About Brent Helming

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So far Brent Helming has created 39 blog entries.

Find The Reprise

By |2022-05-28T06:28:47+00:00April 25th, 2022|Categories: Worship Tips|Tags: , , , |

You have probably noticed that when preparing a worship song set, there is usually one song that stands out as the “key” song for that specific set. It could be an upbeat opening song that highlights God’s greatness and/or glory, or a more subdued and intimate song in the middle of the set that focuses on our need for His mercy.  Regardless of what type of song that the key song happens to be, it’s almost always the center point or theme for that time of worship. And one way to increase the impact of the desired theme in worship is to create a reprise or tag of the key song somewhere in the worship set. The word “reprise” is simply defined as, “a repetition of a phrase, or a return to an earlier theme.” (more…)

Your Beloved

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00July 31st, 2016|Categories: Videos|

When I finished “Your Beloved”, I had no idea of the exposure and longevity it would have in churches across the country and in the Christian community at large. I simply wrote a song that expressed my heart to God in that specific season of my life and I honestly hoped that it might be a blessing to the local church I was serving in at the time. It quickly became one of my favorite songs and truly appeared to have a significant impact at my church.

Then in 1996, “Your Beloved” became one of the first of my songs that Vineyard Music published and they featured on a worship CD called “Jesus Lead On”. At that point I realized that this song would not only minister to my local church but that it would have the opportunity to minister to worshipers from across the country and even in other parts of the world.

Over the years, I have received many e-mails, letters and messages from people expressing how much this song has blessed them and how God has used it to minister to them personally or to someone they know. The song has been recorded by a number of other musicians and artists as well used in weddings, anniversary celebrations, and even funerals. To be honest, this reality still amazes me and I am continually reminded of how incredible God truly is. He chooses to take simple things, such as a song, and use it for His glory.

The inspiration for the song originated out of a study that I was doing through the book of Job. Near the end of the book, God responds to Job’s questions in a multi-verse passage where He expounds upon the greatness of who He truly is and paints incredible imagery of His awesome creative powers in establishing the universe and creating all living things. What an inspiring and moving section of Scripture. In fact, through God’s revelation of Himself in these verses Job is cut to the quick and begins to repent and worship God. The end result is that God blesses and restores Job as he humbles himself and worships hi God.

I was awestruck by the interplay between Job’s call to God in the midst of his pain, woundedness and questions and God’s response with a revelation of His character and nature. Then just whenit seemed that the weight of God’s revelation was about to absolutely crush Job’s spirit, Job cried out to God in repentance and recognition of God’s greatness, and God heard his cry. God lovingly restores Job and blesses Him immensely. Job was beloved child of God and as he saw and understood the revelation and majesty of God he bowed, humbled himself, and worshiped. The response of God to Job’s humility and worship was to draw near and bless his beloved creation, Job.

These truths became the substance for the lyrics of Your Beloved. The first section focuses on the revelation of God’s greatness and moves to a pre-chorus that states the tension between the majesty of God and our comparative unworthiness. The chorus brings resolve with the truth that we are God’s beloved, His creation, the ones that He has called as chosen for His Kingdom and that He is unashamed to call us His beloved.

My Rock (Sovereign Lord)

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00July 31st, 2016|Categories: Videos|

My wife has this incredible eight-inch scar on the right side of her abdomen that we affectionately refer to as “the reminder of God’s love and faithfulness”. In early 2008 Kelly went into a local urgent care facility while experiencing severe cramping and bleeding. After a brief examination by the urgent care staff, they immediately transported her to the hospital Emergency Room for tests where she spent the week recovering from a severe intestinal infection.

The severity of the infection was dangerous enough. However, the scans and tests conducted by the ER staff revealed that Kelly had a large tumor within her adrenal gland. Oddly enough, the tumor had nothing to do with the intestinal infection. Unfortunately, Kelly was too weak from her intestinal infection for immediate surgery. So she was sent home to recover and gain strength for a pending surgery to remove the tumor.

