“Co-writing” with Matt Redman
Never in a million years did I think I’d get a “songwriter’s credit” on a Matt Redman song. But that’s precisely what’s happened with his newly released song, “God the Son.”
When I first started leading worship in 1993 for our college ministry in Austin, Texas, it was the Vineyard crew that fired up my imagination: David Ruis, Andy Park, and Brian Doerksen There was also, of course, Graham Kendrick.
I sang the heck out of Zschech’s “Shout to the Lord.”
I ran Rich Mullins’ “Awesome God” into the ground.
I cried every time I played Twila Paris’ “How Beautiful” and I strained my falsetto powers every time I pounded out Keith Green’s “Easter Song.”
After that, it was Delirious? and Redman that dominated my song list—along with Caedmon’s, Waterdeep, and Darrell Evans.
I led worship at my Anglican church in Vancouver mid-90’s and occasionally in our chapel services at Regent College. After I went full-time as a pastor at Hope Chapel in the spring of 2001, I stopped leading worship and diverted my energies to leading an arts ministry.
On December 29, 2009, however, I got a note from David Crowder in the comments section of my blog, “Diary of an Arts Pastor.” Would I speak at his “Fantastical Church Music” conference, he asked? I would, and that’s where I got to meet Redman in person.
That’s also where I met Rob Bell, Hillsong, Derek Webb, Bob Kauflin and Israel Houghton. Talk about ecclesiastical whiplash.
During my doctorate, I partnered with friends at Calvin and Duke to pull together a group of worship musicians to talk theology & song lyrics. It included David Gungor, Latifah Alattas, Matt Boswell and Robbie Seay. It, too, was a blast.
This past June, Redman texted to ask my opinion on a Christmas song he was writing. Was he skirting into metaphysically questionable territory with certain phrasing?
I told him that “space-time” were theologically confounding things in the mystery of the Incarnation but that poetry was especially suited to negotiate the mystery carefully. I told him that deploying paradoxes might be the best way forward. And I told him that I’d pray for him.
Four months later I’ve got a barely deserved credit on the song (he’s too kind), but as a theologian it makes me awfully happy to partner with songwriters on congregational worship. And I’m thrilled to be headed to Wheaton on October 25, 2024, in order to speak at the Wor/th conference.
