Bryn Haworth: For the new worship album the rock veteran shows he's more than a singer

Wednesday 1st July 1992

Pop sessioner, R&B rock gospeller, and now praise and worship leader, BRYN HAWORTH has packed a lot into his 43 years. Gavin Drake reports.



Continued from page 1

Bryn Haworth: For the new worship album the rock veteran shows he's more than a singer

"The lyrics changed because I wanted to communicate with people that God was alive and I did that with all of my being, everywhere I went. The minister we had at the first church I went to, went into schools a lot and talked to the children about the gospel and he asked me if I wanted to go along. I only had one song that lyrically had any kind of communication in it. So I began to write.

"To me it was like finding the Pearl Of Great Price - it was something much more valuable than anything I had ever known. It was more valuable than music, more valuable than record deals. It was like I'd stumbled along this thing that was treasure and I had to communicate it."

Bryn began to do "Christian concerts". Britain's Christian contemporary music scene may seem pretty Mickey Mouse these days, but in the mid '70s it was even more so.

"I was doing schools work and coffee bars. In those days the Christian content wasn't happening; there was only Larry Norman and Garth Hewitt. I also carried on working in the mainstream, doing gigs and anything the record companies set up. I went on support for Gallager and Lyle, Fairport Convention, Bad Company, Stevie Winwood's Traffic. I was really just a support act learning how to do those sort of gigs."

Bryn could have taken a different path for his career in the late 70s, which probably would have resulted in a much greater financial reward, and fame, but decided that communication through music was more important.

"I got a call from Cliff Richard in 1978, asking me if I wanted to go on tour in Australia and New Zealand, playing guitar as part of the band. I thought that was great, I'd love to, so I toured down there for 3 weeks and we did a mini-tour at the London Palladium when we returned.

My "Keep The Ball Rolling" album (A&M Records) had just come out and I could see it would be good to stay with Cliff and carry on, but I felt that God had given me something to communicate in a certain way and I felt I had to carry on doing it that way rather than just playing guitar with Cliff.

"I had a great time in the band, I loved the people, Cliff was great to work with and the whole organisation was really good. John Perry was in the band at that time and I got to know him. He became a Christian after a couple of years. It was a really good time."

In 1980 Bryn signed a new record contract not with a "secular" mainsteam label but with a bright new Christian music independent based out of a Hampton Bishop (near Hereford) studio, Chapel Lane. The Chapel Lane albums "The Gap" (1980) and "Pass It On" (1982) were superb - rhythm 'n' blues in style and instrumentation and avowedly evangelical in lyrical emphasis. In 1983 Bryn recorded his first praise and worship album "Wings Of The Morning". But Chapel Lane, crippled with debts as the result of its brave pioneering work in contemporary Christian music, went all-but-dormant and Bryn began the gruelling haul of Christian label-hopping, always maintaining a creative high standard with his albums for Word ("Mountain Mover", 1985) and Kingsway ("Blue And Gold", 1989) before gradually moving into worship with albums for ICC, Vineyard and now Kingsway (in its Worship Leaders series). Bryn is a refreshing change from the contemporary Christian musos who wrongly get embarrassed at talk of ministry. Bryn, be he playing a singer-and-guitar solo concert, working with a hard rocking band or leading a large auditorium in worship, seeks to minister. He seeks to be sensitive to the spirit.

"I don't hold tightly to a set way," Bryn admits. "I'm flexible, I'll stick songs in -that's the good thing about being on your own - solo because you can change songs easily and move with what the Spirit of God is doing." Another way that Bryn differs from many itinerant "hit-and-run" rock gospellers is that he is firmly rooted, and committed, to local church ministry. There is a growing belief amongst evangelical Christians that membership of a fellowship is essential to ensure personal growth and spiritual stability. It is not always easy for God's travelling workers; evangelists, itinerant preachers and rock Gospel singers, to maintain a regular church membership.

Bryn is now cutting down his touring schedule to fulfil a part-time ministry job in his church fellowship; South West London Vineyard.

"For 10 years just being an itinerant, just travelling around the country is not healthy. You never become part of a fellowship, you don't see anything happen except the one-offs that you do. You can become a little complaining, continually whining about a church because they don't understand you, but I think there are things only God can do; as far as your personal healing and growth, as part of a family. So if you're never around you never get that part of you dealt with. There's a wholeness missing if you're always on the road. I'm learning so much being involved in a church that I would never have learnt, and the most important thing is that I have come under authority. I'm actually accountable to authority which is wonderful really. It's difficult because I've been a freelance artist. I've never had to say yes or no to anybody except to God, but now I'm accountable. I have to ask things of my leaders, they're involved in my life and I'm involved in theirs.

"For me I think it's a time of discipline. I think it's important that I learn discipline now while I'm reasonably young enough to respond. I don't want to end up an itinerant minister just doing my own thing with my own ministry, not connected to a church in any way. I don't think that's the way forward for the Church. Ministries are going to come out of the Church, covered, blessed, supported and looked after and I think that's the way forward for the Church in Britain."

Bryn has also got strong views on the future of music in the Church. These may sound radical to some conservative churchmen but Bryn is adamant that the Church needs to put more value on music and musicians.

"It's difficult for a musician because music is not really yet an accepted 'job'. Many don't really see that God uses it very much. Music is still a bit underrated. But the Spirit of God is restoring the place of worship and the place of the arts and music to the Church. Music ministry needs to be supported and, for their part, the people who do music need to be under some kind of authority and accountable to people and cared for and looked after so they can mature and grow in ministry. I think that's the way forward for us and I think church leaders need to start to see the potential that music has, both in the world and in the Church, and to nurture and look after its musicians and to develop them and put input into them rather than just see them every month and say 'hey, how are you doin' every month as you pass the through Leeds. Music's got to become part of the Church again." CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
About Gavin Drake
Gavin Drake lives in the Midlands and is the assistant editor of Cross Rhythms.


 
Showing page 2 of 2

1 2


Reader Comments

Posted by Andrew Riley in Blackburn (allthough Im origin @ 14:19 on Mar 1 2016

Hi , I went (for my 1st time ) to see Bryn at Cheadle h anglican Church in Manchester last saturday.I was sat right at the very front with my father(to Bryns bottom right hand side) .Anyway Bryn your music is so very relevent to me , especially as ur a bloke who has played with the v v best ,and chose God , I was very humbled by your story and by watching u play on saturday night.And as a guitar player myself (Blackburn vineyard church worship team),it was so inspiring to me ,and your music is awesome , I prefer to listen to it than most cecular music these days !.When u said "God had clothed me ,and loves me " It certainly made me think a lot .And i found your testimony aswesme , about the tent that yourself and your wife wandered in to thinking it was a circus , thats amazing , and funny the way u told it ,and awesome.Thankyou for inspiring me , thankyou very very much indeed .Your brother in Jesus , Andrew Riley .



The opinions expressed in the Reader Comments are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms.

Add your comment

We welcome your opinions but libellous and abusive comments are not allowed.












We are committed to protecting your privacy. By clicking 'Send comment' you consent to Cross Rhythms storing and processing your personal data. For more information about how we care for your data please see our privacy policy.

NAVIGATION
CONNECT WITH CROSS RHYTHMS
SIGNUP

Connect with Cross Rhythms by signing up to our email mailing list

A Step Change...
Cross Rhythms Media Training Centre
MORE ARTICLES
DISCOGRAPHY
ARTIST PROFILES
Artists & DJs A-Z
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
Or keyword search

 

PRAYER ROOMS
Intercession Room
Care for other people and shake heaven in our Intercession Room