IT IS NOW
Worship Leader: John Koh
TOUCH Resource Pte. Ltd
"I believe one of the responsibilities of the worship leader is to reinforce the pastor's teaching. That's why I encourage worship leaders to write songs that reinforce what their pastor preaches... As Christians we need to probe deeper into our creative abilities." Ron Kenoly, Lifting Him Up.
"Compose, or you'll decompose!" Andrew Ironside, to the people at City Harvest Church.
It is always so exciting to hear a new sound, one of new songs composed by worship leaders and sung on their own albums. Most of the time, worship leaders in Singapore are content to use songs published predominantly in the Western Hemisphere, or Australia, and rightly so, because those places are where most of Christendom's contemporary English songs come from. One may argue that not all leaders, after all, are gifted with the skill of songwriting. That is true. Still, isn't it great to hear a leader boldly compose and have his own songs sung on his church's album?
These new songs reflect a shared experience among those church members. Many of them could have been birthed out of a special anointing that touched the church, or some could be meaningful to particular church members undergoing a momentous period in their lives. In other words, God can use songs written by any songwriter as He wishes to touch his children, and does not have to rely on "international" songs. That's why if you can compose, you should compose!
A few years ago, All Good Gifts Ministry (AGGM) was a serious attempt towards collaboration between many of Singapore's finest Christian songwriters. After that, several churches in Singapore boldly began to release worship albums, notably City Harvest Church with three live worship albums. Last year, Singapore's biggest church, Faith Community Baptist Church, released its first live worship album, "It is Now".
"It is Now" is filled with the compositions of talented songwriter and worship leader John Koh. Its opening track, "Come and bless the Lord", has a distinctively Singaporean feel, and its chorus is reminiscent of an earlier AGGM style. This soothing start, which includes a skilful key change, eventually transits into the power-jamming "It is Now" and switches into the minor key with "He is With Us". Using "It is Now" again as a reprise is definitely a good idea. This fast-paced praise medley echoes that found on the earlier City Harvest Church albums as well. The worship brilliantly includes a Singlish, Singaporean-themed rap (.."WE WANT MORE... a spiritual breakthru' for SINGAPORE") by Alvin Ang. Except for Ron Kenoly, mainstream worship leaders have often avoided rap, but John Koh shows how it can be smoothly built into a praise context.
The tempo slows into the freshly instrumented and finger-snapping "Our God is Good". Worship starts with the duet "New Every Morning", and continues with "Great is His love". I remember attending a Military Christian Fellowship meeting in Officer Cadet School on Holy Saturday a couple of years ago, when they sang this song and it really touched us who were gathered there. It is short and easily memorable and makes a good song for altar call. On this album, this song is followed by a testimony of God's love by John, and then "All of My Days", which definitely shows a positive "Integrity Music" influence. The worship smoothly goes towards its end with the old favorite, "Fires of Revival", also known as "Come Build An Altar". The instrumentation, soft through the worship segment, builds up gradually for this, setting the stage for the fast reprise, "It is Now".
In summary, I would list the varied song styles and careful instrumentation as well as the "live" atmosphere, as the strengths of this promising album. I pray it will be an encouragement for other songwriters in Singapore to rise up and bring a fresh sound to their own churches. Indeed, the time for it is Now!
List of Songs
Touch Resource can be reached at
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#04-06 Singapore 159548
Tel: +65 377-3286
© Copyright Wesley
Cheong 1999