Brian Doerksen Come, Now Is the Time to Worship [Live] Lyrics

(Chorus)
Come now is the time to worship
Come now is the time to give your heart
Come just as you are to worship
Come just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue
Will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains
For those who gladly choose You now

=========================
The Story Behind The Song
By J. Gary Walker

For Brian Doerksen, the move to London had been anything but encouraging. He had been struggling with writing a musical for a long while, and without a job or a place to live, things were more than tough. One day, as he was walking and praying on the streets of Southwest London, Brian said, "it was like I heard echoes of as I walked along." He then went home, sat at the piano and began to flesh the first line out into a song and a call to worship, incorporating key things he believes about worship. He explains, "I believe God wants us to come and worship just the way we are, though when true worship happens we don't stay the way we are. When we make that choice, we experience the pleasure of worship--the treasure of being with God. That's why our choice to worship is so important. If we worship because we have to, where is the love?

"Shortly after writing the song, he began teaching it in his home church, the Southwest London Vineyard. Soon, visitors and others who had heard it were in turn teaching the song to their congregations. The chain reaction continued and about four months later, the song was recorded on a Vineyard album entitled Winds of Worship 12: Live from London. The song has since become one of the most sung worship songs in churches all over North America and throughout the world. Most recently, the song was recorded by Phillips, Craig and Dean on their album, Let My Words Be Few.

No one has been more surprised at the song's reception and popularity than Brian. "The moment the inspiration came as I was walking, I sensed God's presence," he remembers, "But I have to say I have experienced that a number of times with songs, so I didn't know it would 'take off' all over the world as quickly as it would." One of his favorite moments with the song occurred in Germany at a Millennium worship event. He recalls, "There were almost 9,000 of us there that night in Karlsruhe. During the moments right at midnight we had some quiet reflection and took communion. Then we came on the stage, dressed in white, to symbolize purity, and went into that song. What a moment to hear all those Germans and people from over 40 countries belting it out!" He suggests that the song's popularity is due in a large part to its relevance, saying, "It seems to say something we need to say now . . . that now is the time to worship."

Brian was moved to hear that recently the "Songs4Worship" tour opened with Paul Baloche singing the song. "For me this song is one of those 'life message' songs," says Brian, "And even though it was written in a few days, I feel like it took years of leading worship and the heartbreaks and joys of life to get to the place of being ready to write it."