Why another article about an obscure name from the modern contempory music scene? Well not because it is a problem isolated to the churches who have openly embraced new forms of worship, but because it is increasingly affecting churches who view themselves as being traditional in worship. The object of this paper is not to villify or demonise an individual, but to raise awareness of the worrying trends of a movement, of which Graham Kendrick is only one player.

Who is Graham Kendrick?

According to an article in The Times from January 1993, he is "the most successful of Britian's praise and worship songwriters". He has authored a large number of modern songs such as "Shine Jesus Shine", "From Heaven You came", "Meekness and Majesty", and "Such Love, Pure as the Whitest Snow", to name but a few.

These songs are used in many churches across the world, churches representing a broad spectrum of denominational backgrounds. Mr. Kendrick himself is a member of the Ichthus Christian Fellowship, an independent free church which is charismatic and has welcomed the so called Toronto blessing. Indeed Mr. Kendrick is openly charismatic.

"It was later that night when I was cleaning my teeth ready to go to bed that I was filled with the Holy Spirit!...and I remember lying at last in my bed, the fixed grin still on my face, praising and thanking God, and gingerly trying out a new spiritual language that had presented itself to my tongue with no regard at all for the objections thrown up by my incredulous brain!...That was a real watershed in my Christian experience." (1),(2).

This took place in 1971, but more recently Mr. Kendrick has been supportive of the Toronto blessing. Mr. Kendricks views on worship also leave a lot to be desired. He said,

"There's a time to worship God with all your physical energy...and you're probably not going to need a great deal of content when you're doing that." (3)

The Scriptural pattern for worship involves the awareness of the mind in the expression of truth. Mr. Kendrick here advocates times when worship becomes purely subjective, at the expense of objective, revealed truth. In his book intitled "Worship", Mr. Kendrick makes statements to which we could give our consent, "we need to worship according to the truth revealed in the Scriptures". However in an interview, Mr. Kendrick adopts the directly opposite position,

"You explore one style of worship and meet the needs of one group and suddenly find that they're only a sub-group and all the others are into something very different. It's very hard to do one thing that pleases everybody." (4).

Here he shows that in practice his worship is an attempt to satisfy the selfish desires of the worshipper, and not the revealed will of the One to be worshiped!

How Does This Affect Me?

As suggested above, not all churches who use Mr. Kendrick's songs would have any links to the charismatic movement, nor even be sympathetic towards it. However, the trend emerging in many churches in Britian is a gradual moving away from the 'older' hymns and spiritual songs, to the use of the modern worship songs. This does not happen overnight. It is rather a change that occurs almost without anyone noticing. It may not primarily happen in the main worship services, but via other meetings held in the church.

What is Wrong With New Songs?

Let me state that the writer is not opposed to anything written since 1900. However, there is a danger with many of the new style worship songs of today. Often a read of some new songs will show acceptable wording, and other times songs which leave alot to be desired. In terms of content alone, each new hymn introduced to a church must be judged on it's own merits. However, this is not necessarily true with the new style worship songs. Firstly, it is impossible to divorce these songs from the movement out of which they have sprung up. The vast majority of these new songs are the products of the charismatic movement, and are an integral part of that movement. They express charismatic theology and teaching, and promote charismatic experiences.

"The first two or three times I used the song "For this purpose" at Ichthus it was nothing special. Then one meeting we sang it and an anointing came down. From that moment on it seemed to have more anointing." (5)

Secondly, steming from this, these new style songs are used as promotional agents. Many of the writers use their songs to promote charismatic ideas. By means of these songs they hope to influence other churhces to arrive at the same erroneous position that they have come to. This is not a hidden agenda. The supporters of this new worship openly state their hopes for their songs. Herein lies the real and subtle danger of new style worship songs. We would easily recognise and reject anyone who sought to have healing meetings, or speaking in tongues. But we don't seem to notice the new songs coming in. They serve as bridge builders between churches who reject the charismatic movement, and those who seek its advancement. Once we sing their songs, which contain their theological views, our defences are lowered, and the introduction of new ideas is made all the more easy.

Thirdly, this downward trend has already happened. Ask yourself why so many churches not openly associated with the charismatic movement have become infected with the Toronto blessing? The first step was the change in worship. Some of the hymns were replaced with the new songs; then the form of worship itself changed; and then the whole church changed.

A Real and Present Danger?

Perhaps you have never heard of Graham Kendrick, or you're not familiar with any of his songs. You may not even know of any church where his songs are song. Sadly I have been in meetings in different churches which would oppose the charismatic movement, and claim to be reformed in worship, where some of Mr. Kendrick's songs have been sung. But as I said before, this problem is bigger than Graham Kendrick. There are songs which are familiar to all of us which have their origins in the charismatic movement. We may sing them and take our own meaning out of them, but they have a completely different meaning when viewed from the writer's perspective. Songs like "Majesty, Worship His majesty", and "For I'm Building a People of Power" come from charismatic authors. They may be harmless on their own, but they are not on their own. These new style worship songs which have come into the church over the last 10 years, are the spearhead of the advance of the charismatic movement. Care must be taken with regard to what we sing, and where it leads us.

Albert Barnes, commenting on Colossians 3:16, said,

"It is true in a more important sense that he who is permitted to make the hymns of a church, need care little who preaches, or who makes the creed. He will more effectually mould the sentiments of a church than they who preach or make creeds and confessions. Hence, it is indispensable, in order to the preservation of the truth, that the sacred songs of a church should be imbued with sound evangelical sentiment."

For those who have the best interests of the church at heart, can I implore you to take heed. Given the motives and methods of the charismatic movement, we must pay particular attention to our worship, constantly striving to make it and keep it in line with the directions of the Lord our God, who alone is worthy of the worship of our lives.