Hello OCBC family,

I still believe in the choir.  You might say “but, brother Israel, you are the director of the choir, of course you still believe in it.”  What I am trying to say is that I believe in the choir, not just as a group of men and women singing in harmony for a performance, but a group of believers that practice together praises to the Lord and lead the body of Christ into the presence of God Almighty.

Singing praises to the Lord in a group, aka choir, is not a new discipline.  The plans for the new temple in Jerusalem included a choir to sing songs to the Lord and help people in their worship time.  You can read in 1 Chronicles 25:7 that the original plan was to have a choir of 288 singers!!!  That is what we call in music a mass choir.

When the church was born, to sing praises to Jesus as God was a new custom. The primitive church didn’t have choirs because they worshipped as the Jews in the temple.  But when the church gained some liberty, musicians, who were part of the church, started to created choral groups, once again, to sing praises to the Lord and to help people.

Sadly, the choir took the place of the believers in singing and just professional choirs were worthy to sing in church.  Until Luther came into history.  He wanted people to sing in their language hymns to God.  He was not against choral music, but he wanted more congregational music.  J. S. Bach, a Lutheran musician, composed hundreds of choral pieces to worship God and help people to sing better in church.

This coming Sunday evening we will have the opportunity to worship together with two sister churches and their choirs at Inglewood Baptist Church in Grand Prairie.  It is not a concert time, but a night of worship.  We will hear choirs singing a few songs giving glory to God with their talents, but also they will lead the congregation in songs.  Please come, as it will be a wonderful time in the presence of God.

In His service,

 Israel

Hello OCBC family.  Today I want to tell you about George Matheson.  Probably this name means nothing to you, but maybe his hymn has touched you very deeply; I will let you know which hymn I am talking about.

Matheson was a Scottish minister and hymn writer.  Born in Glasgow, to George Matheson, a merchant and Jane Matheson (a second cousin), he was the eldest of eight.  He went to Glasgow Academy and to the University of Glasgow.  Sadly, in his twenties he became a blind man, and his sister became his helper.

But years before this situation, George was engaged, but sadly his fiancé broke the engagement because she didn’t want to be part of a blind man’s life.  He was heartbroken.

For years, with his preaching and his sister’s help, he was able to handle his depressions, but his sister got engaged herself, and on her wedding day he understood that his lovely helper would be  leaving him as well.  On this day, in this very depressing moment he received inspiration for a new hymn; a new hymn with comforting lyrics. The name of the hymn…  "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go"

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I climb the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

In His service.

Israel.