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September 2004 Table of Contents
Stories Behind the Songs
First the UK, Then the World
By Lindsay Terry
Song: Shine, Jesus, Shine
Scripture: John 12:35-50 - "I am come a Light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."
Cole Moreton in The Independent on Sunday wrote, "Barely a day goes by without a Kendrick song being sung by a group of Christians somewhere on the planet." This will give you some indication of the popularity of the songs of this gentleman from England. Few songwriters from the United Kingdom, or any nation on earth, have touched the lives of God's people as has Graham Kendrick.
Graham, born in 1950 in North-hamptonshire, England, is the son of a Baptist preacher. Although he had prepared himself to be a teacher, as a young man of twenty-two years he began his singing and songwriting career. Although his first efforts in Christian music were of the contemporary folk music styles, he has also moved his skills of storytelling and memorable tunes into a worship vein. As a result his songs have penetrated deeply into almost every area of Christendom.
Kendrick songs aid Christians in the understanding of, and the participation in the celebration of vital aspects of Biblical faith. His songs cover the areas of the "cross," "witnessing" for Christ, and the "deity" of Jesus, just to name a few.
He is the co-founder of the March for Jesus movement which had its beginning in the mid-1980s, and has involved more than 55 million people over the years. They are prayer, praise and proclamation events. Graham received a Dove Award in 1995 for his international work and is listed in Who's Who. In the year 2000, Brunei University conferred upon him an honorary doctorate in divinity degree, in recognition of his contributions to the worship life of the church.
Church Copyright License International listings have shown that Kendrick songs occupy nine of the top twenty-five spots on their chart of the most used songs, weekly, in a cross section of United Kingdom churches. His songs are very popular in stadium and other open air Christian festivals. They have also been used in televised services during times of great national grief. At least two major hymnals have included Kendrick songs.
When asked what was the secret of his success, Graham answered, "I don't have any formal musical training and often envy people who do. I've learned mainly by trial and error. I take the ‘hit and miss, try it this way, try it that way, hope for ‘happy accidents' approach."
The song which is the subject of this story has become the most popular modern hymn of the last decade in the United Kingdom. Graham said, "This song is a prayer for revival. A songwriter can give people words to voice something which is already in their hearts but which they don't have the words or the tune to express, and I think ‘Shine, Jesus, Shine' caught a moment when people were beginning to believe once again that an impact could be made on a whole nation."
Following is how Graham wrote the song, as told on his web site:
"Bearing in mind the worldwide popularity of this song, perhaps the most surprising thing about the writing of it is the ordinariness of the circumstances. I had been thinking for some time about the holiness of God, and how that as a community of believers and as individuals, His desire is for us to live continually in His presence."
"My longing for revival in the Churches and spiritual awakening in the nation was growing, but also a recognition that we cannot stand in God's presence without ‘clean hands and a pure heart.' So I wrote the three verses and ‘tested' it in my home church. Though there was clearly merit to the song, it seemed incomplete, so as I was unable at the time to take it any further, I put it back in the file. Several months later I was asked to submit new songs for a conference song book, and as I reviewed this three verse song I realized that it needed a chorus. I remember standing in my music room with my guitar slung around my neck trying different approaches. The line, ‘Shine, Jesus, Shine' came to mind, and within about half an hour I had finished the chorus, all but some ‘polishing.'"
"Though I felt an excitement in my spirit at the time, I had no inkling at all that it would become so widely used. There were other songs I rated more highly at the time that most people have never heard of!"
Graham's story behind his song appears on his web site and is used here by permission.
Graham and his wife Jill have four daughters. The Kendricks attend Ichthus Christian Fellowship, an independent free church, where Graham serves as a member of the leadership team. They make their home in London.
Reflection:
The overriding message of "Shine, Jesus, Shine" is that those who follow Christ, the Light of the world, should ask Him to "set our hearts on fire," in a dark world, in order that our "lives tell the story." In that way we point men, women, boys and girls to the Savior, "the true Light, which lightest every man who cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
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