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As one who is passionate about worshiping Jesus in music, I’m writing today about one of the most influential worship leaders, songwriters and musicians from the mid-1980s to 2015 (and beyond) – Darrell Evans.
Darrell Patton Evans was born on October 6, 1968 in San Francisco, California. At age 11, after being born again during a 1980 Leon Patillo concert, he honed his musical skills and was leading worship music at age 14. He later attended college in California and then relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he served as worship leader at a Vineyard Church and attended Oral Roberts University.
A two-time Dove award winner, his music includes many contemporary Christian songs that continue to joyously and intimately draw thousands of hearts to Jesus. His music is guitar-led, emotional and organic – in that it doesn’t always follow predictable patterns of song construction or lyrics. He recorded for sure, but was always busy touring and guest leading worship services. In fact, this writer met him many years ago at a worship leader and musician conference at Eastgate Church (Foursquare) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He emphasized the biblical importance of worship and seeking excellence in worship.
For those of us not born too recently(!), you’ll recall singing the music of Darrell Evans on a regular basis during church – including Trading My Sorrows, Let the River Flow, Your Love Is Extravagant, Redeemer, Savior Friend, Freedom, and (my mom’s personal favorite) Fields of Grace. For those who may not be musicians, I thought it would be fun to include a photograph of Darrell Evans’ 1991 handwritten chord sheet for Let The River Flow (globally shared on his Facebook page). As indicated on the chord sheet, this song is inspired by Ezekiel 47:9-12 (every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live).
In a 2013, he gave an interview to CCM Magazine in which he spoke about a (then) new project, but more importantly, his background and views about leading musical worship. This article is a worthy read and may be found HERE.
One of Darrell Evans’ best-known songs is Trading My Sorrows. According to a 2003 Crosswalk[.com] article, Darrell Evans described Trading My Sorrows as flowing from an ad-lib moment at a church service in 1997 when the atmosphere led the congregation to pray as if “washing people’s feet with worship.” The entire article may be read HERE. As always, this song is inspired by scripture – See 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (we are never forsaken) and Psalm 30:4-5 (His joy comes in the morning).
Please enjoy the original “WOW Worship” recording of Trading My Sorrows:
Here are the lyrics:
I’m trading my sorrow
I’m trading my shame
I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord
I’m trading my sickness
I’m trading my pain
I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord
And we say yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord!
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord!
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord. Amen!
I’m pressed but not crushed
persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I’m blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure
And His joy’s gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning
As one always ready to worship, I’d like to share another Darrell Evans song with you. I wrote about this many months ago, but this song is so incredibly powerful, I have to share it again – Your Love Is Extravagant!
As we live our lives each day, it’s important to remember that the scriptures say that love covers all (or a multitude of) sins – See Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 4:8 and Luke 7:47-48.
The love of Jesus operating in our hearts gives us the capacity to overlook offenses or transgressions by others in our interpersonal relationships. None of us have fully-perfected souls (as we are three-fold beings, spirit, soul and body). Sometimes we are best served to overlook the hurt or disrespect from others – who often didn’t even intend to inflict any hurt or offense. The covering of sin, through the love of Christ shed forth from our hearts to others, is a healing balm which quietly brings unity and encourages love and Christ-likeness.
We should, however, distinguish between the love of Jesus manifesting in our lives toward each other and the love Jesus had (and still has) for us as He willingly suffered upon the cross of Calvary. He became the propitiation for our sin as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sin, offering us eternal life in the very presence of Almighty God! Hebrews 10:10-12 explains this very well. Got Questions[.org] has a great article on this topic that may be read HERE. Among other things, it discusses the difference between Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross not being a covering for our sin, but rather, the doing away with it (forgiveness). Amen!
Please enjoy and worship along with Your Love Is Extravagant:
Here are the lyrics:
Your love is extravagant
Your friendship is intimate
I find I’m moving
To the rhythms of Your grace
Your fragrance is intoxicating
In our secret place
Your love is extravagant
Spread wide in the arms of Christ
Is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known
You considered me a friend
Capture my heart again
If this has touched your heart and you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, there is no better day than today! Find a quiet place and pray from your heart to the Father. Tell the Father that you love Him, that you repent of your sin, and that you believe upon the name of Jesus. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Thank Him for taking your punishment and shedding His precious blood so that you now walk in the promise of eternal life in heaven, in the very presence of God!
Supporting scriptures:
Ezekiel 47:9-12 (NKJV)
“And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV)
“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—“.
Psalm 30:4-5 (NKJV)
“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, [a]nd give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; [w]eeping may endure for a night, [b]ut joy comes in the morning.”
Hebrews 10:10-12 (NLT)
“For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered [H]imself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then [H]e sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
Proverbs 10:12 (AMP)
“Hatred stirs up strife, [b]ut love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults].”
1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
Luke 7:47-48 (NKJV)
“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)
“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:13 (NLT)
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin.”
Praise Jesus forevermore!