Steve has been involved in christian worship music now since 1979. Started leading music for a lively and popular church youth group in Troon. It was out of this that the popular rock band 'Triumph' were formed....most of the training for this came through leading worship! Triumph then went on to be a very successful band with a very strong and powerful testimony presenting the gospel in an accessible way for thousands of people all over Europe and had many TV and radio appearances.....and playing at the world Baptist convention in SECC in front of 10,000....this was particularly memorable for me as halfway through our first song I broke a string and had to leave the stage!....this is why I always have a spare guitar ready now...
Because, possibly the greatest worship leader (Lucifer) that ever was, fell into disgrace and turned against God....it's a good idea to take praise and worship very seriously! Praising God was a full time occupation for the ancient Israelites, the Levites and great care had to be taken to do it correctly.....and was considered an honourable service, and reserved for the decendants of Aaron, one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Today with the global explosion of new christians the spiritual dynamic is increasing....and not surpringly gospel music is growing much more than any other genre.....in Britain, which could be called luke warm spiritually, national tv now carries adverts for praise and worship music! and polititians are waking up to vote potential from christians.....there are more voting christians in the UK than the entire readership of the Independent newspaper!
I can't help feeling that where we are with worship music is just the tip of the iceberg....that if God really does inhabit our praises then we had better beware.....and awesome profound works of God have still to come through.....it seems to me so much more is to be found than simply reciting words.....but a special meeting/encounter with someone that we do not even have words to adequately describe him!
On a more local level Steve is currently leading a small worship band called 'ignite', based at St Ninians church, Prestwick; www.stninians.net..with some young people from church....drums, bass, guitar, vocal and saxophone...we have been presenting a contemporary/youth oriented style of worship that has been greatly appreciated. Recently we recorded a live CD with the profits going to 'sands' charity(stillbirth and neo natal death society)...if you would like a copy go to www.nelsonvillage.com under the cd sales section.