Don Moen has many friends and collaborators -- not just a vague impression you might gather from watching and hearing him, but a certainty when you read his biography. And, his life’s purpose – to be part of a community larger than himself - comes through in his music, including in the song “Hallelujah to the Lamb” that he produced in 1997. It’s appropriate that this song was in fact a collaboration with one of his friends, Debbye Graafsma. Though she is professionally a counselor, you might say they both minister to lots of people, bringing many to the divine Counselor. Their aim – how about the entire globe?
Here’s what Debbye relayed to this blogger about the song’s development: The song originally came as a Song of the Lord during a congregational prayer time. It was a simple AB chorus. My husband and I were pastoring a small rural church in Hamilton, Indiana. A ministry we were involved in called Cleansing Stream picked it up. Don heard it through a mutual friend, Pastor Jack Hayford. He wanted to expand it to be more of a choir anthem, so he changed the chorus, and wrote the bridge. I added the second verse to help him achieve his goal. I am amazed at how God takes the simplest things and uses them. He is so good to us... He gives us gifts and then blesses us when we give those gifts back to him. Thanks for sharing Debbye! Read some more below on Don’s and Debbye’s backgrounds.
In 1997 Don Moen had already been engaged in Christian music production for two decades, including since 1986 when he first began to produce his own works. He was 47 years old, and wrote this scoop’s song subject among 15 other compositions that appeared on the album Let Your Glory Fall . His co-writer Debbye Graafsma (40 years old at the time), was the daughter of missionaries, and like Moen, had been involved with music for the previous two decades. So, it doesn’t really seem accidental that the words of the music they co-wrote would seem to be inspired by their experiences and dreams about ministry. Moen’s official website (Don Moen and Friends) promotes this desire for outreach, to ‘connect worshippers worldwide’. And, it’s in the song, having the worshipper bond with others across the globe with words about ‘multitudes’ from ‘every tribe and tongue’. Graafsma’s missionary background must have called out to her as well through the song’s words. All of His people are one, can call upon Him in harmony, and rejoice in His Spirit moving in and among us. It’s a global movement that Moen and Graafsma remind us He inspires. The composers’ witness among believers, in their homes in Tennessee (Moen) and North Carolina (Graafsma), and far abroad (including most recently in Vietnam, where Moen was in April 2011), make the words of their joint endeavor come off the page – they live them.
Remembering some of the song’s key words – ‘You are Lord of all’ – is now made easier for me, knowing the background and focus of the composers. God wants to lift everyone to Himself, for no one to be left behind. No one needs to feel disadvantaged in this effort, the song reminds us. My praise on the American east coast is no more valuable than someone’s in Africa or Vietnam. We’re all covered by the same blood, and need to humble ourselves the same way to approach Him. ‘All the nations will see’, the song has me say. It makes a chill go up the spine, thinking about that future, certain, moment. It must have been something of which Moen and Graafsma had seen glimpses, perhaps when they sang with others around the globe, or maybe as they thought about the lyrics of their composition. One day, I’ll see more than a glimpse and have more than a moment’s inspiring thought. Halleluuuuu-jah!
Biographic information on the composers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Moen_(singer)
Don Moen’s official website: http://www.donmoenandfriends.org/
Information about the album on which the song appears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_Your_Glory_Fall
1 comment:
Hi Dave -- The song originally came as a Song of the Lord during a congregational prayer time. It was a simple AB chorus. My husband and I were pastoring a small rural church in Hamilton, Indiana. A ministry we were involved in called Cleansing Stream picked it up. Don heard it through a mutual friend, Pastor Jack Hayford. He wanted to expand it to be more of a choir anthem, so he changed the chorus, and wrote the bridge. I added the second verse to help him achieve his goal. I am amazed at how God takes the simplest things and uses them. He is so good to us... He gives us gifts and then blesses us when we give those gifts back to him...I appreciate your research and I love your blog. Blessings, Debbye Graafsma awakenedtogrow.com...
Post a Comment