American singer/songwriter BOB FITTS has been one of the mainstays of America's praise and worship ministry. He spoke to Pat Herridge.

Bob Fitts

Californian Bob Fitts has been involved in the worship ministry for more than a decade. But his latest album 'Proclaim His Power' for Hosanna/integrity was something special. Cross Rhythms wrote in its Pick Of The Pile review that "if we amen the prayers Bob utters on 'Song Of Deliverance' and 'Let It Rain' then the Lord will send out from his throne room songs that are going to heal nations, songs that will break the powers of darkness, songs that will spearhead the Holy Spirit revival that is going to grip this parched and needy nation of ours."

Bob Fitts is the eldest of a Christian family of seven children. Bob's father was a Baptist Minister who did a good deal of travelling, loved country and western, and even made a record! Bob's father was also something of a prayer warrior and it was with this background at the age of six that Bob gave his life to Jesus Christ.

Bob grew up in California and in the late 60s/early 70s was very much involved in the whole Jesus Movement and the initial development of Calvary Chapel, which he remembers started in a tent! At the age of 17 Bob had an encounter with the Holy Spirit. "The spirit took what was my limited understanding of what being a Christian was and radically changed my life," says Bob. "I led worship at Riverside Calvary Chapel for a while and then began to work in another local fellowship where I endeavoured to work through some issues which needed to be sorted out in my life. God really challenged me. It was one of the turning points in my life."

So far as schooling was concerned and musical training Bob went to a Christian school which at that time was very much the 'happening' place. It was during that period he could see that he needed help to improve his vocals and so was tutored by Chris Badey, who also worked with many of the contemporary singers at Calvary Chapel at that time. Bob went on to do theological studies as his main subject and also vocal development and courses on songwriting.

Bob was then invited to work as the worship leader/youth pastor of a church in California but wasn't too sure about accepting this. God however challenged him to do this work, and he decided to go for it, which he remembers thoroughly enjoying for about seven years.

"During this time God began to burden my heart with a compassion for other nations. One night in a dream I saw an angry woman coming up to me and begin to shout to me about people who were starving for the gospel, people who did not have the blessings and resources that were part of my life. I felt that God was giving me a clear message that I was to take God's healing to the nations. God wanted to use me in a way which would show people his heart of compassion through people on missions, using and co-ordinating the resources that were available and turning them into constructive ways of helping others from other nations."

It was through this dream that eventually Bob felt God calling him to join Youth With A Mission in Hawaii where he and his family went in 1981. Initially they did not have a particular role but spent some rest time. This did not last for he soon found that he was beginning to become involved in helping with the Discipleship Training School. Bob was at the point of asking and questioning what was he doing with music in his life? At that time he penned the song 'Father in Heaven' (Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty) whilst in a coffee shack, feeling rather down at the time, after having left California with all their family and friends.

Around the 1984 Olympics, God spoke to the increasingly prolific Bob and encouraged him in his efforts. Bob recorded a solo album called 'Take My Healing To The Nations', which eventually was spread further afield by Scripture In Song. Dale and Dave Garratt played a key role in Bob's life at this time and he emphasised they were also key individuals in the development of the area of praise and worship. Bob travelled with them on their 'Sound Of Joy Tour' to Australia, Europe and other places worldwide.

Explains Bob, "My time at YWAM began to change and evolve as others around me encouraged me to take a much bigger role on the campus. The vision which I had been given by God of taking 'Healing to the Nations' came into being with the development of the International School Of Worship which I pioneered initially but which I have now been able to train others to take over as a team work. This was not just to develop music and worship but to develop a heart for mission and a compassion for other nations around the world who need teaching and help in order to build up their nations."

I asked Bob about two of his best-loved songs. "I wrote 'As We Worship In Your Presence' jointly with Cathy Carter. At the time we were struggling with working out the supernatural manifestations of God. Why was it that sometimes God healed and at other times he did not? We concluded that we need not know, that the most important thing is that we worship first, God then 'inhabits our praises' and there is 'healing' in his wings. I wrote 'He Is Lovely' on an occasion when we were arranging special secret gifts to each other but I did not have much in the way of finances, felt totally inadequate and God said give what you have. So I wrote this song to show my appreciation for his friendship! If we love the Lord then our love to each other has to be expressed, we cannot love God and not our fellow man!"

1994 is a time of transition for Bob and he feels a little like Abraham - trusting God but not knowing exactly where God wants him. He feels that Hawaii is definitely a bridge to Asia and other keys areas around the world and he is waiting on the Lord for his future direction.

Lastly I asked Bob what else did he have on his heart that he wanted to express. Two clearly defined thoughts were uppermost in Bob's mind that he felt strongly about:

Firstly: "God's strength is made perfect in our weakness!! When I travelled to Nashville for the recent recording of 'Proclaim His Power', I had been travelling over the world for some time - I was physically, emotionally and spiritually tired and questioned what was going on. By the end of the recording I knew that it could only be God who had turned a set of circumstances in which I felt weak into a situation where God's strength had been made perfect and a miracle had happened - the recording was great!"

Secondly, he pointed out that we are both from islands, ie, Hawaii and the UK. Bob was encouraging us here in the UK to realise that we have been a resource to other nations. "I believe that those involved as worship leaders and in the worship areas over here in the UK have 'deeply tutored' people from other nations in a way that the British do not realise. God has made the British rich in resources and you need to continue to share and extend this help to other nations in the future as you have in the past!"