The Bob Fitts Influence
Posted: August 17, 2009 by stevie
I like to tell people, that before Hillsongs, before Israel Houghton, before United, before alternative rock became the part and parcel of today’s worship songs, there was Hosanna music. And in Hosanna music, a few names come to mind: Ron Kenoly for all the Israel Houghton aspirants of soul; Paul Baloche, the inspiration of many songwriters, who wrote Open the Eyes of My Heart and God of Wonders; Don Moen, to all those pianist-songleaders and to us, the guitarist worship leaders: Bob Fitts.
I recall listening to my very first worship cassette way back when I was about 12-13, about the time I picked up guitar. I played ‘The Lord Reigns’ so many times it broke. I spent countless hours learning the intricate chord transitions and strumming patterns of that song (D-A-D-A-G-A-G-A) etc, until I could lead it while playing the guitar.
To say Bob Fitts has been an influence would be a slight understatement.
It’s not that we hero-worship people, or we idolize them, but to me, it’s just extreme gratefulness that a person like him would allow himself be used by God, and in doing so, introduced me (and countless others) to worship and the joy of music. When I worship led the first time when I was 14, most of the transitions, transpositions, medleys were direct copies of the ones found in ‘The Lord Reigns’ album. It allowed me to set foundations, in which to build my own worship voicing later on.
Bob Fitts came down to Malaysia last weekend, and even if it was for one night and half a morning conference, the simple truths of worship leading were passed down, so simple that we sometimes miss it. Worship is a matter of the heart. We can’t force people into worship, the heart is a private place between man and God. All we can do is to ensure there is freedom in worship, the dispellation of fear, and the ever presence of God’s amazing love. And it starts with the worship team. It starts with us.
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