Interview: Don Moen - Worship is a Lifestyle

|PIC1|Juggling life as the president of a major music label, a prolific songwriter/artist, a husband and a father of five isn't an easy job. But no matter what roadblocks may come, Don Moen constantly keeps in mind that 'God Will Make a Way'. In this interview with Christian Today during GMA Week, Moen talks about his upcoming Asia tour, his feelings on his latest project Hiding Place, and thoughts on the gospel music industry.

I've always known you as an artist who travels internationally. Will you be doing more of that in the near future?

Yes. I was actually in Hong Kong in February meeting with the Senior Vice President in Marketing with Sony/BMG who handles 11 territories in Asia - like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, and Taiwan. We're working with Sony/ BMG on a digital strategy. I already committed to perform 3 to 5 August in Singapore at the Festival of Praise, which I did last year. Before and after that, I'm trying to get a couple of other countries. We're making plans for India as well - and Thailand.

Awesome. So what is it like working with Integrity Music?

Yeah, I have a real job. My real job is as president of the label! Everyone's like, is that all you do? Just tour and write music? I'm like, I wish that was all I did! Because in some ways, it's easier. But God has called me to do this. There's something about being a worship leader and songwriter that helps me understand worshippers and songwriters - because I am one. I know what to do to help these people for projects, and I think I can kind of steer them creatively and open their songs and productions.

How do you deal with your crazy schedule?

Not well! Most days I'm alright. But on certain days when the artist-songwriter-label president-husband- father all come crashing together, then I have one of those days where I scream - and it gets better. We have a lot of things to do, and usually we can handle it all. You're spinning so many plates and suddenly you have too many plates in the air, and one or two drop down.

Sometimes, you just need a day off.

Yeah, that's right. And just let the plates crash on the ground.

What sort of testimonies have you heard lately of your legendary hit song 'God Will Make a Way'?

I've heard several testimonies right here at GMA this week. People have come and just told me of how that song has brought impact and brought hope in a hopeless situation. That's why I wrote this song for Susan and Craig - my brother-in-law and sister-in-law - to bring hope in a hopeless situation. The seeds of that song were seeds of hope for my family. And it's interesting that the same seed has sprung hope for many other people.

I think when people are faced with a difficult situation, all they can see is the financial problem, the physical problem, or medical problem... you can't see anything else. But there's this declaration that "God will make a way, where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see" (lyrics to "God Will Make a Way). That's the most important line of the song.

Because we have to believe that He works in ways we cannot see. When you're looking around and the walls are closing in, it seems like there's no way out of the problems - people lose hope. And that's when they want to commit suicide and give up on life. But that one line - that God is working in ways we cannot see today. It's like, ok, Im going to grab onto that strand of hope!

In Isaiah 43:19, it says "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; I will make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." When you're in the wilderness of your problems, all you see is desolation. But to know that God is going to make a road out of this dry place where you're dying for a drink of fresh water, to know that God will make a river in a desert. It's a miracle.

So, that's a song written in a desperate situation in my life - never intended to record it. Only two years after I wrote it for Susan and Craig did someone convince me to record that song. I never wrote it to be a song on a project. But I tell people, it's not a song of desperation, it's a song of declaration - God will make a way.

How do you feel about your latest project, 'Hiding Place'?

I think it's the best project I've ever done. But unfortunately, no one else has been able to find it because it's called Hiding Place (laughter). All of my projects have been done live. When you do them completely live, there is really no control over notes I could have done better... so there's this spontaneous thing that's good.

Sonically, I don't really want to listen to them again because I don't want to listen to my mistakes. But this one, we were able to go into a studio and work on a song three or four times, yet I was in a little isolation booth and I was leading worship. I had my piano in front of the vocals. So the band was there... and I just worshiped. With this, I enjoy the sonic quality of it. The recording is good, the sound is good and I actually sang in tune!

I find it really pleasing. When I am stressed, or when I'm sleeping or even flying internationally, I'll put this on. Usually by the fifth song I'm asleep. It's funny - it takes me to a restful place. Yet there were spontaneous moments, like at the end of 'Revelation Song', I said to the guys, "Just keep playing the chorus through the song." And I took out my bible and read Revelation 11, and then Revelation 5. That all happened on the spot.

At the end of Reuben Morgan's song "Still", it says, "When the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with you above the storm, Father you are king over the flood, I will be still and know you are God." Everyone needs to find this place of stillness in our busy email-pager-cell phone lives. That's why I like to start with 'Hiding Place'. You put it on and it takes you to this quiet place - cause life is so crazy.

It was the most pleasant recording experience in my life - and I'm pretty critical of all my recordings. I've never listened more than twice through my records. But this one, I bet I listened to it about 50 times - which means I really like it!

What sort of changes do you wish to see in the gospel music industry?

I said about 10 years ago that God is redefining the Christian music industry. And He really did - with an emphasis on worship. I saw all the labels involved in worship. I loved seeing that happen. I think now, I guess what I feel in my heart is the desire for authenticity and honesty.

Read the Psalms of David, like 109. Why does the wicked man prosper? And it goes on and on... Here's David, Psalm writer, pouring his heart out to God, and he's saying, 'I pray that his wife would be widowed, his children will beg in the streets, creditors will take all that he has...' This is a song that he wrote! I was like, wow, can you imagine singing that in church? But I would like to see the industry address those issues of honesty in worship.

We've almost made worship a thing where worship equals music and music equals worship. It's not true. It's about a lifestyle of worship. I love the music industry and the fact that we can offer up songs and praise to God - but there's more to worship than just that. When we talk about a worship service at our church, we automatically think of the music. What about the reading of the Word? What about prayer. What about sitting quietly in God's presence and meditating on the Scripture. All of these things are part of worship.

I think there's a hunger in people for more than just a good musical production. I think the industry needs to address the power of the Word of God that has affected so many of our worship songs, and to acknowledge the pastors that have poured their hearts into young worshippers. I'm one of them who stood under great teachings and got my spirit stirred up to write songs. Ultimately a great song comes from the Spirit of God speaking through the Word, through a pastor. You have the responsibility to tell the whole story.

There's more to it than going into a studio and doing a great production. I think it's educating the consumer. Educating the listener. There's more to it than getting a record deal and getting on a tour bus. There's a lot more to it than that. And worship is a lifestyle, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Worship is much more than music. Music is a facet of what we do in worship. I think we have an obligation to educate the consumer.