Christian music

Christmas Caroling in Review

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment 
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 
Isaiah 52:7

You might not think your feet are beautiful, but God does, when you share the good news of Jesus! And no time that is easier than at Christmas as well as the best time of year to do so in nursing home ministry outreach. Doors that have been either closed, or somewhat restricted to the gospel for the rest of the year, crack open just a little in the month of December. Though it is getting close to the holiday, it is still not too late to consider a last-minute Christmas caroling, gift giving or other special program in your community. In our experiences this year with three Christmas outreaches to different senior communities around our area we found some valuable lessons that I hope will be of help to you.

  1.  Preparation – Yes, spontaneity is wonderful and just grabbing a guitar and heading for the nearest nursing home might work, a little planning doesn’t hurt a bit. Though I know by heart most of the music and lyrics, I do sometimes struggle with second verse and recalling what key a song is in. Multiply that by the number of folks in your group and you will find that creating a set of song sheets for your people makes for a much happier and more confident caroling experience. We also include handing out, hand-written cards to every single person, and this year that was well over 200 people. That requires, enlisting volunteers to help buy the cards, write the cards and hand them out. I also have found it best to get our spot on the calendar a month or more in advance, but if you haven’t already done so, don’t despair. Ask the activity director at the home you are considering visiting what spots are still available and jump on whatever is left. What may seem chaotic to our schedules is often in God’s perfect timing!
  • Presentation – We are going into homes to sing about Jesus and share the most amazing and important story in all of history. How we share the good news, needs to be beautiful, not just in the musical quality but also in a joyful outpouring of our love for Jesus. People need to be reminded that God has not forgotten them, that they are precious to Him and loved by others. Ask God to give you ideas on how to express His grace to others in practical ways. One of our volunteers came loaded with a hundred candy canes. After being told that we couldn’t share them with the residents, they came upon a large Girl Scout troop coming In after us and those kids were delighted to take them off our hands! They may not remember any of our names, but they went home with a sweet impression of our group!
  • Follow Up – How you follow up after the holidays can either give affirmation to the message of the gospel or cast doubt on how true it is. What we sing about during the Christmas season, must be followed up with service throughout the year. If weekly visits are not practical, try bi-weekly or even once a month. Every time you return, you are saying, “You matter to God, you matter to me, and we are here for you with the news that no matter what happens, our God reigns and He loves you!”

I’d Rather Have Jesus

/ pastorpete51 / 13 Comments

The song, “I’d Rather Have Jesus”, is one of my favorites to sing, but I especially love the story behind how it came to be. Originally Rhea Miller wrote the words as a poem, being inspired by what her father had said in church, just after his receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. The first verse was the testimony of his surrender to Christ.

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be his than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands
I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand

Rhea Miller’s little poem became loved by Mrs. Maude Whitney Shea, the mother of “George Beverly Shea. In 1932 at the age of 23, George had been struggling with the decision of whether to use his talents in the secular music world or to continue singing for churches. One afternoon as he sat down to practice, he found the words to Rhea Miller’s poem, left on the front of his piano.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause
I'd rather be true to His dear cause
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

As George read over those lines, God began giving him both a melody, as well as the certainty in his heart of what path he would choose. That night, George sang his new composition for the first time to the congregation of his father’s church. Amazingly, once George had committed to the purpose God had for him, doors began to open for him to sing in many churches, eventually becoming the soloist first for evangelistic crusades with Jack Wyrtzen and later with Billy Graham. The world-wide fame, George had let go of when he chose to follow Jesus, was given to him as he sang for God and he eventually released more than 70 albums, with his final recording made as he approached his ninetieth year! George Beverly Shea could truly say at the end:

I rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today!


“I’d Rather Have Jesus”
Lyrics 1922 by Rhea Miller
Music 1932 by George Beverly Shea

My Christmas Favorites – You will never hear on the radio

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Some of you who follow me know that I am a big fan of both the music and testimony of the Mullett Family. There is a simplicity and honesty about this video that makes me think a lot more about the real Jesus on the real Christmas than slick professional productions. I hope you are blessed with their rendition of the carol of all carols, “Silent Night.”

The second song in this play list may be a carol you have never heard, but it is hardly new. Most famously sung by Selah, it was written by Lowell Alexander in 1992. Though I have listened to this many times, I still shed a few tears each time I listen. I love singing this too, though I will not inflict my version of this stunningly beautiful melody and lyrics. I hope it touches you also and will draw you closer to Jesus.

I have a few more I can’t wait to share tomorrow, but I would love even more to know some little known artists or songs that have touched your heart over the years.