- 1 Tim. 4:12 NLTDon't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. […]
Colorado Springs, CO /Christian News/ — In a place where a public display of worship to God isn’t exactly sanctioned by its government, Mark Tedder recently made history by leading—and recording—a live worship event in China. With the July 27 release of The Door, a compelling CD/DVD package from Kingsway with EMI CMG Distribution, U.S. fans can finally experience this unique event. The album is already available for download.
As a worship leader at Beijing International Christian Fellowship and for Worshiplanet, a multiethnic band that has performed public concerts across China, Tedder has attempted to bridge the gap between Western and Eastern styles of praise.
“Just being able to pull off a worship project of this magnitude right under the nose of the capital city in China was a miracle,” Tedder shares. “But the door is really beginning to open up. And that’s why we named this project, The Door, because I really believe things are changing. There’s an opportunity for people to use worship as a tool to reach out to the people of China.”
In addition to resources for worship leaders and a video that brings the event to life, the CD features songs like “Be Still,” a relevant reminder of God’s calming presence in life’s most turbulent seasons. For Tedder, performing “Be Still” alongside his fellow worship leaders in China was a highlight.
“In the process of writing the song, I realized that my own life was crowded and calling attention to other things. I was focusing on external things rather than focusing on the author of my faith, Jesus Christ,” Tedder shares. “Then, when I had the opportunity to record it live with a Chinese worship leader who leads services for about five underground churches in and around Beijing, well, it was a magical moment. Here I was, sitting next to a 23-year-old Chinese worship leader, who has given his life for the sake of the Gospel. We’re singing the song, him in Mandarin and me in English, and just to know— to stop and know—that He is God in the midst of the struggle and the persecution and the trials that many of our brothers and sisters face in the People’s Republic of China, that encouraged my faith, too.”
With a passion for the nations, Mark Tedder is a frequent worship leader at Spring Harvest in the United Kingdom. He and his wife Carrie also lead Worshiplanet Inc, an international worship equipping ministry, along with their work with Beijing International Christian Fellowship.
For more information on Mark Tedder, The Door and Worshiplanet, go to www.worshiplanet.com or www.kingsway.co.uk.