Graham Kendrick


Graham Kendrick is a British Christian singer, songwriter and worship leader.
He is the son of Baptist pastor M. D. Kendrick and grew up in Laindon, Essex, and Putney. He now lives in Tunbridge Wells and is a member of Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells. He was a member of Ichthus Christian Fellowship. Together with Roger Forster, Gerald Coates and Lynn Green, he was a founder of March for Jesus.

Career

Kendrick began his songwriting career in the late 1960s. His most successful accomplishment is his authorship of the lyrics and music for the song, "Shine, Jesus, Shine", which is among the most widely heard songs in contemporary Christian worship worldwide. His other songs have been primarily used by worshippers in Britain. Kendrick is a co-founder of the March for Jesus. He received a Dove Award in 1995 for his international work. In 2000, London School of Theology and Brunel University awarded Kendrick an honorary doctorate in Divinity in "recognition of his contribution to the worship life of the Church".
He was awarded another DD in May 2008, from Wycliffe College in Toronto, Canada.
Although now best known as a worship leader and writer of worship songs, Kendrick began his career as a member of the Christian beat group Whispers of Truth. Later, he began working as a solo concert performer and recording artist in the singer-songwriter tradition. He was closely associated with the organisation Musical Gospel Outreach and recorded several albums for their record labels. On the first, Footsteps on the Sea, released in 1972, he worked with the virtuoso guitarist Gordon Giltrap.
Kendrick worked for a time as a member of "In the Name of Jesus", a mission team led by Clive Calver. He was based at St Michael le Belfrey, York in the late 1970s and was involved in student and university ministry with British Youth for Christ. At this time he recorded the albums Triumph in the Air and Cresta Run. Calver went on to run British Youth for Christ and the Evangelical Alliance, and then left the United Kingdom for the Evangelical Church in the United States.
Kendrick also released "Let the Flame Burn Brighter" as a single in 1989, which reached 55 in the UK Singles Chart.
He is a member of Compassionart, a charity founded by Martin Smith from Delirious?.
In more recent years Kendrick has developed the concept of "Psalm Surfing".
In May 2020 he took part in The UK Blessing, a worship song video collaboration of 65 churches released during the national coronavirus lockdown.

Popularity

"Shine, Jesus, Shine" is regularly highly placed in hymn popularity polls. Fellow songwriter and former Kendrick bandmember Stuart Townend has said, "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". Kendrick also has his critics, among them the journalist Quentin Letts, who has described him as "king of the happy-clappy banalities".

Theology

Kendrick's songs written for March for Jesus feature themes of spiritual warfare and prophecy. Regarding the territorial spirits engaged in spiritual warfare, Kendrick has stated, "Satan has the real estate of villages, towns and cities overshadowed by ruling spirits which work untiringly at his command to bring about his malevolent will... ruining lives which God intended for joy, happiness and true worship."

Discography

Albums

  • Footsteps on the Sea 1972
  • Bright Side Up 1973
  • Paid on the Nail 1974
  • Breaking of the Dawn 1976
  • Fighter 1978
  • Jesus Stand Among Us 1979
  • Triumph in the Air 1980
  • 18 Classics 1981
  • Cresta Run 1981
  • The King Is Among Us 1981
  • Nightwatch 1983 – cassette only release
  • The Blame 1983
  • Let God Arise 1984
  • Magnificent Warrior 1985
  • Make Way for the King of Kings: A Carnival of Praise 1986
  • Make Way for Jesus: Shine Jesus Shine 1987
  • Lamb of God 1988
  • Make Way for Christmas: The Gift 1988
  • Make Way for the Cross: Let the Flame Burn Brighter 1989
  • We Believe 1989
  • Amazing Love 1990
  • Crown Him 1991
  • King of the Nations 1992
  • Crown Him: The Worship Musical/Join Our Hearts 1992
  • Spark to a Flame 1993
  • Rumours of Angels 1994
  • Is Anyone Thirsty? 1995
  • Illuminations 1996
  • No More Walls 1997
  • The Millennium Chorus 2000
  • What Grace 2001
  • Do Something Beautiful 2003
  • Sacred Journey 2004
  • USA Live Worship 2005
  • Out of the Ordinary 2006
  • Dreaming of a Holy Night 2007
  • The Acoustic Gospels 2010
  • Banquet 2011
  • Worship Duets 2013
  • Keep the Banner Flying High 2018
  • Salvation Songs 2024

    Singles

  • Let the Flame Burn Brighter 1989

    EP

  • No Scenes of Stately Majesty 1998
  • Where It Began 2022

    Collections

  • The Easter Collection 2001
  • Rumours of Angels / The Gift Double CD 2001
  • The Prayer Song Collection 2002
  • The Psalm Collection 2002