‘Praying the Lord will use this musical to impact many people’s lives for His Kingdom’
A new evangelistic musical written by a Baptist minister which tells the story behind the enduring hymn It is Well with My Soul is set to premiere in June
It is Well with My Soul is one of the most beloved hymns of all time, with words by Horatio Spafford and music by Philip Bliss. The hymn has a rich history in consoling people in times of crisis, not least when the pandemic hit in 2020 and it experienced a large spike in popularity, as tracked by church technology company FaithLife.
The musical is written by Gareth Hides, a Baptist minister serving as an evangelist with a ministry in London called K180 (Kerygma180), and directed by David Robinson of the Searchlight Theatre Company.
Gareth, of South Hanwell Baptist Church in west London, explains the musical explores ‘the enduring message of true and steadfast faith in the midst of tragedy and suffering’.
It thereby invites listeners to explore the Gospel message of hope for themselves.
He hopes churches can use this as a Gospel event and for Christians to invite friends along.
‘I was ordained as a Baptist minister in March 2020,’ he explains. ‘I had wanted to write a musical for a few years now but was waiting for the right story to ‘grab me’.
'I was of course very familiar with the beautiful classic hymn It is Well with My Soul, and knew a little about the story of Horatio Spafford and how he came to write this hymn of hope in the midst of tragic circumstances.
‘I discovered the stories of Philip Bliss (who composed the tune for the hymn) and his wife Lucy, and felt their lives and legacy stirred me in a different way.
‘Today, despite being an early pioneer of Gospel music, Philip Bliss’ legacy has been largely forgotten, certainly in the UK, but I wanted to introduce their stories to a new generation in a fresh way.
‘I started writing the musical and composing the songs in April 2020, during the first lockdown. The Bliss’ story explores both the theme of tragedy and suffering and where authentic faith is in the middle of that, and also the need to stay true to what God has put you on this earth to do, despite temptations that may come to settle for less than God’s best.
‘At the core of the musical is the message of the Gospel, which impacted Philip, Lucy and Horatio significantly, so that could say and sing, “It is well with my soul.”’
Rehearsals for It is well with my soul
The musical tells the story of how Philip and Lucy end up moving to the growing metropolis of Chicago, Illinois, to make a new life for themselves at the end of the American Civil War. It is there they meet lawyer Horatio Spafford, producer and publisher George Root, and preacher and philanthropist D L Moody.
As Philip begins to gain prominence as a soloist and hymn-writer, temptation begins to creep in: how will Philip handle the temptations that come with his new life? And how will the Blisses handle the tragic circumstances of the Great Chicago Fire and the loss of the Spafford girls in the sinking of the Ville du Havre?
‘My hope for the musical is that it will be used by churches as a Gospel event, for Christians to buy a ticket for them and also for a friend who wouldn’t normally go to church,’ continues Gareth.
‘We’ve deliberately tried to keep tickets as low as possible to enable this - and have both a ‘Bring a Friend’ discounted rate for two adult tickets, and a discounted Under-25s rate to encourage young people and students to come along.
‘At the conclusion of each performance, each audience member will be offered a free copy of John’s gospel (designed in a similar style to the musical’s artwork/posters) as they leave and will be invited to consider their personal response to the message.
‘We are praying that the Lord will use this musical to impact many people’s lives for His Kingdom.’
The musical is suitable for everyone aged 7+.
Tour Dates:
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Thursday 1 June – Dormston Mill Theatre, Dudley, West Midlands
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Friday 2 June – Arts Centre, Hounslow, West London
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Saturday 3 June – The Chelsea Theatre, London
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Sunday 4 June – Corn Exchange, Witney
All performances begin at 7:30pm.
The Dudley and Hounslow performances will both be BSL interpreted.
Baptist Times, 01/04/2023