Robin Mark writing Revival in Belfast

A member of my worship team at Ashmore Uniting has been introducing us to the worship music of Robin Mark and “Revival in Belfast”.

The album, “Revival in Belfast”, recorded by Robin and team at Christian Fellowship Church, Belfast, was launched in 1999 by Integrity Music, taking Robin Mark from a significant Belfast songwriter/worship leader to an international influence. It was followed up by a sequel, Come Heal This Land, recorded at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh. Worship Integrity returned to the Christian Fellowship Church formula with Revival in Belfast II.

I’ve enjoyed the traditional Irish flavour – the pipes and whistles. The staple of the Integrity Music album, however, is more generic, taking familiar phrases from the Psalms and setting them to guitar-driven folk/rock music.

Robin’s most well-known song, “Days of Elijah”, was recorded on his second album of the same name. He gives some of the background to the song’s origins on his web site, and in an interview with Christianity.ca. My first reaction to the song in 2001 was coloured by my cynicism towards focus on ‘last days’ teaching on the imminent return of Christ. However, reading through Robin’s approach I’m more inclined to connect with the lyrics. The challenge is to use this kind of song in a way that encourages reflection on his themes of personal and corporate redemption. The difficulty for most worshippers in Western settings, though, is that we’re not really living in days of great trial, famine, darkness and sword.

Here’s the first verse and chorus…

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord:
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord!’

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes.