A Church Where Freedom Reigns, A People Full of Grace

Occasionally there are worship song videos posted here, and I can’t think of a better time to do one than today, in light of all the reading we’ve had here this week.  If the videos aren’t your thing, this is a good day to carry on with parts 2, 3 and 4 of yesterday’s readings. 

Re. Yesterday:  For the record, I believe very definitely that “the buck stops” with the Bible as the final authority for those who follow Christ.  But I’m also understanding where the writer — an Eastern Orthodox person for whom tradition is placed in high regard — is coming from in reference to solo scriptura.  I hope that studying this material provides you with some things to think about.

The music video is from Eddie Kirkland from North Point Community Church.  This may not be your musical style, but listen once anyway and note the marriage of powerful (loud!) music with powerful (dynamic) lyrics.  This is a great opening song for any church that’s doing contemporary worship.

If you see something online that C201 readers should know about, be sure to click the “submissions” tab so that we can consider sharing your ‘find’ with everyone. If you have a blog of your own and have written something of a devotional nature or a Bible study nature that you’d like to see picked up here, click the same “submissions” tab.

Christianity 201 is a melting-pot of devotional and Bible study content from across the widest range of the Christian blogosphere.  An individual article may be posted even if some or all readers might not agree with other things posted at the same blog, and two posts may follow on consecutive days by authors with very different doctrinal perspectives.  The Kingdom of God is so much bigger than the small portion of it we can see from our personal vantage point, and one of the purposes of C201 is to allow readers a ‘macro’ view of the many ministries and individual voices available for reading.

Stuart Townend — There is a Hope

This is another song from the CD/DVD by Stuart Townend, There is a Hope. I have an extensive review running at Thinking Out Loud, which you can read here...but I also wanted to link back here for a video, since T.O.L. has a distinctive no-embedding policy in deference to people still on dial-up internet access.

For those of you arriving from T.O.L., welcome to Christianity 201.   There are a number of worship songs scattered throughout this blog which I hope you’ll take the time to find.

This is the song which opens the Stuart Townend album and the video.   In the U.K, Christian music compositions are known by their first line, so this is You’re The Word of God the Father.   In the U.S., pieces go by an actual title, so this is, Across the Lands.   Regular C-201 readers can also find the column about Stuart posted as a comment to this post.

You Are My King: Additional Verse

Nearly 20 years ago, the #1 worship song was “Majesty” by Jack Hayford. I always felt that the song needed more, so I wrote two additional verses to it. Someone suggested I sent a “courtesy copy” to Jack, and he was kind enough to write back a short note of encouragement, which I have always treasured. (Perhaps treasured too greatly, as I have now lost track as to where it was placed!) He also indicated that I was not the first person to do this; but that none of the various editions had been ‘officially’ adopted at Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA The congregation at our Alliance Church was willing to try them, and we used them at several other churches as well.

Last week I participated in an online discussion about adding verses to classic hymns, and today I discovered this second verse I wrote several years ago to the popular “You Are My King.” I actually wrote a third verse, too; but didn’t feel that it carried the style and quality of the other two, so I discarded it. Anyway, here it is. I also want to thank Sarah Barry who was leading worship at Carruther’s Creek Church in Ajax, Ontario the first time I heard the original version of this chorus. Though we’ve never met — I know her parents — the quality and passion of her worship leading is among the best in this part of the world.

I’m forgiven because you were forsaken
I’m accepted; you were condemned
I’m alive and well, your Spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be?
That you, my King, would die for me? Amazing love, I know it’s true
And it’s my joy to honor you
In all I do, I honor you

I am justified because of your atonement
I am guiltless; you took my place
I am free and clear because of grace and mercy
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be?…

~ First verse, chorus and tune by Billy James Foote; additional vs. by Paul Wilkinson… here’s the original without the added verse: