"In Christ Alone" Story and Song
Songwriter Stuart
Townend grew up as the
youngest of four children in a Christian family in West Yorkshire, England,
where his father was a vicar in the Church of England. The Townend family
always enjoyed music, and young Stuart began to play the piano at the age of
seven. Known and respected today by musicians and worship leaders throughout
Britain and beyond, his involvement in Christian music dates back over 10
years.
During this time, Townend
has used his talents to produce albums for British-based worship leaders as
diverse as John Pantry, Keith Routledge, Sue Rinaldi, Vinesong and Praise
Gathering. As an artist, he has made two solo albums: Say the Word and Personal
Worship. But it is perhaps as a songwriter that Stuart has made his most
enduring contribution to the contemporary worship movement. Songs such as “How
Deep the Father’s Love,” “My First Love,” “The King of Love,” “Who Paints the
Skies” and “Lord, How Majestic You Are” are favorites in the repertoire of
thousands of churches around the world. And now one of his latest works, “In
Christ Alone,” seems destined to take its place among other worship classics
both in the UK and in the United States.
Written in 2002, “In
Christ Alone” was a collaborative effort between Townend and fellow songwriter
(and now good friend) Keith Getty. “The song came about in an unusual way,”
Townend explains. “Keith and I met in the autumn of 2000 at a worship event,
and we resolved to try to work together on some songs. A few weeks later Keith
sent some melody ideas, and the first one on the CD was a magnificent, haunting
melody that I loved, and immediately started writing down some lyrical ideas on
what I felt should be a timeless theme commensurate with the melody. So the
theme of the life, death, resurrection of Christ, and the implications of that
for us just began to tumble out, and when we got together later on to fine tune
it, we felt we had encapsulated what we wanted to say.”
In
Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm…
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm…
Townend and Getty both
admit they are motivated by the idea of capturing biblical truth in songs and
hymns that will not only cause people to express their worship in church, but
will build them up in their Christian lives.
“I’ve been amazed by the
response to this song,” says Townend. “We’ve had some incredible e-mails about
how people have been helped by the song through incredibly difficult
circumstances.”
One e-mail described how
a U.S soldier serving in Iraq would pray through each verse of the song every
day, and how the promises of God’s protection and grace helped to sustain him
through the enormous pressures and dangers of life in a war zone.
“It seems like this song
is timely,” Townend says. “We in the West have had our sense of safety and
security brutally torn apart by recent world events, and it's caused many to
re-evaluate the foundations of their life. I feel that the song has helped to
stir faith in many believers that God really is
our protector; that our lives are in His unshakable hands.”
What
heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled and striving cease
My Comforter, my All-in-All
Here in the love of Christ I stand…
When fears are stilled and striving cease
My Comforter, my All-in-All
Here in the love of Christ I stand…
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>>>
"In Christ Alone" Story and Song
Reviewed by Admin
on
8:00:00 PM
Rating:
Post a Comment