robin lyle
worship pastor
It was 2 a.m. in January of 1974 as I lay on my rollaway bed in a hotel room in Savannah, Ga. trying to fall asleep. Two strong thoughts came to my mind: Go back home to Arlington, Texas to enroll in college, and go back to church. I was in Savannah in the middle of touring with an 8 piece Rock/Show Band as keyboardist. This life of playing 6 nights a week in night clubs and then traveling the 7th was just not what I had in mind for my future. I wouldn’t realize until months later that the "thought" I had that night was the way God was speaking to me, wooing me, changing my heart to be hungry for what He had for me and when that was realized, I surrendered my life to Him.
The next semester (Fall of 1974) I changed my major to music from business and began to write songs to express my faith and trust in Jesus. In 1976 I met Jill (Yea!!!) and we were married 17 months later. (Yea!! Yea!!!) After graduating in 1978, I co-founded the CCM group "Gabriel" and toured throughout the U.S. from 1978-1993 as keyboardist and main songwriter with songs being recorded on Word and Benson labels. In June 1993 that season of ministry came to an end with Gabriel. Jill and I and our family of 3 boys at the time planted ourselves at Grace Vineyard in Arlington to begin a new season of ministry.
I came on staff in 1995 as Worship Pastor and could hardly believe it! The Lord used the people at Grace to bring healing and restoration into our lives and now to serve here too was so gracious of Him!!! Everyday I continue to see His faithfulness and His love for me. Both Jill’s and my love for the Body of Christ here at Grace and throughout the world has led us to take our worship teams throughout Texas and the United States and as far as Italy, Iceland and Papua New Guinea. With combined efforts of ourselves and our worship team, we created a worship CD. The songs, "I Love You, O Lord" and "Holy and Kind" from that project have been selected for numerous Vineyard Music recordings. Also the song, "There’s Only You" was included on Worship Leaders Magazine’s Song Discovery, Volume 6.
Since worship is what human beings are ultimately created for, nothing can bring life changing power to God’s people like true, authentic worship. We acknowledge the reality, the greatness, the unfathomable love of the all powerful God over ALL the universe.
Go read Psalms 73...go ahead...( this is one of my favorite Psalms!!) and see how Asaph after looking at those around him who did not trust in the Lord seemed to have it made riches, popularity, all the world holds important…and Asaph more or less said, "That’s not fair, God." But you know what? He chose to go and worship, and as he worshipped, he received a Godly, true perspective of the situation. As a result of worshipping, Asaph was restored into a right mind. God continues to do that for me, over and over again as I encounter His love for me as I worship Him.
You know, life is not fair...but God is GOOD!!!!!