Title : The Unquenchable Worshipper
Author : Matt Redman
Review : Worship is about God, to God and for God. That in short summarises the essence of the book. Matt Redman wrote from his heart about his own journey with God that bore the fruit of his unquenchable quest for the glory of God in his worship. The chapters are divided according to the different types of worshippers. From the prophet Isaiah and King David to the sinful woman breaking her jar of alabaster oil over Jesus’ feet, he draws from the Bible, characters who have had a longing devotion and adoration for the Master and paints a picture of the different postures and encounters that we can and should have with God.
One of his most heart-wrenching examples of unstoppable worship even in the face of suffering is about Rachel Scott, the teenage victim of the Columbine High School tragedy. He writes, ‘On 22 April 1999, two bitter and twisted students entered the grounds of a US school with guns and explosives, planning to wreak havoc. One of the grudges they were bearing was against Christians, and when they found Rachel Scott that grudge was made very clear. The killers shot her twice in the legs and once in the upper body. As she struggled to crawl away to safety, they pulled her by the hair, and asked, ‘Do you believe in God?’. They thought they’d won the battle; expecting her to back down from her faith with a whimpering ‘no’. But this bleeding, unstoppable worshipper bravely affirmed, ‘You know I do’. Furious with that answer the yelled, ‘Then go be with him’ and shot her right through her head.’ Words fail to describe how God would have felt as He witnessed the true worshipper’s undying honour for His glory even in the grip of death.
Redman also switches from addressing our private worship to the public worship arena. One of his concerns is how the modern Christian has turned our sacred worship to God into a showmanship of musical and vocal artistry; where crowds gather to be entertained by all the pomp and pageantry. He also address worship leaders, urging them not to get into the rut of putting God in a box, churning out formulaic man-dependent worship routines while denying the Holy Spirit the space to breathe into our worship a fresh new life. It is not about having a great band, it is about having a great Holy Spirit as the key to true worship. He made a fine statement: Worship is a spiritual event long before it is ever a musical event.
Himself a very public worship leader, Redman takes a very honest look at himself and writes from personal revelation and experience of how God has dealt with him in his life as a worshipper both in his private and public life. The writing is done in an easy and digestible fashion – simple words within uncomplicated sentence structures – but the message it brings is one of the most profound yet under-estimated truths in our Christian walk. It is a book that will convict the hearts of lukewarm worshippers and brings an anointed touch to renew your passion for God!
Matt Redman is married to Beth and they have four children; Maisey, Noah, Rocco and Jackson. Based in Atlanta they are part of a team starting ‘Passion City Church’ with pastors Louie and Shelley Giglio. This is the third church plant Matt has been involved with, having previously been on the team for Soul Survivor, Watford, and The Point in the UK. Says Matt, “We are so grateful to be at Passion City Church right from day one – it’s going to an amazing adventure. We’ve been part of the Passion team for several years now – and have so enjoyed journeying with Louie, Shelley, Chris and all the guys. The thought of planting a local church together is massively exciting.”
Matt has been leading worship full-time since the age of 20 and this journey has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia, Germany, Uganda, Croatia and the Czech Republic. His early compositions include ‘The Heart of Worship’, ‘Better is One Day’ and ‘Once Again’. More recent songs have included ‘Blessed Be Your Name’ and ‘You Never Let Go’ – both written with wife Beth and encouraging us to worship God through the storms of life. As Matt explains, “Blessed Be Your name is a declaration of something which we’ve both found to true in the tough seasons of life – that to worship God and trust Him no matter what will always be the best path to take. The song ‘You Never Let Go’ takes up the same theme – it starts off with some thoughts from Psalm 23 and reminds us that no matter what we come across in life, there is a God who is in control, closer than we could ever know, and holding us.”
Matt is also the author of three books which all centre around the theme of worship. ‘The Unquenchable Worshipper’ unpacks what a healthy heart of worship might look like, and how that translates into the lives we lead. ‘Facedown’ explores how we can paint a big picture of God through our songs and actions. The third book, ‘Blessed Be Your Name’, co-authored with Beth, is an encouragement to trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God, even when to do so seems costly. Matt has also compiled two other books – ‘The Heart of Worship Files’ and ‘Inside-Out Worship’ – practical worship-leading advice from many experienced leaders around the globe.
Co-writers on the new album include Beth Redman, Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin and Matt Maher. In these new songs perhaps the most prominent theme is the faithfulness of God. Says Matt, “I’ve been trying to write songs of ’stability’ – truths that we need to sing about in times of uncertainty. Life can seem very shaky – and recently there’s been this big economic downturn which has added to the stress of so many people’s everyday lives. But we worship a God who is unshakeable. Everything else may change, but He remains the same. He is steadfast and certain. When all around is sinking sand, He is the solid ground we can stand upon.”
