From heaven you came (The Servant King)

Back in July, I commented about the fact that it had taken me several months to include a hymn by Charles Wesley in this blog. I find it equally difficult to understand that this is the first time I've mentioned Graham Kendrick! Whether you love Kendrick's songs or hate them (and I know people who fall into both those groups), it's impossible (in the contemporary church in the UK at least) to ignore someone whose "songs and hymns are sung by millions of people in numerous languages around the world" (last.fm).

Graham Kendrick is the son of a Baptist minister.  He was born in Northamptonshire in 1950, and grew up in Essex and Putney (south-west London).  Kendrick "took a step of faith at the age of 5", and taught himself to play the piano before he learned to read music.  He began composing songs when he was 15, although after he left school, he trained to be a teacher.  In his late teens, he was part of what Tony Cummings, in an article on Cross Rhythms, calls a "psych folk rock" group called Whispers of Truth.  According to Roger Pearse, they played in Christian coffee bars etc, but they were also in the line-up of "the first paid-for Christian music event in the UK," at Westminster Central Hall on 20 May 1967.  (You can read about it by following the Cross Rhythms link above).  Whispers of Truth contributed five tracks to an album called Alive!, released in 1969.  One review, whose author says he has usually "steered well clear of records that have had that 'Xian' label attached to them," calls Whispers of Truth "a fantastic British Invasion sounding Rock band," with each of their four tracks on Alive! being "of exceptional quality.  Loads of psychedelic effects, Zombies/Beatles like harmonies and melodies.  They are really a terrific band with great Pop/Psych songs."  All four of those songs were written by Graham Kendrick. 

In 1972, Kendrick completed his teacher training, and joined an evangelistic team touring schools and colleges.  He worked with various Christian youth organisations, while releasing solo albums, beginning with Footsteps on the Sea in 1972.  According to Wikipedia, he has become "probably the most influential Christian songwriter of his generation."  In 2009, Stuart Townend wrote of Graham Kendrick:

He was one of the pioneers of the modern worship song, and he set the standard that that those of us who have followed on have been trying to match. I have no doubt that in 100 years time the name of Kendrick will be alongside Watts and Wesley in the list of the UK’s greatest hymnwriters.

The depth of understanding in his lyrics, and the poetry, I think, is outstanding. And he writes about the whole gospel. If you’re looking for a song on a particular bible verse, the chances are Graham has written one.

I was fortunate enough to be in Graham’s band for a few years, and it was fascinating during that time to see how hard he worked at crafting his lyrics. It’s not unusual today to hear people slag off modern hymns as superficial rubbish – well, people who say that clearly haven’t looked at Graham Kendrick’s songs.

The Servant King was written to reflect the theme for Spring Harvest in 1984.  Kendrick researched the theme using concordances, commentaries and other biblical research tools, and found it very inspiring.  On his website, he's quoted as follows: 

It was a challenge to explore the vision of Christ as the servant who would wash the disciples' feet but who was also the Creator of the universe.

On Songfacts, he adds:

'Servant King' was the title for Spring Harvest and it was sent out to several writers . . . I just found that funny phrase inspiring . . . If you are a lyricist, opposites always kickstart ideas; those two words don't normally sit together.  So I just started to unpack that whole story.  The obvious part of the story is the incarnation, 'From heav'n You came, helpless Babe . . .' and it sort of unfolded from there.

I remember learning The Servant King as a student in the late 1980s, and being taught actions to go with it (I can no longer remember the actions!).  The song has remained popular - in fact, we included it in our online church service this last Sunday, and I commented to my son that I've been singing this song for over 30 years.  It's full of paradoxical truths about who Jesus is; about how he expects us to respond to him, enthroning him in our lives as we serve other people, and so to serve him.  I don't know whether it inspired the title of the Bible Society's book published for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday in 2016, but I do know that we sang The Servant King in our church service to mark the event!  See The Servant Queen and the King she serves.

There's a lyric video here.