1. Reflections on "ETERNITY - THE
VISION OF MARIETTA DAVIS"
2. Words We Sing
3. Darlene Zschech launches Melbourne School of Worship
4. Why Resource?
5. Melbourne School of Worship
6. Copyright
Many people have spoken to us about "Eternity" since we rewrote and released it a year ago. In that time the print run of 3000 has sold out and we are about to reprint. Obviously the story has created interest - in the secular book world of Australia a book is rated in the best seller list when sales reach 5000.
Typically people have asked - do you believe these things about heaven and hell, some of them seem very weird? Are we allowed to look into these things this way? Do the stories match the Bible?
The site has now moved - go to -
http://www.resource.com.au
There are a number of books of this kind that have been published over the years. I have several on my shelves. The Marietta Davis story is my favourite but after that comes "Visions Beyond the Veil" by H.A Baker. It tells the story of a missionary couple who took in 40 street urchins in the Yunnan Province in China. I gather this was before the communist revolution.
The Holy Spirit fell on these uneducated children and they experienced extraordinary visions of heaven and hell and described to the missionaries many things they could not have learned that were written in the Bible. The fact that children were involved, and a large number at that, gives the story powerful credibility.
The Bible indicates clearly that God gives visions to his people. It is a specific promise related to the Holy Spirit in this age (see Acts 2). Peter and Paul had visions. The book of Revelation is a vision. There is so much clear Biblical evidence of these things that our only question should be - how do we handle them?
The answer to that is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:20,21 - we
should test prophetic revelations. They originate from God, who is infallible,
but they are conveyed to us via fallible men and women so they must be judged.
Our standard is, of course, the Bible.
Where a vision conflicts with the Bible we must reject it. When it has no
conflict, if it encourages us in our faith then we have every reason to
accept it as a God given gift for our benefit.
The overwhelming majority of readers of "Eternity" have found it to be enormously encouraging and challenging and without serious conflict with the Bible. This was certainly our feeling when we first read it and more so in the work of rewriting.
We trust it will be so for you too.
Dennis Prince
A Radical Re-Focus
Did you know....?
"For each God focused song we sing, there are 2.4 people
focused songs.
Redemption songs have declined by around two thirds in recent years.
Some songs are plain wrong, some are "so so", some good, some
excellent.
We forget sermons and remember songs.
There are about a dozen songs in the N.T. which give us an idea of what
we should sing about.
There are also Bible principles to guide us.
To help in your song selection (or song writing) contact RCM and ask for the tape & notes - The Words of our Songs - by Dennis Prince. Sound principles, distilled from years of song selection and Bible teaching. $14.95 plus $4.75pp. Every worship leader, worship director and pastor should study this resource.
Correspondence School Planned.
Crossway Baptist Church in Melbourne was packed and people were turned away
at the Melbourne School of Worship launch night with well known Hillsong
worship leader and songwriter Darlene Zschech.
It was a night of passionate praise and worship. A thunderous shout of praise
seemed to go on forever. Several young people made commitments or re-commitments
to Christ. Many attending were deeply moved by the times of worship or conscious
of the presence of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The worship team and choir came from Christian City Church in Box Hill,
aided by keyboard player Carl Laurens, who assists Resource Christian Music
in productions of their recordings, and Nigel Hendroff, guitarist from Hillsong
in Sydney.
Dennis and Nolene Prince and Larry Sebastian presented details of the Melbourne
School of Worship, commencing on February 26th. The course runs for about
14 weeks, with a core section covering personal aspects of worship designed
for all Christians, followed by electives on worship leading, song selection,
band, vocals, creative worship, leading children in worship, team dynamics,
sound systems and new technology.
Plans are underway to make available many of the sessions on cassette plus
notes. Details will be available soon from Resource Christian Music on 03
9551 7476.
The selection of songs is church friendly and within reach of congregational singers. We are continually sifting out songs that are beyond the reach of the average church.
As much as is possible we choose songs that are not dependent on having a great band. Great bands are a blessing; not everyone has them.
The piano arrangements are within reach of the average church pianist.
Close attention is given to theological correctness and solid content of songs. As much as is possible songs are Christ/God centred.
CD production is well up with others from around the world - approachable, middle of the road, interesting, good quality.
Wherever possible good Australian songs have priority.
A high proportion of the top songs in the CCLI listing are in our selection (around 80%).
Our philosophical base is a church resource, not a new CD
The BEST of the BEST songs are chosen from ALL sources, without favour.
Full church resources: Cassette / CD / music - piano, simplified, words only, CD-ROM resource containing Bb / Eb music PLUS © cleared words for digital projection or make your own OHPTs, midi files.
An across the board resource, produced in Australia for all
kinds of churches.
"I appreciated the scriptural basis of worship. I am challenged
to be obedient to this."
"The praise and worship was very dynamic at the beginning of the session.
The definition of worship helps me with the selection of songs as a worship
leader."
"The notes were very well laid out, clear style of lecture, new ideas."
"The whole School of Worship so far has opened my heart and my eyes to what
it is to really worship and know God in a personal way."
These were just a few of the very positive comments from the first School of Worship. The course planned is two weeks longer and has introduced a number of options and tracks. The first five weeks are foundational and designed to include ALL Christians - not only musicians, singers, worship leaders etc. From there a number of tracks follow, some with options.
The complete course of 14 weeks costs about AUD$140. Contributors to the course include Dennis & Nolene Prince, Larry Sebastian, Carl Laurens, Derek de Sousa, Ray Gilmour, Andrew Bowen, Yimfong Voon, and others. Brochures are available from RCM.
As with its other products, RCM WORDS ON DISC and OHPTs contain a royalty component and therefore do not require a licence. You may also use them for events outside your church building without a special "events" licence. However if you wish to record and sell cassettes of the worship songs in your service you will require the CCLI Church Licence.
You may photocopy authorised songs in RCM music if you have the CCLI Photocopy licence.
Of course it is in the best interests of churches to comply with copyright requirements. Recently a church in the USA decided to ignore all copyright laws, following which a bolt of lightning destroyed their church bell tower and TV transmission tower just as they broadcast a song. Fortunately the terrified staff fled the building, for soon after the earth opened up and swallowed the entire complex. To add to their troubles, their insurance company refused to pay, saying it was an "Act of God". The senior pastor, John Donne was repentant. "The bell has tolled for us", he said. Their fortunes were remarkably restored when an Australian film director received an inspiration for a film from the uncooperative insurance company. The movie was successful and the director tithed the proceeds to the church, from which they built a new church complex, a school, two hospitals and a university.
Unlike copyright regulations, the above story is, of course, a fairy
tale.