Maria Gilpin On Making Music that Will Compel Listeners to "Run After the Presence of the Lord"

Maria Gilpin has just released her brand new 7Core Music single "Beckoning." This is her first release since 2016's Giving It All EP and it's well worth the wait. Based around Psalm 25:1, the song depicts God the Father beckoning His children into that place of complete trust and intimacy, where the dirt from yesterday falls off into His presence.

Gilpin is a prophetic worship leader/singer song writer and founder of Beyond The Surface movement. She has been leading worship alongside her husband Mark for all most 20 years. They have lead worship in many countries around the world and currently lead a prophetic worship movement where people gather from all parts of Ireland. This movement exists beyond the four walls of the church and is currently held in theatres across the country. With the help of the Holy Spirit, they intend to reach all of Ireland and beyond to bring hope to the nations. 

Q: Maria, thank you for doing this interview with us. I have read that you and your husband have been leading worship for more than 20 years. How did you first feel the call of God to lead worship?

Well for me it was more of a natural progression. I was on the worship team in our local church where I sang backing vocals. I was also part of kids ministry team and it was there I started to lead worship. After that I led a bit in youth with Mark my husband and then progressed into leading for the worship team. 

Q: Tell us a little about your current ministry, especially the Beyond the Surface movement.

The past few years we have been leading worship for churches online around the world. It's been a running joke in our house, "we have been around the world but never left our home"praise God for the internet!! That's really where Beyond The Surface began. We where doing online worship nights and then I felt God asking us to take it outside our home and the four walls of the church building. We were called to go and have these worship gatherings in theatres across Ireland.  We have gathered people from all different churches across our island that is now part of our team. We are desperate to see a move of God, so we come with no agenda! We leave an open space for God to speak and move however way He wants. We have had the most incredible times in the presence of God. We have had all walks of life come into the building being exposed to Jesus.  We are so grateful and the best part? It's only the beginning. 

Q: How do you define worship? And how do you encourage the congregation to worship?

For me, Worship is a way of living. It's getting up in the morning, it's making breakfast, it's cleaning dirty little noses and brushing grubby little teeth. It's going to work, it is singing songs, it's taking communion. It is helping my neighbour next door. It's being committed to the people around me. Worship is my quiet moments when it's just me and Him. 

Whatever it is we do, we our doing it to the name of Jesus. We are worshipping Him with the mundane everyday. There, our lives will reflect the glory of the Lord. 

When leading worship with the help of the Holy Spirit of course, I think the best way to encourage the congregation to worship is by you being authentic! Authenticity one of the keys to changing the atmosphere in the room. The Father adores seeing his children being who He has created them to be. So be yourself and that will encourage the people in the room to do the same! 

Q: I believe you have had experience leading worship in various countries. How is worship different in these countries?

For me, it is learning to listen to the Holy Spirit! It's knowing the voice of God and what He is looking to do in the room. Listening, being authentic and respecting the church and culture around you. I also have made plenty of mistakes that I now have learnt from. Its ok to make them, growth is important. 

Q: Talk to us about your new single "Beckoning." What's the song about? And how did you come to write it?

I felt God calling me to go deeper. Without even releasing I was just ankle deep the Father was calling me beyond where I was. He was beckoning me to close the door and hear His voice. 

He gave me this verse -

Psalm 25 v 14 

"There's a private place reserved for the lovers of God, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises."

I feel the Father is calling not just me but His children to come and sit at his feet, He is calling his bride. There is an invitation to a beautiful spiritual pilgrimage with the Father and I for one do not want to miss a thing! 

Q: In terms of new music, are you currently working on a new album? If so, tell us more about your new music.

Our next single will be released in a months time. There are other prophetic songs that we feel the Father is saying to the church.  Keep your ear to the ground! 

Q: How do you hope your songs will impact the lives and faith of your listeners?

Our prayer is that you will hear the Father so clearly. We pray that His voice will be heard across the nations and lives will be changed for the glory of the Lord. Our hope is that our music will encourage the listener to explore all the things God has for them. To really run after the presence of the Lord.

 

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