Don Moen talks to City News about his life and ministry.
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| CN PHOTO: Michael Chan |
Don Moen is no unfamiliar face in the Christian music scene. With a string of worship albums and popular choruses to his name, such as “God Will Make A Way” and “God Is Good All The Time,” Moen’s achievements in the industry have not gone unnoticed. His official website lists his accomplishments which include a Dove Award for his work on the musical God With Us as well as multiple Dove Award nominations for his songs, CDs and choral resources.
For several years, Moen was the creative director and president of Integrity Music, president of Integrity Label Group and also the executive producer of Integrity Music albums before he went on to set up his own company in 2008. Today at 60 years of age, Moen continues to travel the world as a singer, musician and humanitarian, spreading the love of God beyond the four walls of the church. City News spends a moment with Moen and finds out more about his ministry and his relationship with Singapore over the years.
The first time that Moen came to Singapore was in 1984 when Canon James Wong invited him to perform at the Festival Of Praise. Since that first visit, Moen has returned to this island state many more times for FOP and other Christian concerts. “I’ve always enjoyed coming to Singapore’s Festival Of Praise and I have accepted the invitation almost every time I’m invited because of the wide section of the church that is gathered here. I also love to see what is happening in Asia and Singapore. It’s amazing to see how the church has grown. Since then, I’ve seen the church grow from a small percentage to 14 percent today. That’s amazing!”
Moen believes that a time will come when a new expression of worship will come into the church and enable believers to become more effective witnesses for Christ. But in order to do that, Moen added, “We just have to be willing to let God come into the churches and change. And change is never comfortable.”
For someone who has traveled the world and ministered in countless tours, Moen understands that traveling can be demanding. He shared, “Taking care of your body is important, especially when traveling long hours across the world. I do the practical things such as working out, being careful with what I eat and getting ample rest,” he shared.
Drawing his inspiration from Bible character, Caleb, who was 85 years old when he entered the Promised Land and claimed his inheritance, Moen highlights the need to stay in shape. His regime includes doing cardio exercises three times a week, resting and eating properly. He added, “I would like to go back to the days of traveling by ship where it would take two weeks to go somewhere. [That way], you get over the time zone gradually. You have time to pray and prepare, and when you finally arrive, you are all set and ready to go.”
Such is Moen’s commitment to his ministry of worship. To him, worship is more than just what goes on between God and himself; it is also God’s calling upon his life to touch others. “If we are truly worshippers, then we are able to reach out and touch someone with the true living gospel. Sometimes that’s not singing a worship song, but building a house, doing something in Jesus’ name. I believe every Christian is called. So I am really looking forward to developing that whole ministry.”
It is out of this desire to impact lives that his humanitarian works flow. “God is doing many things around the world and I am interested to help in whatever way I can,” Moen says. He recently founded Don Moen And Friends, a group that specializes in relief work, serves the community and supports other ministries. He is working together with an orphanage in Ghana and is also helping some ministries in Haiti. “One area I am assisting other ministries in has to do with rescuing young girls from the sex trade. There are [already] many wonderful ministries doing this and my heart is to partner with these ministries. So I use what I do to sow into other ministries.”
What lies ahead on the horizon for Moen is exciting as another album is in view. However his approach in the next project will be different and will be a new body of work. “[For me], I don’t want to create songs just to create another album; I want to create something out of my life experiences and what I have lived through.”
Moen expresses his confidence in the God of the new wine, “Hopefully God is going to give me new songs as He always has, so I can feel that the time is coming and I am excited about it.”
For more information on Don Moen, visit www.donmoen.com.
