[ Phillip ] Every church has its own culture , sound and teaching . Key vision statements that the Lord gives them , are all over the hallways , screens and info packets of the church . As a worship team , I encourage you to listen to your pastor and write songs based off the messages your pastor preaches or the key phrases your church is built on . When you write a song based on what God is telling your church you will literally be singing the churches DNA . It will always be more powerful to sing that original song because it is real to you , burns inside you , not another church or someone else ’ s revelation .
[ WM ] Now after many years of a touring worship ministry you have handed it off in Russia to another leader so you can follow your call to come back to the U . S . First tell us about passing the baton to another worship leader there . Sometimes that can be an awkward transition for both parties . And then second , how did the Lord show you it was time to now bring your Russian wife and children to Tulsa , Oklahoma ?
[ Phillip ] I knew by leaving Russia after living there for 25 years this is what would happen and at first it was not easy . It was strange moving to America in 2015 , a place that I never really knew . I was six years old when my family answered the call to be missionaries and now the Lord said America is your new home . I was and still am respected in Russia , but in America no one knew me . Moving to America was like starting over again . While I was doing my best to make it in America , I watched my friend who I helped develop and discipled sing at all the conferences I used to sing at . I watched his songs go viral , while mine slowly began to decline . It was definitely a big test of my pride and how I evaluated myself . Through it all I realized that I evaluated the calling on my life through what I accomplished ! And through the songs I wrote , the people who were healed and saved . When all the travel had stopped God reminded me that I cannot evaluate myself on what I do for the kingdom , but evaluate myself through the blood of Jesus and the Word of God . It was a hard lesson , but one that I am so thankful for today . Now I am so excited for my friend ’ s success and I celebrate all that God is doing through him .
The scripture that the Lord gave me before I left for America was Mark 2:17 . Jesus said it is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick . When I read that I had just finished a tour in America where it seemed like moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit was like pulling teeth . Healings and great joy was very rare . Worshipping with coffee in your hand was the norm . All of this was so alien to me . In Russia , I was used to the gifts of the Holy Spirit moving without hinderance , healing and mosh pit worship , yes mosh pit ! Youth would be jumping and experiencing the joy of the Holy Spirit and the next moment they were on their knees crying out to God and demons are screaming