June 03, 2010

NEW SONGS

What an incredible past 2 months - Parachute Band, Watoto, Ashley Evans, Mothers day, Thank God its Friday with Andy Kubala.  Our Auditions, the first ever creative info lunch, Anzac Day, & Reach….. Phew!  Yet, in amongst all this, the best thing to come out of this time is the massive surge of new songs being written within the team!

Its clear God is moving in His people and He is giving us new songs to praise and worship Him with. His creativity is beginning to flow through us in a new way, bringing life through the power of word, chorus and melody. Never underestimate the power of the creative voice to give flesh to a thought, idea, concept or even LOVE.  God will use his creative people to tell his story on Earth! This is our call!

I have just been listening to Scott Wilson sessions on “the rise of the creative class” Touted as the next major social age.. Futurists suggest that the creative people are the people who will be the people of major influence in the future.

As Mark Getty in an issue of The Economist states. “Intellectual property is the oil of the 21st century,”

Whilst I am not surprised by this, it is encouraging to hear that the world is starting to recognize and value the power of creativity.. The Power of giving form to a thought or an idea. To give life to the unseen, unheard and unfelt.. The creative person will shape the world we live in and magnify, plus validate, what’s in their own heart..

So, if this is the future.. It is vital we as creative Christians ensure Christ is at the centre of all we do. If we are given a song that magnifies our heart to influence others, WE MUST submit it to christ.. So that it is GOD who is magnified.. not us. Because, ultimately.. we will be held accountable to how we influence & lead people in the world..

Paul in Colossians 3:12-17 understands the power of creative expression and instructs to church to engage in Gods word and in music as it has a direct impact on the manifest culture..
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
The outworking of Gods word in our Creativity is vital and is to be filled with thanks for all God has done for us in Christ.. The powerful union of truth, emotion plus gratitude is electric, and encourages one another to give our lives to him as Lord. From the joy of a love song, to the triumph of the winning team’s anthem, or the grief of a funeral hymn.  Songs affect us in a way that mere spoken words can’t.  They are emotional.  They fill our eyes with tears, or cause us to lift our hands with joy and celebration

Music has been at the heart of creation from the beginning of time, and has been the inescapable emotional response of God’s creatures to his goodness.  When God laid the foundations of the earth, “all the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).  And at the end of days, at the wedding feast of the Lamb, the great multitude will sing “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!” (Revelation 19:6)

Never forget, our creativity and songs are essential for carving out the future God has for us. For GIVING FLESH to the expression of our collective hearts, which builds and edifies the Body of Christ.