Weddings do hold a great fascination for human kind. They consist of great joys, traditions, promises, losses and gains, endings and beginnings. They transport us through time, looking back, looking forward, remembering those who have gone before and those yet to come. They tie us to our families and they unite what once was separate. They provide hope as we express faith and love. They amplify our faith to the witnesses who gather, as we are reminded of the Great Designer’s plan for human kind to be joined as one, to live in love and commitment to one another. At my daughter’s wedding yesterday, I was reminded by the best man (in his humorous yet poignant speech) that a wedding day poses a great question to Christian couples: will this relationship honour Christ? The day is the question. The marriage is the answer.
“When our musicians, instruments, lighting, and technology aren’t impressive, we can wonder why people would come to our church. They come because we have something the world doesn’t: the amazing news that Jesus Christ died in the place of lost, rebellious sinners to reconcile them to God. Music, no matter how great it is, can’t raise a dead soul to life. The gospel can and does. Your church may never come close musically to what the church down the street does or what people listen to on their iPhones. That’s okay. Faithfully preach, sing, and explain the gospel and you’ll see lives changed.“
If you need songs for a series on Ephesians, here is the list we worked from. Make sure you check out ‘Oh the Mercy of God‘ which is Ephesians 1 in song – a great place to start!
Amazing Grace (original hymn or Tomlin’s My Chains are Gone)
Beautiful Saviour (Stuart Townend)
By Faith (Getty & Townend)
By Our Love (Christy Nockles)
Come people of the Risen King (Getty)
Faithful are your mercies Lord (Hosanna)
From the Inside Out (Hillsong)
Grace has now appeared (EMU music)
Glories of Calvary (Sovereign Grace)
God of Grace (Getty)
Hear our Praises (Hillsong)
Holding on to Me (Garage Hymnal)
How Great is your love, O Lord (Hosanna)
I’m Forgiven (You are my King – BJ Foote)
I will Rise (Hillsong)
In Christ Alone (Getty and Townend)
Made Alive (by Citizens and Saints – Mars Hill Music)
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”(Hebrews 6:19 NLT)
There is a unique perspective offered in this song, sung by Lauren Daigle: that we stand in and on our hope in the Rock of Christ. It is all about Him. He is the source of our hope, the anchor of hope. The grace that comes to us in Him, both in what He has done and will do, provides an unshifting hope, more valuable than any material thing the world offers. We can stand our ground and maintain our hope only because Christ gives us the strength to do so. This strength comes in His Spirit, living in us. He is completely trustworthy – our salvation is complete in the Cross of Christ. I trust this song will be a blessing to you today!
O’ Lord
Verse 1
Though time it seems like I’m coming undone
This walk can often feel lonely
No matter what until this race is won
Pre-Chorus
I will stand my ground Where hope can be found
I will stand my ground Where hope can be found
Chorus
O Lord O Lord I know you hear my cry Your love is lifting me above all the lies No matter what I face this I know in time You’ll take all that is wrong and make it right You’ll take all that is wrong and make it right
Verse 2
Your strength is found at the end of my rope
Your grace it reaches to the hurting
Still through the tears and the questioning why
Bridge
Make it right, Make it right right
I will stand my ground
I will stand my ground
“If you really see and feel your helplessness and God’s deliverance, you will be amazed that you are a Christian. You will be amazed that your heart inclines to the beauty of Christ. You will be amazed at every good resolve, and every impulse to praise, and every good deed.”
Following on my recent conundrum about keys, capos and congregations I’d like to explore the dilemma I am having with this great Chris Tomlin song, and the best key to sing it in at church. Firstly, have a listen and read the words (on the video, or scroll to the end):
In this version, it is played with Capo 4 in G, which means that, at pitch, they are singing in key of B (which has five sharps – the reason they are using a capo).
Since the lyrics of this song are just too good to pass up, we found the best way around the issue of the range, is to sing it in D. This means the range of the melody falls between D and A, which most people can manage! Unfortunately, it also means that the melody in the chorus ends up lower than it is in the verse – but in order for the greatest number of people to sing it well together (which is the point), we decided to go this way. It seems to be working well!
A few other thoughts about this Key choice:
1. If you are into adding harmonies with backing singers, you can easily add some harmonies above the melody in the chorus (a third or 5th above). You could even teach some to your congregation.
2. Some male singers could jump up the octave to help build a crescendo in part of a verse or chorus. This could be modeled by your male song-leader.
Let me know how you go. Here are the lyrics again:
Jesus Son Of God
Verse 1
You came down from Heaven’s throne
This earth You formed was not Your home
A love like this the world had never known
A crown of thorns to mock Your name
Forgiveness fell upon Your face
A love like this the world had never known
Chorus
On the altar of our praise Let there be no higher name Jesus Son of God You laid down Your perfect life You are the sacrifice Jesus Son of God (You are Jesus Son of God)
Verse 2
You took our sin You bore our shame
You rose to life You defeated the grave
And a love like this the world has never known
‘Cause You took our sin You bore our shame
You rose to life You defeated the grave
A love like this the world has never known
Bridge
Be lifted higher than all You’ve overcome
Your name be louder than any other song
There is no power that can come against Your love
The cross was enough
The cross was enough
(The cross was enough)
(The cross was enough)
