1985 - This was a song that literally took about ten minutes to complete. There are two books of the bible that are my all-time favorites to read. One is the story of Joseph as recorded in Genesis 37 and the second is the story of Daniel. They are quite similar in that both men interpret a dream for the king and receive honor and favor because of it. It was early in the year and I was in the book of Daniel for my quiet time one evening. My little one-bedroom house had rarely been so quiet and I was enjoying the solitude and the presence of God. When I read Daniel 2:20-22, I knew instantly it was a song waiting to be sung in the contemporary fashion. I took my Alvarez-Yairi out of its case and just played it like an old friend. The chords came easily and the phrasing felt so natural with the melody that emerged; I knew that it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. That same week I shared it with the home fellowship- I think it was at Peter and Suanne Featheroff’s apartment on the corner of El Cajon Blvd and Harbinson. The group all liked the song and I incorporated it into our regular worship song lineup.
It was around this time that the beginnings of what we now know as Foothills Christian Fellowship were taking shape in two separate bodies of believers. One was under Mark Hoffman which was a small group of twenty or so that split out of the College Center Covenant Church where Mark had served as youth pastor while he finished up his Masters of Divinity degree at Bethel Seminary. The second group was under Dave Hoffman (Mark's older brother) and had split out of the Missionary Alliance Fellowship which at that time occupied the building at Broadway and Ballantine in El Cajon. Dave called his new church body Faith Alliance Fellowship and it consisted of 75 to 85 members. They were meeting at the old Cal Lutheran High School over off of Dallas Street in San Carlos.
I remember going to see Darrell Mansfield in concert at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church in La Mesa. That was the church where Mark & Dave’s dad pastored for most of his life and where they grew up and served in the youth ministry as young men. The concert ministry was a continuation of something Dave had started many years before. I happened to be sitting next to Mark and he spotted this guy he later told me had fixed his TV. The guy was George Runyan, and Mark wanted to talk to him because he had mentioned someone Mark had been wanting to get in touch with by the name of Lonnie Frisbee. Mark sought out George after the concert and learned that Lonnie was ministering through a church called The Anaheim Vineyard. He was also told that the Vineyard was experiencing an explosion of the power of God, and so that Sunday evening, four of us piled into Mark’sChevette and cruised up there to attend the evening service. As I recall, it was Mark, Dan Deyling, Peter Featheroff, and myself. When we got there and found our way inside, the worship was already in progress. The place was a cavernous warehouse-type structure with a gigantic stage. At least five thousand people were on their feet worshiping God with fervor. Padded folding chairs made up the only furniture I could see. I remember the overwhelming power of God falling on me as soon as we walked in. In less than a minute’s time, I was weeping in His presence. It was so powerful- like nothing I had ever encountered. After a good forty minutes of worship, the crowd quieted and a short silver-haired man took center stage. His name was John Wimber.“Tonight we’re beginning a series on the power of the Holy Spirit,” he began. Mark looked me and commented, “What perfect timing!” We ended up driving up there every Sunday evening and also Wednesday evenings for the classes they taught. We sure put a lot of miles on that Chevette, and I took along my three-quarter guitar so we could worship on the way. We started our Sunday morning services meeting at the VFW hall on University Ave. Shortly thereafter, we moved to the San Carlos Recreation Center; it was much larger, and there weren’t people there getting drunk at 8 am like the VFW.
This song was included in an album project that Rene Garner, Larry McNamer, Bob Beckert, Tim & Tammy Cook, and Steve & Diane Dahlen did in the 1990's called IN YOUR PRESENCE. Here’s the lyrics:
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF GOD
Words & music by Reggie Michaud © 1985(ref: Daniel 2:20-22)
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever
For wisdom and might are His
And He changes the times and seasons
He reveals things and raises up kings
And gives wisdom unto the wise
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever (Bless His name, Bless His name)
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever (Bless His name, Bless His name)
For wisdom and might are His
And He changes the times and seasons
He reveals things and raises up kings
And gives wisdom unto the wise
For He knows the deep and dark secret things
And He knows what is in the darkness
And the light dwells within Him
Blessed be the name of God (x 4)
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever (Bless His name, Bless His name)
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever (Bless His name, Bless His name)
And I will give You thanks and Praise
For the wisdom and the power in Your ways
You reveal to me the truth I cannot see
And guard me safely all of my days
For You know the deep and dark secret things
And You know what is in the darkness
And the light dwells with You
Blessed be the name of God (x 4)