'Israel' in songs
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 15 years, 7 months AGO
<p>Bob Bennett, Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill and Buck Storm traveled to Israel in 2008, returned home and put together the "Songs for Israel" CD.</p>
In 2008, Buck Storm, along with Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill and Bob Bennett, traveled to Israel.
The four musicians went for one reason: To write songs. About what they saw, what they heard, the people they met, what they felt.
When they came home, that's what they did.
The result of their nearly two-week tour is "Songs For Israel."
Israel, says Storm, is a special place.
"I believe God has a plan for Israel," he said.
"A lot of Christians sort of write Israel off," he continued. "When in reality, it's an important subject daily."
The foursome will perform music from the 12-song CD and other songs during a concert 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at Candlelight Christian Fellowship. Each will perform individually, and then they'll take the stage together.
Their purpose is to bring attention to Israel, both spiritually and politically.
"We chose to make this record because we believe it is God's will that we support and pray for Israel," wrote Paul Van Noy, pastor of Candlelight Christian Fellowship who also went on the trip. "The Lord has and will use her to make himself known to the rest of the world."
How the trip came to be
In November 2008, Candlelight Christian Fellowship and Compass International of Coeur d'Alene invited the four songwriters to visit Israel and other biblical places with the purpose of writing and recording music inspired by what they experienced together.
"There was an expectation that if challenged to write new songs as a result of walking the very streets of Galilee, Jerusalem, Ephesus, and Patmos - these artists of music would contribute fresh perspective to ancient stories and thereby complement and enrich what scholars and theologians have endeavored to do for centuries," according to the CD's booklet.
The writers were ready.
Keaggy and Stonehill have written and recorded hundreds of songs going back to the 1970s. Bennett's and Storm's musical careers began in the 80s.
Each wrote a few songs for the CD. It was the first time for the four Christian musicians, usually soloists, performed together.
"Each responded to the challenge to write new music and lyrics as a creative response to the experience of seeing with their own eyes and hearing with their own ears the land where Jesus and his disciples once walked," according to the CD's cover.
Storm, the group's youngest member, called the trip and ensuing CD a pinnacle of his career.
"These guys are some of my heroes," said Storm, the project's producer.
"It always a great surprise for me every time I listen to the record," he said.
Ray Ware, project music manager who painted the CD's cover artwork, believes the collaboration worked well.
"Not always, but sometimes the pieces put together make on the whole something more splendid than could have been anticipated," he wrote. "That is how I feel when I listen to this album."
Why Israel
Van Noy wrote that years ago, when he was young in the faith, he was taught that Israel had been replaced by the church and many believe this today.
"The idea is that God has given commandments and promises of blessing to Israel; however, they refuse to obey, forfeiting those blessings," he wrote. "Therefore, many believe that God moved his calling, purpose, and blessing from Israel and refocused his purposes to the church, leaving Israel behind."
Van Noy disagrees.
"God did give promises and blessings to Israel associated with their obedience, but he also made a covenant with them that carried no conditions at all," he wrote. "In fact when he made a covenant with Abraham, he intentionally put him to sleep so he could not participate."
The CD is $15 and available at Candlelight and songs are available through iTunes. It has sold well, Storm said.
"I have a feeling it's going to get a lot more attention," he said.
Concert tickets are $25 at available at Candlelight.
If you go
The foursome of Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, Bob Bennett and Buck Storm will perform 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at Candlelight Christian Fellowship. The show will include songs from their new CD, “Songs for Israel.” Tickets are $25 and available at Candlelight.