I think it's so important that the church displays what it can look like to be "one." Our society can be so fragmented, and there's an opportunity for the worshipping church to give some leadership into that area.
Matt RedmanIn the end, worship can never be a performance, something you're pretending or putting on. It's got to be an overflow of your heart...Worship is about getting personal with God, drawing close to God.
Matt RedmanWho on Earth are we that the awesome King of all eternity would spare a thought in our direction? Why would the God of yesterday, today, and forever- the One who was, is, and is to come- choose to bestow His loving attention upon the likes of us? The God of unspeakable glory is speaking to us in unmistakable words of love and grace.
Matt RedmanMay I never loose the Wonder, Oh the Wonder of Your Mercy! May I sing Your Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen!
Matt RedmanIn heaven we will sing free of all the shame, sickness and sorrow that we encounter in the here and now.
Matt RedmanWorship songs can't just be rooted in culture - they won't be deep enough. They have to be rooted in scripture.
Matt RedmanAnthony Skinner has a fire in his heart to worship God, and to encourage and equip others to do the same.
Matt RedmanThe heart of God loves a persevering worshipper who, though overwhelmed by many troubles, is overwhelmed even more by the beauty of God.
Matt RedmanPraise is a contradiction of pride. Pride says 'looks at me,' but praise longs for people to see Jesus.
Matt RedmanIt's such a biblical posture in worship that speaks of reverence. If you look through the Bible, there's a whole host of people who faced up to the glory of God and found themselves facedown in worship. So the album weaves through a theme of reverence, wonder, and mystery in worship, things I feel we really need to grasp more of in our worship expressions. I know that I do!
Matt RedmanAs a writer of worship songs, I have a hunger to write deep songs of passionate reverence to God. Yet I'm aware I cannot sing before I have seen. All worship is a response to a revelation--it's only as we breathe in more of the wonders of God that we can breathe out a fuller response to Him....the key to a life of passionate and powerful worship comes from seeing God.
Matt RedmanThere is no lapse in His character or inconsistency in His nature. Our God is everything he says He isโฆ for now and all eternity.
Matt RedmanOne of the most encouraging things is to see that so many of these young musicians and worship leaders are really concerned with doing a good job representing the truth of Jesus in their songs, and not just concerned with creative and musical progression.
Matt RedmanWhen we, believers, sing our songs of worship, not only do we praise God through them, but we preach to ourselves. As we sing the truth of who it is we're worshipping, as well as honoring God, it can be so helpful to us. Worship is about magnifying the right things. It can be so easy to let the struggles of this become all consuming, and we must not ignore them. But when we worship, instead of magnifying and focusing on those things, we magnify and focus on the name, the strength, the power, the grace of Jesus. When we do that, it puts everything into perspective.
Matt RedmanAnd on that day when my strength is failing; the end draws near and my time has come. Still my soul will sing Your praise unending ten thousand years and then forevermore
Matt RedmanAs we gaze upon the wonders of creations, we look up towards the heights of a God who is merciful in His ways and magnificent in His deeds. The life of worship always points us upwards.
Matt RedmanIn some of the best worship songs we bring our praises to God - yet at the same time also end up preaching to ourselves.
Matt RedmanI have the privilege of ministering in many different streams of the church. When you do that you're never going to subscribe to everything each other believe, but there's always so much common ground. The main and plain stuff you have in common, so you build upon that. I've never found a stream of the church I didn't learn something from. Every single time, even if I didn't personally agree with everything, there was something I took away, or learned, and felt like a stronger worshipper or worship leader.
Matt RedmanOne thing it makes me realize is just how similar we all are, around the globe. The details may be different, but every human heart is touched by themes like hope, comfort and mercy.
Matt RedmanChristian worship must contain both the cross and the crown. Sing of majesty, and sing of mercy.
Matt RedmanFor when our hearts were far away, Your love went further still, yes Your love goes further still!
Matt RedmanThe sense of being alone is a huge issue for so many people in this world. As a worshipper of Jesus, there's a very real sense that we are always seen, held and known.
Matt RedmanAn old pop music producer once said that there are really only four kinds of song a person can write: "I love you/I hate you/go away/come back!" That's a funny observation.
Matt RedmanWe can always find a reason to praise. Situations change for better and for worse, but God's worth never changes.
Matt RedmanAs we begin to face up to the holiness of God, our lives resound with that very same anthem, here and now upon the earth.
Matt RedmanI love to say that not only is the throne room of God a place of reverence, it's always a place of refuge. So when everything else in life seems to be shifting, or breaking and shaking apart, there's a place that is always stable, safe, and constant. When we draw near to God in worship, and approach His throne, we tap into that. It's a very re-assuring place, where we're reminded that there's a God on His throne, and even when we don't understand everything, we can trust it to Him.
Matt RedmanI thought a lot about how the way we perceive Jesus affects the way we live, and how expectantly we face our daily lives. If we have a huge and uncompromising view of Him, it'll lead to adventurous and exciting lives of faith.
Matt RedmanI love the pursuit of songwriting, and I've seen what songs can do in people's lives. Some of the stories that come back from songs flying around the globe are so encouraging.
Matt RedmanI love the intensity of the Psalms. No-one ever sounds bored about God or about life in the Psalms.
Matt Redman