Pure Heart: behind the songs
UK worship leader and songwriter Luke Wareham shares an insight into the songs from his latest EP Pure Heart.
Luke, of Clevedon Baptist Church, prays that the songs would help people to have life changing encounters with Jesus which connect them to the heart of God for their life, and that they will speak into everyday life situations.
Access and download Pure Heart here
Making the new EP has been great fun and I cannot wait for everyone to hear the songs. I have been writing these songs over the past year and some really kind people have supported me in recording the songs. I love to write songs straight from reading the Bible and often feel inspired by worshipping on my own at home.
Three things make a really uplifting worship anthem for me; this is what makes up my song writing process and helps me in my creativity. These are:
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Ultimately the song helps people to encounter Jesus and to fix their eyes on Jesus.
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A song that is Biblically focused and inspired
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The song is easy to sing and praise God with
Jesus Is Holy (Feat. Chris Sayburn)
Jesus Is Holy was birthed in a winery in Redding, California while my friend Matt Holman was on an ministry trip with some friends to Bethel. Matt came to me with the concept of writing a song based on some prophetic pictures he had and I worked on the idea. The song is inspired by various truths from the book of Isaiah – the nature of God, his everlasting promises and how significant we are – beyond comprehension.
Isaiah says ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’. And this verse sums up my prayer in releasing the song which is that as you listen you will encounter more of the life giving presence of God.
You Are Mighty (Feat. Donna Akodu)
You Are Mighty is based on 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here’. I love this verse and stories of people coming to know God for the first time and the bridge proclaims this.
The chorus celebrates this new life - ‘Hallelujah’ for God’s saving grace and for the price He paid. My friend Donna who I met while at David’s Tent brings her amazing voice to the song.
Pure Heart (Feat. Michelle Lutz)
It was really cool to collaborate with Michelle Lutz on Pure Heart who is based in America and it was fun to record virtually from another country - Dan did a great job getting the song together! Pure Heart focuses on our desire as Christians to become more like Jesus.
Sometimes life can be difficult and draw us away from God, so this song Is a call for us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. In Matthew 5:8 it says, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God’. The more we keep our hearts leaned in towards God, the more we become like Him.
Come Home (Feat. Marc James)
Come Home is a song for those seeking a fresh encounter with God and a call for the prodigals to come home. Marc brings his cool soulful voice to the song. The song came about as I was reading and reflecting on the story of the prodigal son in the Bible while songwriting with my wife Katie and friend Matt Caddick.
Psalm 55 and Matthew 11 describe a loving God who is kind, will never leave us and is willing to take on our burdens just like the Father does in the prodigal son story. He doesn't turn him away, he calls for him to come home and desires to take care of his child.
Honour You Lord (Feat. Lou Fellingham)
I wrote Honour You Lord while reflecting on Psalm 29. I feel Psalm 29 is a Bible verse for this season we are living in. It says: ‘Honour the Lord, you heavenly beings; honour the Lord for his glory and strength. Honour the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness’.
My hope is that the song would help the church to sing out praise to God and focus on his holiness. 2022 might not have delivered the fresh new start that many of us had hoped for, but we can walk through the rest of this year knowing that we have a God who loves us, is for us and will never leave us.
Luke Wareham’s new 5 track EP Pure Heart was produced by Dan Stirling, mastered by Tim Gosden and distributed via Wings Music Group.
Download Pure Heart here: linktr.ee/warehamluke
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