Soteria Music

Back when I was a rockie worship leader (late 90’s and early 2000’s) I was
sitting in a seminar lead by that chap with a great surname; Noel Richards.
He quoted a time when he had been in a similar seminar setup and someone had
asked the teacher, Graham Kendrick, “When you’re writing a song, what comes
first? The music or the words?”. Solid-faced, Graham replied: “Neither! The
deadline comes first!”

For me, this next week is no different. With only a short time until the
magazine deadline, and this time we’re writing on a subject that will
probably be a gut-wrenching thing to do, it’s not going to be an easy time.
Add on to that two worship services to prepare for. Practices for the music
group in Church, and a special meeting this Friday for Soteria! It’s gonna
be busy. Just to top it off, my brother is having a birthday! But I’ve
already got his present so I’m safe on that one.

I’ve always tended to use my songs as a measure of how I’m doing
spiritually. Looking back those months when I was distracted by family
issues, young pretty faces, or anything else either the quality of my
writing would go through the floor or I’d just not have the inspiration to
write anything. Right now is one of those times where the song-writing is a
bit dry, but this time God is really in my life, working left, right and
centre and we seem to be achieving loads.

So why am I not writing?

Perhaps it’s the distraction thing. Not that I’m distracted from God Himself
this time, but that He’s keeping me busy with other tasks (worship leading,
music playing, personal encouragement, Soteria, WMD and so on). Or there’s
the other possibility…

It’s is always the case with any gifting or equipping that God gives to be
prepared to surrender it back to Him if that is His wish. So if God tells me
“Ok Jon, you’ve had your time of writing. No I need you for something else”,
I must be prepared to say “Ok Lord, my life is in your hands and I’ll do
your bidding. Thank you for the songs you’ve given me to write. What’s the
new task?”.

When you come write down to it, the song writing is a very personal thing,
but when I stood before God in Central Hall in 1996 I said to Him; “Make me
what you want me to be” and He never said I should be a song writer! Instead
He asked me to encourage others in their worship of Him. So the songs are a
side-line from that, not the main work itself.

However, by that same token; if after years of training and preparing God
now said, “Ok Richards, I don’t need you to lead worship anymore, I have
another task for you”. Again I must lay that before Him, give thanks, and
perhaps enquire about the new job.

So as for all the tasks that I have to achieve in the next little while, I’d
better stop blogging and get going. But better get praying first.

Until the next time, God bless ya.

Jon Richards

Worship Leader/Guitarist/drummer/singer – Redruth Baptist
Producer/Writer – Soteria
Technician/Dogsbody/water boy/and coffee fetcher – Truro School
Sinner (saved by grace) – Jesus, and the Trinitarian God-head

It’s been going pretty well, although now a really busy time is coming up!

Last Saturday Rose was in S-WMD recording more stuff for her album. This was a very exciting time as the whole project is now finally really starting to take shape. Rob was back teaching little kids on Sunday, (see his blog for his views on this) and I was able to help out on guitar for this. Finally a terrific service happened in the evening for which I was also helping out on guitar.

Next Sunday however I have an interesting challenge, I’m leading the evening service however there are no piano players around! I’m assuming this means I might have to lead the whole thing on a guitar, however I’ve not yet had a big time of prayer with God about this, He may have other plans I don’t know about yet! This week is absolutly crammed with meetings too, so getting that time with God is gonna take some doing! Tonight I’m having a chat with Andrew (one of our Church’s elders), tommorrow is the worship group meeting, Bible study on wednesday, can’t remember what’s on Thursday, and Friday is a Soteria team meeting. As you can see it’s a bit mad! I have to admit; working for God is never dull!

So as my old drum teacher said when he walked into a college-class he was teaching once; “Ok folks, we’ve got so much to do today we really need to start with a prayer!” (Can you imagine the students faces!)

God bless

Jon