigan. At the age of five, I began taking piano lessons and continued training in classical and jazz until I was about 18. I remember hearing Keith Green for the first time and being captivated by the sound of his heart. A lot of other influences weighed in to shape my musical mindset.
In 1984, I left Canada and moved to Dallas, Texas to attend Christ For The Nations Institute. Soon after graduating, I married Julie, who is an amazing woman and my best friend. We have three children, Candace, 11, Aaron Judah, 2, and Olivia Grace, born June 20th of last year.
After a number of years in music ministry in Plano, Texas, we felt a season of change coming into our lives. In 1995, I left the church where I was leading worship and began getting involved with real estate and remodeling homes. Through the years I have continued traveling and leading worship while building custom homes in McKinney, Texas.
In the spring of 2005, I left Christ For The Nations and started Pure Worship Ministries. We are producing worship that I believe touches the heart of God and ministers to His people. The best is yet to come."

Click here to learn more about Klaus Kuehn:
http://www.klausmusic.com/

Click here to listen online:
www.imeem.com/atst/music/c1gewWR1/klaus_kuehn_the_lord_reigns/

Click here to worship along with Klaus:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaWrJtY4fYY&feature=related  

Click here to purchase “The Lord Reigns”:

Worship Songs for October 11

This Sunday is going to be fun - we're singing in Spanish!  Well, at least we'll try, on a few choruses.  We will have a guest worship team from Venezuela visiting with us, and they will join our worship team in leading us.  We'll sing most everything in English, but we'll let our Venezuelan brothers and sisters lead us in Spanish on a few sections.  It will be different, but exciting.  These are passionate worshipers, and I can't wait to include them with us.  This will be part of our IMPACT YOUR WORLD Missions emphasis on Sunday - we will all be challenged to reach out around the world with the love of God.  Come ready to be challenged and to respond!

First Baptist Church of Euless – BEHIND THE PRAISE
Worship Songs
October 11th, 2009

“How Great Thou Art”

The history of the hymn "How Great Thou Art" begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to "How Great Thou Art" begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made. . . Can you imagine what Boberg felt as he formed these words? There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace.

This poem, titled "O Store Gud (O Great God)" was published in 1891 in Witness of the Truth, the weekly newspaper that Boberg edited. It was later translated in German. In 1927, it was published in a Russian version of the German text.

"How Great Thou Art" was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks.

Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song. Giving God all praise, glory, and honor for who He is -- the Creator of this universe.

Click here to see the different arrangements available from Elvis Presley, Alan Jackson, The Grand Ole Opera, Sandy Patti, Crystal Lewis, and David Phelps.
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+great+thou+art+&search_type=

Click here to purchase Carrie Underwood’s version:


"You Are Good"

Nearly Disposed - Israel Houghton's Testimony

"My mother became pregnant at the age of 17 in Waterloo, Iowa. You can imagine how this is shaping up. She was given the choice of a back-alley abortion or being disowned by her family. Thank God she chose the latter. Ultimately, she was disowned, abandoned by my biological father, and ended up in San Diego, California. Picture this. It was 1971 and my mother was 8 months pregnant, all alone, thousands of miles from home, and forced to enter reality unprepared. Pretty bleak. One day while walking down the street, a lady pulled up in her Volkswagen Bug, got out, and respectfully yet boldly, began to share the Gospel with her. Words of life and hope began to overtake the words of rejection and abandonment she had grown accustomed to. There on a street corner, she ended up on her knees and cried out to God-committing her life to Jesus Christ. The lady gave her a bible and that's how I got my name. My mother started reading at page one and well, you know-you have a bible, my name's on every page!
I'm often asked by skeptics or the stoic, why I'm as passionate about worshiping God as I am. The answer is simple for me. In this age of disposable relationships, I could have easily become a statistic and at best, a distant memory of a youthful mistake. Instead, a Sovereign God rescued my mother and me and gave us hope, a future, and a testimony of the providence of God. The very least I can do is enter into His gates with fresh thanksgiving, His courts with a passionate praise, and eventually bow before His throne in intimate worship. As far as leading worship goes (which is my passion and calling), I now realize that there have been demands put on me from every part of my experience since day one - culturally, emotionally, musically, and more. So things tend to sound cross-cultural, cross-denominational, and cross-generational. I like to call it, "The Sound of New Breed Worship." I tend to lead from an internal platform founded in Psalm 124:2, "If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side"....where in the world would I be? In an age of disposable relationships, maybe we should be asking ourselves that question a lot more often. I am confident that we would worship with far more conviction, intensity, and overwhelmed gratitude if we did. It is my delight to encourage you today."

Israel leads a worship band called New Breed - here's their website.  You can listen to portions of the songs they sing, including "You Are Good":
www.newbreedmusic.com/

Click here to learn more about Israel Houghton:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Houghton

Click here to worship along with Israel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAGZ8HmiWCM

Click here to see Israel singing "You Are Good" in concert:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCpy1Bg255A&feature=related

Click here to purchase “You Are Good”: