I was attending the Christian Resource Exhibition last year at Sandown Park - it’s one of those events I like to go to as it’s a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. I am fairly partial to attending networking opportunities as I see myself as a ‘connector’.

I wasn’t aware of the program for the day upon my arrival but after a quick scan through the guide to what was taking place, I saw a seminar that grabbed my attention. ‘THE FUTURE OF WORSHIP MUSIC’. As someone dedicating an substantial number of hours every week to pioneering a new worship music community, it would have been rude of me not to attend.

A couple of hundred seats were set out but only a couple of dozen people were in attendance to hear Les Moir from Integrity, worship leader Mark Beswick and church leader Chris Demetriou.

I have a lot of time for Les. He’s a man with a heart for serving songwriters and has helped to develop some of the most significant worship songwriters in the world. Chris oozes encouragement and Mark hits the nail on the head by affirming that God is wanting to give songwriters a message from His heart and not just a platform for them to sing from. They talked about ‘the new song’ and referenced Psalm 40.

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

and put their trust in him.

⁴ Blessed is the one

As the panel were speaking (and a lady in-front of me was snoring very loudly… true story!), I had a melody that came to me. It was a strange moment as there wasn’t any music playing, however I felt it was inspired. At the end the session, there was the opportunity to ask questions. My question was ‘would you mind if I share this song that just came to me’... so I borrowed someone’s guitar and busked out a few lines.

Mark Beswick encouraged me to work on the idea but I was too lazy to do that so I sent it to Nick Law to have a look at. He suggested a few lines for the verses and rejigged the chorus and voilà, here it is!

This scripture is one of our foundational scriptures for Homegrown Worship. I gave my life to God at a Delirious? gig in 1996 when I was twelve years old. My wife Emily gave her commitment at an Ishmael praise party when she was primary school-age and Philippa Hanna who I’ve worked with for a long long time ‘prayed the prayer’ at a Godfrey Birtill worship evening. The common theme I see is that God put a new song on the heart of each of these musical ministers… each were pioneers in their fields of ministry doing something different musically to the status quo in the church.

It’s time for the new song to rise… new songs aren’t just for functional use for our Sunday morning services. New songs draw people to put their trust in the Lord - so lets get writing!

Andy Baker, Chief Enthusiast, Homegrown Worship