At This Very Moment, You Can Worship
Jesus With 20,000 Voices and Hearts and
Minds. So Why Not Do It?

The final week of 1987—I remember it so well.

Brutal winter blasts swept across an expansive campus traversed by 20,000 students gathered out of universities from coast to coast. Eventually crammed into a cavernous sports arena at the University of Illinois, Urbana, they experienced five days focused exclusively on Christ and his global cause. Hours were filled with speakers, workshops, multimedia extravaganzas, late-night dorm discussions, seasons of concerted prayer. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get personally involved with spreading the gospel among the nations.

Best of all, it was five days filled with worshiping Jesus. I recall one evening especially when the entire multitude of students joined energetically in one of the great, historic hymns of the global church: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name!

It was there, in 1987, I witnessed a three-fold drama: (1) 20,000 VOICES lifted in praise at the same moment with the same song, swallowing all of us up in the unparalleled majesty of it all; (2) 20,000 HEARTS nearly overwhelmed emotionally with unrestrained adoration for the King of Heaven; (3) while at the same time, 20,000 MINDS engaged with profound biblical truths—with a rich biblical Christology— declaring who our Savior is today.

Voices, hearts, minds—all three blended to worship Jesus. Unforgettable! But it was merely a foretaste of the rarified air we’ll breathe forever when Christ’s final victory is won.

However, there’s no need for you to wait until then! Before this day is over you can join your voice and heart and mind, even in the privacy of your room, with those 20,000 students—plus hundreds of millions of other people among the nations and over the generations who have praised Jesus using this powerful hymn.

Here’s how: Go to this page at ChristNow.com. Scroll to the bottom, to the last video on the right. Join with the entire student body at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, whose bands, choirs, and orchestras are world-renowned (performing recently in Carnegie Hall). There you’ll witness a remarkable rendition of “All Hail the Power”—the very rendition we sang in 1987.

Enter into their four-and-a-half minutes of celebration with your voice if you want. For sure, let it fill your heart with joy in Jesus. Equally, let it feed your mind with the wonders of who he is, seated and reigning at God’s right hand.

Written in 1779 by a missionary in India, the hymn is often referred to as “The International Anthem of Christendom.” That’s because of what it proclaims about the Lord Jesus Christ—the foundation, focus, and fervent passion of God’s people everywhere. Line by line it paints the supremacy of Christ. Take a look:

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown Him Lord of all.

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,
ye ransomed from the Fall,
hail Him who saves you by His grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.

Let every kindred, every tribe,
On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all!

O that with yonder sacred throng
we at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song,
and crown Him Lord of all.

Here’s a fantastic way to begin or end your day today! With your heart and mind—and maybe even with your voice, if you dare!—get caught up celebrating the glories of the One to whom you belong forever.

And as you do, remember this: You are never alone doing so! One evening in 1987, there were 20,000 other Jesus followers singing with you, and there are countless millions of other worshipers doing so, right now, one way or another—all across the universe!

About the Author

Over the past 40 years, David Bryant has been defined by many as a “messenger of hope” and a “Christ proclaimer” to the Church throughout the world. Formerly a minister-at-large with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, president of Concerts of Prayer International (COPI), and chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee, David now provides leadership to ChristNow.com and to Proclaim Hope!, whose mission is to foster and serve Christ-awakening movements. Order his widely read books at DavidBryantBooks.com.