India Worships Delirously

Delirious Leads Worship for 1.2 Million in India

If your looking for any more proof that Worship music is leading the charge in bringing the Gospel to the world, look no further. Over four days in February the trend setting Worship band from the UK, Delirious?, ministered to over a million Indians in the city of Hyderabad. India is country that has traditionally been dominated by Hinduism and Islam, yet in recent years Christianity has been gaining traction. This latest outpouring through Delirous? is just a preview of whats to come on the Asian Sub-continent.

"Every night hundreds of thousands of people worshiped God with all they had. By the time the 4 days ended we conservatively ministered to over 1.2 million people with the largest crowd being a sea of faces estimated at over 400,000."
-Official Delirious Site

Delirious Tour Diary

Quick Click Monday

Watch Out. Child playing (check it)

More then a Necklace (images in worship)

"I absolutely believe that the modern phenomenon of "modern worship" dampens creativity amongst music-making Christians." (who said that?)

Sacred Steel (making sound with metal)

The Great Commision Keeps Rolling

This Sunday I found an amazing article in the Philadelphia Inquirer (yeah, they still print newspapers). The article explores a phenomenon in the population shift of Christianity from the West (US, UK, CA, etc.) to the East (India, China, South Korea,etc,)

"In 1960, there were an estimated 50 million evangelical Christians in the West, and 25 million in the rest of the world; today, there are an estimated 75 million in the West, and 325 million in the rest of the world"

"They are infusing it with local traditions and practices. And they are even sending 'reverse missionaries' to Europe and the United States."

-Philadelphia Inquirer

Even though for many Christians this isn't news, it does beg the question, 'What does this mean for Worship Music'? We'll, as I've highlighted on this blog before, it means we're going to see more and more musical influences from other countries and cultures in western Worship music. Check out the previous posts on Soweto from Africa and Aradhna from India. I for one whole heartedly embrace it and look forward to the day when Sunday morning incorporates more then two styles of Worship music.

Inquirer Report

Quick Click Monday

Matt Redman/ Chris Tomlin move in Concert (from the fan perspective)
Matt Redman/ Chris Tomlin move in Concert (the backstage perspective)

Stories behind the Song: John Wesley and the reality behind Amazing Grace. It's AMAZING (hardy har har har)

Taize is coming this way, more about the unique Worship style.

It's hard to beat the rich lush sound of a Martin guitar, but if providing food for your family is higher on the priority list for your modest budget then think about building your own. Martin Kits start at $360 (Mahogany) vs. $1000 and up for the manufactured type.

We <3 you Keith

Keith worshiping with his instrument of choice

Keith Green has been with the Lord for almost 24 earthly years, but that hasn't kept him off of the biggest and most popular social network on the Internet today. Yes folks, Keith Green has a Myspace page. The creator of the profile dedicated the living memorial to Keith's legacy and memory as one of the most influential Worship leaders of the 70's and early 80's. The best part is that despite his lengthy physical absence there has been an out pouring of love from thousands of his fans, or 'friends', on the site. Now, thanks to emerging technology, a new generation is rediscovering his God given talent and passion for leading others to Worship the Lord.

Keith's myspace profile
More about Keith and his Ministry

P.S.
The <3 symbol in the title has become common shorthand for 'love' on Myspace (think sideways heart).

Bono Leads Worship?

Bono participating in a worship service in New York City, August 2004

I'll never forget the first time I heard Bono sing '40' from the U2 album WAR. It was a techno remix of the 1983 release and I literally felt waves of goose bumps running up and down my body. Here was arguably the biggest rock n' roll star of my lifetime singing a psalm from the Old Testemant, a Worship song by any other name. It made me think about the potential for useing 'secular' songs for Worship. As I looked into it I discovered that this is not a new concept. Evidently many of our ancient hymns and spiritual songs found thier melodic origins in secular sources. For example, John Wesley put some of his 6,000 hymns to classical music, a few opera tunes, and perhaps a folk song or two.


Here are some other 'secular' songs that people have used in Worship.

"Lovesong" (the cure)
"You Raise Me Up" (josh groban)
"Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" (jackie wilson)
"I'm a Believer" (neil diamond, made famous by the Monkees),

Lyrics from 40
Lyrics from You Raise Me Up
Lyrics for Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher
Lyrics for Lovesong
Lyrics for I'm a Believer

Aradhna

One of our passions here at Doxas is discovering the diversity of Worship music being played around the world. Aradhna is a Worship band from India that blend western guitar with eastern sitar to create an exotic sound. The band features Chris Hale(sitar) and Peter Hicks(acoustic guitar) who travel the world playing thier eclectic style, includeing venues across the US, the UK and India. Their songs are called Bhajans (songs of devotion), and they have opened the door for many in India to hear the truth of Christ.

"Without discounting the value of having India's best Western musicians in the church, if the church is serious about its mission, it cannot expect to win the hearts of Indians if it continues only in Western ways."

- from aradhnamusic.com

More about Aradha
Hear Aradha

Club Worship: Get your Praise On

Every generation and culture finds a way to worship the Lord in thier own unique way while remaining true to core of Worship music, glorfying God. Its no surprise that this generation of young bloods have come together to glorify God with thier own music and dance. At the forefront of this emerging Worship style is Club Worship. I've had the oppurtunity to see it first hand and its beautiful. Kids come from all over the city and burbs to dance for hours to Praise and Worship techno. They hold CW once a month in an old theatre that has been converted to a ball room dance hall. Here's how the CW crew describes themselves:
"Praise and worship in a club environment, rave style. We fill the room with bass, moving lights, and anyone with like mind who will jump in the house of God. Spinning the best in Electronic, and Urban worship music, it's spiritual shock therapy. We believe God is not limited by one style of music, or one particular dance step. He wants our hearts...It's all about Jesus."

Some Pics from Club Worship








































Get your Praise On at Club Worship

Six Steps to Success

Congratulations to the folks at Six Step Records for thier overwhelming presence in nominations at the Gospel Music Awards. Six Step Record is home to Lou Gigliou, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall, and the David Crowder Band.

Check out thier Noms

Sweet Sounds of Soweto

No, their not singing in tongues, but it sure seems inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Soweto Gospel Choir, of the Soweto townships outside Johannesburg South Africa, bring a variety of Gospel and traditional African melodies to life in their native languages (and a couple in English). Traditional spirituals like 'Amazing Grace' and 'Khumbaya' take on whole new levels of meaning and power through the soulful voices of the 26 member Choir, many of whom suffered through years of apartheid. Just listening to their soulful songs of God’s goodness and redemption would make even the whitest believer stand up and shout “WOZA MELI WAMI” (come my savior).

“Meticulous and unstoppable …spirited and spectacular”
New York Times

"as pure and true as the word of God"

Sunday Star Times, New Zealand

More about Soweto

Taize Worship

If you've been to a college campus or a young adult meeting lately, you might have noticed the current trend in 'Emerging' and 'Post-Modern' style influencing services across the country. In essence these Worship services are a synthesis of ancient and modern styles in worship, liturgical and contemporary styles side by side in one service. A trend setter influencing these liturgical styles comes out of the Taize movement in France. Taize is a united Catholic and Protestant community of believers devoted to prayer and worship. They gather three times daily to Worship and pray. Here is an excerpt describing thier meditative singing:

"Singing is one of the most essential elements of worship. Short songs, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character. Using just a few words they express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God. It allows everyone to take part in a time of prayer together and to remain together in attentive waiting on God, without having to fix the length of time too exactly."

More about Meditative Singing

More About Taize