This article was written by Frank Viola, author of “Reimagining Church,” “From Eternity to Here,” “Finding Organic Church,” “Insurgence” and many other titles. Permission was granted to repost it here from his blog.
For over two decades, I’ve engaged in the practice of writing and rewriting songs.
The latter (rewriting) is nothing new. For centuries, Christians have been taking the best tunes that the world has produced and they’ve redeemed — and elevated — them by writing new lyrics to the music.
Many of the greatest hymns known to humankind were created this way.
Yet it’s a lost art today.*
Not only have I practiced this method myself, but I’ve taught it to all the churches I’ve planted or worked with over the years.
Using this method, one of the kingdom communities I founded in the past took Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and raised it to the 50th power.
The rewritten lyrics tell the story of God’s eternal purpose in 5 minutes.
Watch the video below where you can see the saints performing it during a live conference.
(The lyrics are below.)
Also, HERE’S AN AUDIO of the song.**
The words contain echoes of From Eternity to Here.***
It tells the Story of the Ages in 5 minutes.
(Unfortunately, the video recording isn’t the highest quality, but I’m glad someone captured the moment.)
LYRICS
Bride: I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased you Lord. The Mystery of the Ages hidden in ya.
It goes like this: the birth, the gift, the minor fall, the major lift. The Risen King commanding Hallelujah.
CHORUS
Lord: I knew e’er creation’s song. In the garden we walked along. My presence and my kinship offered to ya.
But you took a bite from a different tree. Another life that’s not from me, and from your lips it stripped my hallelujah.
SILENT CHORUS
Bride: Jesus, I’ve been here before. I know this room and I’ve walked this floor. I used to live alone before I knew ya.
Now I’ve seen your death on the wooden arch. Love is not a victory march. It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.
CHORUS
Lord: I came to earth, I gave my life, for you to be my Eternal Wife. I tell the truth, I died to never lose ya.
And now I live and move in you, the Holy Dove is moving through, and every breath you draw is hallelujah.
CHORUS
Bride: And now we live so all can know what’s really going on below. Your sacrifice restoring all things to ya.
Together with a heavenly throng we’ll stand before the Lord of song with nothing on our tongue but hallelujah.
CHORUS
Click here for other innovative songs.