July 01, 1996 by Dave Geisler

Perspectives Graduate Scott Wesley Brown's New Album Mobilizes Churches with a Vision for the Nations

Music has always been recognized as a powerful medium for communicating the message of Jesus Christ. Now it is also becoming a powerful means for mobilizing the vision of Christians to reach the unreached peoples. The US Center for World Mission and the Perspectives Study Program have had a powerful impact on the ministry of some contemporary Christian musicians.

One of those impacted is Scott Wesley Brown--one of the finest singer/songwriters in the history of contemporary Christian music. Scott says, "No one had ever shown me the big picture of missions. My time at the Center taking the Perspectives class enabled me to know what I was moving toward, and I think this enhanced my music and really gave me a solid direction."

Scott is now one of those spearheading a new musical thrust--using worship music to help mobilize Christians with a vision for the nations.

Scott Wesley Brown's new album Mission of Praise (Hosanna Music's Integrity label) is unique because it is the first album of contemporary worship music devoted to envisioning its listeners and worshipers for the cause of reaching the unreached peoples.

The songs in this collection are an ideal way to musically prepare Perspectives classes, Bible studies, prayer groups, church meetings and missions conferences to focus on finishing the task of the Great Commission.

In his excellent album liner notes, Brown says, "God is a missionary God. His mission is to redeem a people from all peoples who will worship Him in spirit and truth. We are His missionary nation."

Scripturally, the basis for the album is 1 Peter 2:9: "We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of

darkness into His wonderful light."

Brown believes that the ultimate goal of the church is worship and the reason world mission exists is so that God will be worshiped by all peoples throughout the world.

Scott quotes John Piper's book Let The Nations Be Glad, (See page 9 for an excerpt) in regard to his philosophy of worship and missions: "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church--worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their knees before the throne of God, missions will be no more. But worship abides forever. Worship is the fuel and goal of missions."

The songs on "Mission Of Praise" provide excellent fuel for worship, particularly the heart-touching ballad: "Lift Up Our Eyes." This includes the lyrics: "Lift up our eyes Lord/Unto the world/And to the millions/ Who've never heard." The song is a plea for people to lift up their eyes beyond their cares and go to the fields of souls that are ready to be harvested.

Most of the songs on the album are worship ballads, but Scott uses two songs that have African and island rhythms to inject some musical variety into the album. The song Hosanna(Open The Gates), written by Chris Christiensen and Thierry Ostrini, begins with African style voices praising God and continues in lively tempo. It is one of the most enjoyable songs on the album.

The most energetic song written by Scott Wesley Brown on this album is a musical version of Isaiah 61 called, "This Is The Gospel of Christ." The lyrics for this song include the phrases: To redeem a people/ He calls His own/ From every nation/Tongue and tribe/Purchased by the Blood/He shed with love/This is the Gospel of Christ.

In the album's liner notes, Brown says: "World evangelization is no small task, but neither is it impossible. God intends for you to have a place in its completion."

For people who want to discover whether that place is as a sender or a goer, Scott refers them to the Mobilization Division of the U.S. Center For World Mission.

Brown has also taught the Perspectives On The World Christian Movement class and has long been interested in advancing the cause of world mission. He has ministered in more than thirty countries over the last twenty years.

In 1983, Brown founded I CARE Ministries. (International Christian Artists Reaching the Earth) This ministry is designed to train and equip Christian musicians to evangelize the nations.

The "Mission Of Praise" album was recorded at the MISSION '95 conference sponsored by the Student Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Over 100 students from Baptist Student Unions across the country make up the choir that sings in the background on the album.