On the surface, you’d be forgiven for thinking Christian Music was struggling in the UK. We don’t see the Christian worship bands touring as we did in the 90s, nor Christian festivals on the same scale. But that’s not the whole story! Christian Music is still thriving, but how we consume music has changed and continues to do so. The power of music and the influence it has on our lives is still as strong as ever.
Music is all around us, on the radio, in shops, concerts and available at the click of a button online. It helps us “feel” the scene in a film and it helps us express what we might otherwise find difficult. We listen to music when we exercise, when we go to sleep, when we are sad and when we are happy. Music has a profound effect on our lives – it has the power to move us and unite us.
I’ve had the privilege to be around music as part of my work for the last 25 plus years. Firstly, at Spring Harvest, one of the UK’s largest Christian teaching and worship events. Secondly, through my role as a Global Executive at CCLI, who’s heart was not only to help Churches through the copyright maze but to support Christian songwriters and to see praise and worship music at the heart of church life.
More than that music has been important to me on a personal level. Being dyslexic I can find reading tiring, music has been my go-to place for relaxation, inspiration and to discover more about who God is. Music is also my way of expressing my passion for Him and my adoration towards Him. As a worship leader in my home church, I’ve seen first-hand how music can have a real impact on people both individually and corporately.
Music can have a profound effect on us. I’ve been moved to tears or driven to jumping around in a crowd of 1000’s but I’ve also found peace and sensed God’s overwhelming presence in a simple yet wonderful profound Taizé song. Singing together helps bring a sense of belonging, a single purpose if you will. It helps bring cohesion and a sense of wellbeing, it’s about having fun together.
So, what’s driven us to create a new music label now? The simple answer is because we know the power of music! It helps us on so many levels to connect with ourselves, each other and with God Himself. In John 10:10 Jesus says “I have come that they may have life and life to the full”. We write and record songs that point towards Jesus and express, through words and music, what living life to the full looks like. Whether it’s making pancakes together, singing about our value and worth or declaring His majesty. Out of the Ark have been writing award-winning songs for Primary Schools for 30 years and Same Boat Music is taking these songs on a new voyage – into homes and churches around the world.
We’ve been encouraged by the responses from church leaders, children’s workers and children themselves, who seem to be saying the same thing to us. There is a shared appetite for relevant, engaging and enjoyable content, for children and all generations to sing together. It’s been reassuring that what we can provide seems to be exactly what churches are telling us they are looking for.
One of the reasons behind the name “Same Boat Music”, is that we’re all in the Same Boat when we worship – all ages, backgrounds singing together. God delights in us when we come together to worship Him. As a church, we are all different but are united by our love for Him. If we relegate and segregate our worship to age groups, we are all much poorer for it.
We want to see singing across all age groups in our churches. But further, we want to see our voices and our songs going beyond our church buildings and into care homes, shopping centres, holiday clubs and back into our homes!
If you’d like to know more about Same Boat Music you can visit the website at www.sameboatmusic.com
Andy Bodkin – Out of the Ark Group CEO and Joint Managing Director of Same Boat Music Ltd.
Andy Bodkin has been working in the world of Christian Music for over 25 years. In 2016 Andy left his previous role as a Global Executive for CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International) and has recently taken on the role of Group CEO at Out of the Ark Music, a leading educational publisher of Primary School music. Same Boat Music is a new venture from Out of the Ark creating and distributing all age worship music for churches and families internationally.
