reading list

links

  • Mahaney
  • Living The Cross Centered Life:
    Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing

    C.J. Mahaney
    Multnomah Books, 2006
    ISBN 978-1-59052-578-4
  • carson

  • Worship by the Book

    D.A. Carson Editor
    David C Cook Publishing
    ISBN 978-1-4347-6795-0
  • Best

  • Music Through the Eyes of Faith

    Harold M. Best
    Harper Collins, 1993
    ISBN 0-06-060862-5
  • Chan
  • Forgotten God: Reversing Our
    Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit

    Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski
    David C Cook Publishing
    ISBN 978-1-4347-6795-0
  • Kauflin

  • Worship Matters

    Bob Kauflin
    Crossway, 2008
    ISBN 978-1-58134-824-8
  • davis

  • Let It Rise

    Holland Davis
    Bridge-Logos
    ISBN 978-0-88270-982-6
  • Piper
  • Desiring God:
    Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

    John Piper
    Multnomah Books, 1996
    ISBN 0-88070-869-7
  • Piper

  • The Pleasures of God

    John Piper
    Multnomah Books, 1996
  • Packer

  • Knowing God

    J.I. Packer
    InterVarsity Press, 1993
    ISBN 0-8308-1650-X
  • Gruden

  • Systematic Theology

    Wayne Gruden
    Zondervan, 1994
  • Kraeuter
  • The Worship Leader’s Handbook:
    Practical Answers to Tough Questions

    Tom Kraeuter
    Emerald Books, 2007
    ISBN 978-1-932096-42-2
  • Radmacher

  • Salvation

    Earl D. Radmacher
    Word Publishing, 2000
    ISBN 0-8499-1374-8
  • Piper
  • To Know You More:
    Cultivating the Heart of the Worship Leader

    Andy Park
    InterVarsity Press, 2002
    ISBN 0-8308-2320-4
  • Piper

  • Future Grace

    John Piper
    Multnomah Books, 1996
    ISBN 0-88070-739-9
  • Blanchard

  • Lead Like Jesus

    Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
    Tomas Nelson, 2005
    ISBN 978-0-8499-1872-8
  • Wilkes

  • Jesus on Leadership

    C. Gene Wilkes
    Tyndale House, 1998
    ISBN 0-8423-1863-1
  • Wright

  • For All God’s Worth

    N.T. Wright
    Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997
    ISBN 0-8028-4319-0
  • Eldredge

  • Walking with God

    John Eldredge
    Thomas Nelson, 2008
    ISBN 978-0-7852-0696-5

I Want To Know You
I Would Do Anything
Your Beloved
My Rock (Sovereign Lord)
You Remain
How Amazing
We Exalt You

 

God Of All Splendor

 

Song Story

Your Beloved

When I finished “Your Beloved”, I had no idea of the exposure and longevity it would have in churches across the country and in the Christian community at large. I simply wrote a song that expressed my heart to God in that specific season of my life and I honestly hoped that it might be a blessing to the local church I was serving in at the time. It quickly became one of my favorite songs and truly appeared to have a significant impact at my church.

Then in 1996, “Your Beloved” became one of the first of my songs that Vineyard Music published and they featured on a worship CD called “Jesus Lead On”. At that point I realized that this song would not only minister to my local church but that it would have the opportunity to minister to worshipers from across the country and even in other parts of the world.

Over the years, I have received many e-mails, letters and messages from people expressing how much this song has blessed them and how God has used it to minister to them personally or to someone they know. The song has been recorded by a number of other musicians and artists as well used in weddings, anniversary celebrations, and even funerals. To be honest, this reality still amazes me and I am continually reminded of how incredible God truly is. He chooses to take simple things, such as a song, and use it for His glory.

The inspiration for the song originated out of a study that I was doing through the book of Job. Near the end of the book, God responds to Job’s questions in a multi-verse passage where He expounds upon the greatness of who He truly is and paints incredible imagery of His awesome creative powers in establishing the universe and creating all living things. What an inspiring and moving section of Scripture. In fact, through God’s revelation of Himself in these verses Job is cut to the quick and begins to repent and worship God. The end result is that God blesses and restores Job as he humbles himself and worships hi God.

I was awestruck by the interplay between Job’s call to God in the midst of his pain, woundedness and questions and God’s response with a revelation of His character and nature. Then just whenit seemed that the weight of God’s revelation was about to absolutely crush Job’s spirit, Job cried out to God in repentance and recognition of God’s greatness, and God heard his cry. God lovingly restores Job and blesses Him immensely. Job was beloved child of God and as he saw and understood the revelation and majesty of God he bowed, humbled himself, and worshiped. The response of God to Job’s humility and worship was to draw near and bless his beloved creation, Job.

These truths became the substance for the lyrics of Your Beloved. The first section focuses on the revelation of God’s greatness and moves to a pre-chorus that states the tension between the majesty of God and our comparative unworthiness. The chorus brings resolve with the truth that we are God’s beloved, His creation, the ones that He has called as chosen for His Kingdom and that He is unashamed to call us His beloved.