An interview with Graham Kendrick.
What do you see as the future vision for March for Jesus?
GK: "March for Jesus started as a way to take the local church to the neighbourhood. It's time to emphasise the 364 days of the year, when the church needs to go beyond it's four walls, through praise marches on a neighbourhood level as a compliment to the the important global march days.
An emphasis that is growing around the world at the moment is prayerwalking. This is done on any day of the year. Many churches are systematically prayerwalking their cities on a continuing basis, sometimes linked with church planting efforts, evangelistic initiatives, or door-to-door visitation. For me, the by-line of the new album sums up the comprehensiveness of the future vision: "Worship in Every Place and Prayer for All People." That's where we're going."
'No More Walls' is music that calls the church across the nation out on to the streets for the 1997/98 March for Jesus. It also presents afresh the concept of "prayer songs" for any situation, from personal devotions to city-wide prayer strategies.
How did you go about writing music for the 'No More Walls' album?
GK: "We had an extensive criteria to apply to the March songs: They had to be easy to learn. They needed to have a key and pitch which will allow crowds to sing strongly. It had to fit the themes of the Marches in 1997 and 1998. The songs had to acceptable to many cultures because it's going to be used in many different nations."
"My intention is to provide simple and accessible prayers that can be sung in any situation from personal devotion, to home groups, to churches, to city wide prayer gatherings, as well as songs that you can have in your head while you go prayerwalking. The words give a framework to your prayers."
Graham Kendrick is one of the founders of March for Jesus.
For further information on GLOBAL MARCH FOR JESUS
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