Upon biopsy they found that Kelly had a malignant pheochromocytoma, one of the more dangerous and rare tumors know to medical science. Needless to say, the weeks between the tumor’s discovery and its eventual removal were filled with many earnest prayers and petitions for Kelly’s healing and for God’s comfort during this frightening time of uncertainty.

Yet, in my spirit I felt a peace about Kelly’s situation and the eventual outcome and the Lord comforted me with the familiar passage of Psalm 23: (1) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. (3) He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The Lord was also speaking to and comforting Kelly through Psalm 84:5-7:
(5) Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. (6) As they go through the Valley of Baca (weeping) they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. (7) They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

The surgeons had to overcome a near fatal release of toxins by the tumor during its removal. Though extremely frightening, Kelly’s surgery was a success and she has fully recovered. Her scar now serves to remind us of God’s incredible love and faithfulness. If Kelly had not developed the intestinal infection, she would not have been admitted into the hospital and we would never have had the scans done that revealed the silent killer lurking in her adrenal gland. In fact the malignant cells were still encapsulated but had just begun to breach the adrenal cortex. Had it not been removed, within a year or so those cells would have spread throughout her body and caused cancer. God’s timing and faithfulness in the valley of death was unmistakable and we continue to feel blessed at how He is seeing us through each day in this life.

The genesis of the song My Rock (O Sovereign Lord) was birthed out the season described above as well from the many other (though perhaps less dramatic and certainly less life threatening) trials and adventures that we have faced since that time. Through it all what remains true and lasting is that Kelly and I look to God our Savior and sing:

You are my Rock
You are my Refuge
A Mighty Fortress strong and sure
You are my hope
My one Redeemer
O Sovereign Lord
O Sovereign Lord

You Remain

By |2017-06-28T16:40:00+00:00July 31st, 2016|Categories: Videos|

In John Eldridge’s book Desire he quotes Simone Weil, “there are only two things that pierce the human heart: beauty and affliction. Moments we wish would last forever and moments we wish had never begun. What are we to make of these messengers?”

Eldridge encourages his readers to embrace the things that awaken the heart: both the good and bad. These very things (the messengers) draw us and even challenge us to open our hearts to the fullest. Whereby we encounter God and the wonder of the life in Him that He offers.

I find those words to be true and it was in a moment that I wish “had never begun” that this song was born. Sometimes moments of affliction are thrust upon us and other times the affliction results from our own choices and decisions. During one of the darkest and most painful times of my life I found myself questioning the nearness of God. Not in rejection or denial; but I just could not find Him through the pain, darkness and tears. Adding to the frustration, much of the distance between God and I was the result of my own choices and actions.

During this season of affliction, I continually pondered the reality of God’s true nature: faithful, loving, just, kind, unchanging, good, merciful, patient and longsuffering. Although I did not readily feel these truths working in my circumstances I knew that they were indeed truth. So I clung to them and I wrestled to embrace God and all that He is. Following a season of repentance, forgiveness and struggle, the healing began to flow and the darkness eventually lifted. I can remember that my prayers were filled with gratitude and thanks to God for not abandoning me. I had been shaken to the core and the end result was that God remained.

The writing of this song truly helped to synthesize my journey at that time and I was able to write most of the verses and the beginning of the chorus. Then I put the unfinished song down for a season.  Several years later, I went through my song notebook and pulled out what I had written. The song title You Remain stared back at me and I was immediately filled with wonder and gratitude for how God faithfully walked me through that dark season. The Lord continued to tug on me to go back and finish the song.  So with the help of my wife, Kelly, we completed the chorus and refined the verses.

I know that my personal encounter of struggle and affliction in this life is not unique to me. The wild mystery of how God allows us to walk down certain paths in order to encounter Him more fully still baffles me. Thus, it is my prayer that this song encourages those on the journey and that it illuminates the truth that God will never leave us.

“No matter what the winds of change may bring… this I know…. You remain!”

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