UK Worship Leader Luke Wareham Talks About Song Writing & His Upcoming EP

Bristol based Worship leaders Luke Wareham and Rachel Mason have released their debut single 'Whisper', the title track from their upcoming 6-track EP due for release worldwide in February 2020.

Luke and Rachel have a passion for writing songs that lead people into the presence of God, that help people fix their eyes on Jesus and to experience afresh the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Their prayer is that their songs will bring hope to a broken world speaking prophetically the truth of Jesus into everyday life situations.

Luke is a worship leader and songwriter who loves leading worship and drawing people to Jesus and being changed through worshipping him. He works on the staff team at Woodlands Church in Bristol and has led worship at various Christian conferences and events around the UK. Luke did a year with Worship Central. 

We are honored to catch up with Luke Wareham for this exclusive interview.

Q: Luke, thank you for doing this interview with us. Let's start with yourself: tell us more about yourself and your ministry.

Thanks for being so encouraging and interested about the new EP 'WHISPER' and recent single. I love leading worship and song writing, so that people are drawn to Jesus and changed through worshipping him. I work on the team at Woodlands Church in Bristol and lead worship at various Christian conferences and events around the UK. I did a year with Worship Central and have been leading worship for 14 years. I've got a passion for writing songs that lead people into the presence of God, that help people fix their eyes on Jesus and to experience afresh the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

Q: You have partnered with Rachel Mason on this new EP that is coming out. Tell us a little about Rachel and why you have chosen to work with her?

Rachel is a family friend and I lead worship with her at Clevedon Baptist Church where my Dad Antony Wareham is Senior Minister. Rachel encouraged me to get my songs produced for others to hear! Rachel is a great worship leader, has a heart for raising others up and has a lot of experience in the music industry. She is a multi-award winning songwriter who has appeared on Sky Television, BBC Radio and judges international competitions such as The UK Songwriting Competition, the CASA Awards and WellChild School Choir of the Year. Rachel works extensively with young musicians, mentoring them and helping them in the music industry. We work really well together and have enjoyed supporting and encouraging each other as we've worked on the new EP.

Q: Since there are so many worship music coming out these days. What sets your music apart?

I enjoy listening to different worship songs from various worship bands and worship leaders which have helped me to encounter Jesus and to worship wholeheartedly. My prayer is that these songs will help people to have a sense of wonder and God's love, which will enable them to get through everyday life and to fix their eyes on Jesus. These songs have especially been written to help people receive from and respond to God. I also work as a youth worker in the most deprived and needy areas in Bristol and I wanted to write songs that will bring hope to a broken world, speaking prophetically the truth of Jesus into everyday life situations.

Q: Tell us some of the highlights in the journey of making this new record.

The songs have been written over the past year whilst serving in the church and listening to God prophetically. Helping people to encounter Jesus whether through leading worship or through everyday life is what I wake up in the morning for and writing and recording these songs has been a highlight. Working with my good friend Ollie Morris on the EP, a songwriter based in Bristol, has been a real highlight as the whole production has been done within our friendship. Ollie has worked hard on the production and music on the EP with me. He has used his musical experience and song writing expertise to help create the overall EP.

Q: Your new single "Whisper" was inspired by a passage in 1 Kings. Share with us how this song came about.

I wrote 'Whisper' whilst reflecting on 1 Kings - God wasn't in the noise of the wind, in the rocks breaking, in the earthquake or fire - but he was in the silence as he whispered to Elijah. I believe that even when the enemy seems loud in our lives, even when we are filled with panic and doubt, a whisper from God changes everything. Our true freedom comes from Jesus breaking through into our lives and his perfect plan for us worked out because of the cross. God revealed himself in a whisper to Elijah because he was so close and he whispers in our life situations because he is so close, within whispering distance, and never leaves us. He is already working it out.

Q: I love how you use scripture in songs. Why do you think the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is important in worship?

I think it's important to base my songs on scripture from the Bible, both Old and New Testament, because the Bible is God's word inspired by the Holy Spirit and it points us to the God we worship. The Bible also guides us in our faith and everyday life.

Q: Give us a sneak peak of this new EP and what are some of the songs we can look forward in hearing.

I am really looking forward to releasing this new EP and sharing the 5 new songs with everyone. 'Shadows' a song on the EP I have co-written with Matt Caddick and Rachel Mason is a song that I have been leading at church and various events for a while now, people seem to really connect with the song and worship through it. The song was written during difficult times in 2019 and proclaims the victory of Jesus and that we can hold on to Jesus who never gives up on us. The song expresses how going through trials in life can be a test of our faith. We may feel weak but the hope of the cross makes us strong. The cross takes away all fear and dread as the light of Jesus shines through the darkness in our lives. Jesus' love and glory shine brighter than anything else as the shadows in our life disappear.

Another song on the EP 'Faithful friend' is a song I wrote during a prayer week at our church. The song reflects on how we are made for a close friendship with God as we live in unity together for God's kingdom. I felt God say that he does not just want us to know about him; he wants us to know him and to experience his friendship. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he loves us more deeply than anyone else ever could. He is faithful, he is close, he will never leave us, and we are surrounded by his presence of kindness and goodness. His light gives us a new song in our heart. As we surrender to Jesus we get to know him better.

Q: "Whisper" speaks about hearing from God. Can you relate a difficult time in your life when God whispered to you?

I have times in my life where God has been so close that a word or thought from him has changed a difficult situation, circumstance or relationship. When I don't feel good enough or I feel inadequate one whisper from God changed my perspective to turn to him and fix my eyes on him as I know he is with me. One whisper from God has changed everything as I realise my true freedom comes from Jesus dying on the cross for me and that I need to have a constant eternal perspective.  

 

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