Those who know me well will know that those things I love, I love with all my heart, and that which I hate, I hate with all my heart. So it is no surprise to any who follow this blog with some regularity that I have a deep love and appreciation for Kate Simmond's ministry in worship. We've had a horrible few nights at the hospital with some very sick kids which has been quite upsetting. Tonight is quieter and so it has been great to work through some of Kate's lyrics to her beautiful songs and to read some of the background behind the inspiration for those powerful songs that have so affected Newfrontiers and indeed a wider sphere. Here's some of my favourites. It's interesting to note the influence that Terry Virgo has had over each of them.
BUILD YOUR HOUSE
We want to build the house of God
We want to be all
You've made us to be
To live as children of promise, to fulfil our destiny
We want to be a house of mercy
To love the lost and the broken and poor
Increase our love for each other and bless our unity,
Lord Train us to be a mighty army
Standing shoulder to shoulder, as one
Filled with the power of your Spirit, standing on the Word of God
We are a church of the nations
As we reach out to the ends of the earth
Taking the light of Your gospel, making disciples of Christ
Build Your house, O God, let Your will be done
Build Your house, O God, let Your kingdom come
Lord, fill our lives with Your passion And fill this house with the worship of God
A fragrance lifted to heaven, an offering pleasing to You
Make this a gateway to heaven
Where the people come in and declare,
"Surely God is among you, surely God is in this place!"
Copyright Kate Simmonds 2002 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
ABOUT THE SONG:
In the sleeve notes to 'Heart & Soul', I dedicated this song to Terry Virgo, who heads up the New Frontiers International (NFI) group of churches. My husband Miles and I have known Terry for many years. He heads up a great work around the world and many times I have felt so privileged to be leading worship at large NFI events where people have gathered from around the globe, and to sit under his teaching. I really am passionate about building the house of God - Jesus is coming back for His church so it is of the utmost importance to Him! I wrote this song - it's really a prayer - in about five or ten minutes, these words just came straight out. I dedicated it to Terry because I realised that my values about God's church and His kingdom had been built deeply into me over the years - through many great ministries, but Terry Virgo's in particular. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain" [Ps 127:1] When Jacob awoke, he thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it. … How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." [Genesis 28:16-17]
IN HIM I HAVE BELIEVED
In Him I have believed, on this my hope now rests
That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!
The all-surpassing joy of knowing Christ my Lord
The former things, I count them all as loss
Called out of darkness into Your goodness
We are Your children, chosen in Christ!
Now in Your family, heirs of the promise
To Your purpose on the earth I give my life
A people born of God, united by Your call
One faith, one Lord, one Father of us all
Joined with bonds of love, and planted in Your house
We worship You with hearts and lives poured out
Let us go on in the power of Your Spirit
Taking Your gospel to all the world!
Declaring Your wisdom, our great commission,
That Jesus Christ has come to save the lost!
Whatever trials may come, in faith,
Lord, help us stand For righteousness and justice in our land
What fear can hold us now?
We run toward the prize
Our lives already crucified with Christ
Through every nation, Your kingdom advances
Who can extinguish this spreading flame?
Through tribulations, we’ll stand on Your promise:
‘I will build My Church and hell will not prevail!’
And on that final day, the citizens of heaven
Called out to be the new Jerusalem
In multitudes will bow before the throne of God:
One nation called from every tribe and tongue
Great celebration! The glorious union:
The Lion of Judah and the pure, spotless Bride!
All of creation waits for this moment
All your promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ!
Kate Simmonds 2004 Thankyou Music
ABOUT THE SONG:
I wanted to write a song about the Church and the Kingdom of God. Verse three, in particular, was inspired by teaching given by Terry Virgo from the book of Acts. Christians in many nations of course already endure terrible persecution but for Christians in the UK this has not yet become our day to day reality. However, in days when people increasingly feel that truth is 'whatever you want it to be', it will become more of a challenge for us to stand us for what we believe in. Within the lyric as a whole I tried to encapsulate the many different aspects of what the Church is, for example, that we are called and chosen people who came as individual converts but now realise we are part of Christ's worldwide body, a community of faith with a great mission and an incredible destiny.
HOLY GOD (FAITHFUL, MIGHTY, GLORIOUS)
Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23
Holy God, generations know Your promises
Your covenant of love
Lord of all, every promise made
You remain faithful to fulfil
For Your ways are holy
And Your name is worthy:
All honour and glory belong to You
For You are Faithful, mighty, glorious
Awesome and victorious
Beautiful and wonderful,
Lord Now are hearts are resolute
Our confidence is all in You
Everything is possible, O Lord, my Lord
When troubles come, when life overwhelms
You are Lord, You are in control I trust in You, for in my darkest day
You remain worthy of my praise!
For Your ways are higher
And Your arm is stronger
And Your rest is sweeter than any other You are ...
Kate and Miles Simmonds 2003 Thankyou Music/MCPS
ABOUT THE SONG:
This song is all about trusting God. It had quite a long 'gestation' and I started writing it during a period when we were trying to sell one property and buy the house we felt God had promised us. This all took a hugely long time, but we were strengthened in our faith when we kept returning to scriptures about what God is like and His promises and His ability to do what seems otherwise impossible. As I was finishing the lyric, I came across a prophetic word that Terry Virgo had brought in our church a while ago, encouraging us to "Be resolute in your spirit. Glorify Me by your confidence in Me. Put stakes in the ground and don't keep going over old ground, or old thought patterns..." "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfil?"
Numbers 23:19 "Know therefore, that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands." Deuteronomy 7:9 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him" Jeremiah 17:7 "With God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26 "Everything is possible for Him who believes" Mark 9:23
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