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UK News

One million Christians set to unite in song

More than 3,500 churches in nearly 100 countries have signed up to sing a new version of the classic hymn Facing a Task Unfinished which has been written by Keith and Kristyn Getty.

The hymn was originally written in the 1920s by China Inland Mission (CIM) worker Frank Houghton. CIM issued a call for 200 new missionaries when the number of Christians in the land was estimated at 100,000. It's claimed that Houghton's hymn galvanised the church. Today, the number of Christians is calculated to be around 100 million.

It's hoped the new version will help people remember the difficulties that believers face in countries around the world like China where freedom to worship isn't always a given. It's also hoped its focus on evangelism will help people remember the work of missionaries around the world.

Speaking on Premier's News Hour about the project, Keith Getty said: "The song was one of my favourite hymns. It was written at a time of difficulty for the organisation and it was a plea for more missionaries to come to the mission field.

"In my opinion it's possibly the greatest Great Commission hymn ever written.

"China Inland Mission, now called OMF, asked us to rewrite it for their 150th anniversary celebrations and make it more adaptable to our generation.

"We kept the same lyrics, same music...but with a response in the chorus."

The song has been created in 10 different languages and churches are being invited to sign up to join in, in the united chorus.

Listen to the song here.

Listen to Keith Getty speaking to Premier's Alex Williams on the News Hour.

Facing A Task Unfinished

Facing a task unfinished
That drives us to our knees
A need that, undiminished
Rebukes our slothful ease
We, who rejoice to know Thee
Renew before Thy throne
The solemn pledge we owe Thee
To go and make Thee known

 
Where other lords beside Thee
Hold their unhindered sway
Where forces that defied Thee
Defy Thee still today
With none to heed their crying
For life, and love, and light
Unnumbered souls are dying
And pass into the night

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord 

 
We bear the torch that flaming
Fell from the hands of those
Who gave their lives proclaiming
That Jesus died and rose
Ours is the same commission
The same glad message ours
Fired by the same ambition
To Thee we yield our powers

 
We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord 

 
O Father who sustained them
O Spirit who inspired
Saviour, whose love constrained them
To toil with zeal untired
From cowardice defend us
From lethargy awake!
Forth on Thine errands send us
To labour for Thy sake

 
We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord 

 
We go to all the world
His kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

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