Tony Cummings quizzed the popular and hard working worship songsmith BRENTON BROWN

Brenton: I think theologically I was moved by Jesus telling his disciples to go out and preach this particular message; that the Kingdom of God is near. You can read that as a message about time, that it's coming any time, or that it is spatially near, it's at hand. It's not a new theme to the Scriptures, it occurs in the Old Testament and Psalms, the Lord is near to those who are crushed in Spirit. The joy that we have is that God is strong and confident to overcome every obstacle in this life. The power he had is available to us and it is near. It's pretty fantastic news, that Jesus has overcome every trial in this life and is near to us. It gives me a lot of joy. There is a lot of joy in this record because of that.

Tony: I've recently been reading a book which is very controversial. It is written by a gentleman of middle age, who was a Christian in his teens. Somewhere along the way he lost his faith and it is basically a critique of the Modern Church. What I think he failed to grasp is that the Christian faith is experiential. It's not simply an obtuse, abstract concept that God is near, it's an experience. We have available to us the presence of God continually. Surely this is the essence of the Christian faith?

Brenton: Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit will come and he will be our helper. In my own life, even when I haven't acknowledged God, he has been near. It's important that people realise that even if you can't feel God, he is there. I think this is a problem for the charismatic Church. My two year old daughter has just learnt object permanence, which is the idea that if she can't see something, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Of course, that is a challenge of faith that we have to re-learn every week.

Tony: Could you tell me some of your favourite songs on the record and the inspirations behind them?

Brenton: We talked a little about the nearness of God, and that's definitely evident in the first song "God Is Mercy", and it runs through the rest of the record. The second song is called "Joyful", it's really Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" and Henry van Dyke's "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee". I really love that record. There's a particular verse, "drive the dark and doubt away, giver of eternal gladness, fill us with the light of day." It's a prayer I've wanted to pray for a long time. Next is a song called "We Lift You Up", which is again about how Jesus has conquered all the trials and come through with joy and the help that he brings to us, to be encouraged. "Glorious" is about the resurrection and "Higher" is about how Jesus is above all other rulers because of all the things he has done; he is the light for evermore. And that's the heart of the record.