Tuesday, 26 July 2022

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (12) - REVIVAL SONG

It has always been God’s intention to have a worshipping people. Psalm 117 says ‘Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.’ It’s something God wants. And it’s something that brings blessing to the worshipper. It’s John Piper who says ‘God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him’. And how better to be satisfied than through worship – communion with the One who made us.

It's no surprise that with the premium God puts on worship, worship itself is both a catalyst and a result of revival. The Welsh Revival of 1904 spread through song. The hymn ‘Here is love, vast as the ocean’ was particularly used by the Holy Spirit to spread revival fires.

In the earlier revivals of John Wesley and George Whitefield, song was again a key. In the mid-1700s not so many could read, so one way to remember scripture and key theology was to sing it, and that is exactly what happened. John Wesley’s brother Charles became the voice of the revival song, writing many classic hymns during this time such as ‘And can it be that I should gain?’, ‘Hark the herald angels sing’, ‘Love divine all loves excelling’, and ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’.

We are enjoying revival at Chroma Church Leicester right now, so again, it is no surprise that worship is at its centre. We have a band, Chroma Music, that are passionate to worship. And it has been recognised. They have just returned from Rotterdam, leading worship in a conference of 20,000 and seeing many lives changed.

If you have yet to hear their music, look them up on YouTube. Enjoy the revival songs.



2 comments:

Jamie Finlay said...

This is a great encouragement - fresh sounds of worship always seem to flow from revival.

I've had a song on my heart for the city of Leicester for a few weeks. It's not widely known, but it's full of faith for a move of God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unJv9qYwxYs

If it seems like we're going places we've never been
Like we've left all we know to chase a voice on the wind
We're not lost, we're just looking for You
If it looks like we've lost all composure and pride
If it feels like we've laid our restraint to the side
If we seem desperate, it's just 'cause it's true

If You're looking for a city, for a place to show Your glory
Look no further, we're available

If it sounds like Your kingdom's all we're talking about
If it sounds like we've tuned all the other noise out
We're just listening, we're just listening for You
And if our praise and our prayers seem outrageous and bold
If our worship gets too big for one building to hold
We're not making a show we're just making room


If You're looking for a city, for a place to show Your glory
Look no further, we're available

If You're searching for a people who are hungry for revival
Look no further, we're available

We volunteer, we volunteer
To be the place You pour Yourself out
We volunteer, we volunteer
For whatever You want
We volunteer, we volunteer
To be the carriers of Your glory
We volunteer, we volunteer
For whatever You want

So make this the time, make this the place, make us the people

Ralph Turner said...

Jamie, I love this. Raw passion for revival.