| YFriday :
Exclusive Interview |
Because that’s what we worship writers try to do, to capture what’s being sung in Heaven and bring it to earth as an expression of our worship here. • How is it different from your last album Revolution? It was actually recorded before Revolution, and it included songs that just didn’t fit with the previous two albums – Rainmaker and Open, or at the time the forthcoming Revolution album which we knew was going to have a much harder edge. We felt the songs were too strong to just leave on the shelf, so we put them out. We all lead worship in our churches and the Songs of Heaven collection are the ones that work on a Sunday morning. The album still rocks! but is presented in a way that congregations can easily pick up the songs for Sunday morning. • What influences your songs? They can only be a reflection of our journey with God sometimes we want to praise Him, sometimes we want to be close and intimate with Him. No matter how we are feeling, one thing remains, that God is God everyday, unchanging, with the power to wipe us out with a blink of His eye, yet He chooses to want and have a loving relationship with us. • How long have you been going as YFRIDAY? We’ve been full-time for nearly four years and have had the opportunity to do what we do all over the world! Every night is different – from leading a conference in Canada, to a concert in England to playing at Stadiums. The message is the same wherever we go. We’ve actually learned how to play now… which helps! • How did you become a Christian? Ken> I met with God at home in my living room, a bit of a Damascus Road thing. I wasn’t a Christian then, but in hindsight that’s when I became one. After that it was just a case of working out which church to go to, and just exactly who God is – that’s probably still where I am – but who can tell you everything that God is – one day we’ll see in full... Danny> I got involved in a youth service in Hartlepool and did an Alpha course alongside that. A few months in, it got to a point when I realised what God had done for me. Gav> Was part of team leading an 8-12’s Scripture Union holiday and was really impacted by the faith of the children there. The way they saw God as the most awesome thing in the whole universe who could do anything they asked really spoke to me. Dez> Was challenged in a meeting one night if I wanted God to make a difference in my life to give him a chance. He did! • What have you learnt spiritually in the last year? Ken> God is incredibly faithful. He loves when we come through a trial or temptation still praising Him for who He is, not just for what He’s done for us. Danny> That God wants to be involved in every part of our life! Dez> That making all the right faces and saying all the right things as a Christian is an absolute 100% load of rubbish if it isn’t backed up with a genuine relationship with God. • How do you stay grounded in your faith when you are leading a busy life? Ken> I have strong discipleship people who I’m accountable to. The thing is, you choose whether to be accountable by speaking openly and honestly, not just having a convenient accountibility structure in place. We all need disciplers, someone we respect and who is going to tell us the hard things as well as how fantastic we are. Even if I’ve missed church on Sunday due to travelling, I always make mid–week house group and that is becoming an increasingly important part of church for me. Danny> By being rooted in my home church. Spending time with God on my own. Being real with people around me. Gav> Trying to make a bit of time each day to pray/read the Bible. Don’t always manage it, but even just spending a bit of time thinking about stuff can help. Dez> By always making the effort to get to church when I can... even if I’ve got in from a gig at 4 in the morning. Danny • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Age: 29 • Birthplace: Hartlepool • What instrument do you play? Bass guitar • What do you do in your spare time? Try and chillout / see my girlfriend • What did you do before YFRIDAY? Worked part-time for my church • Favourite Bible verse? Colossians 2 v 6-7 • Favourite Song/s on the Songs Of Heaven EP? Songs Of Heaven Dez • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Age: 27 • Birthplace: In a field somewhere in Gateshead • What instrument do you play? Drums • What do you do in your spare time? Watch Wrestling! • What did you do before YFRIDAY? Primary School Teacher • Describe yourself in three words: Next WWE Champion! • Favourite Bible verse?: Matthew 5 • Favourite Song/s on the Songs Of Heaven EP? Your Mercy Falls Ken • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Age: 39 • Birthplace: Newcastle Upon Tyne • What instrument do you play? Voice and guitar • What do you do in your spare time? What spare time? • What
did you do before YFRIDAY? • Describe yourself in three words: Working out salvation • Favourite Bible verse? I can’t, it changes weekly • Favourite Song/s on the Songs Of Heaven EP? Songs Of Heaven, Glorious One and Falling Down Gav • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Age: 27 • Birthplace: Hartlepool • What instrument do you play? Keyboards, voice and guitar • What do you do in your spare time? Relax! • What did you do before YFRIDAY? McDonald’s Floor Manager • Favourite Bible verse? Proverbs 3v5 • Favourite Song/s on the Songs Of Heaven EP? Your Mercy Falls • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • |
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