Here to Worship

James Lee

If you’ve attended church at some point in the last two years, odds

are: You know Tim Hughes’ work. But the average churchgoer likely

couldn’t pick Hughes out of a lineup, and that’s just the way he

likes it.

The British singer-songwriter isn’t reclusive or shy about his

music. He would rather that people look at someone, or some One,

other than him.

“I think for me, I don’t see myself as a performer or an artist,”

Hughes said. “I see myself as a worshiper. From the start, the songs

are God-focused. I don’t tend to speak much in between. I don’t crack

jokes.

“Hopefully, they realize it’s not about a show. It’s about taking

part and participating in worship.”

Hughes, one of the best-known artists in the Christian subgenre of

worship music, will perform a free concert at Newport Dunes Resort

tonight. The show will close out the three-day Soul Survivor:

Momentum conference, sponsored by Newport Beach-based Soul Survivor

USA.

An offshoot of a highly successful English church, Soul Survivor

USA is also holding a one-week camp for high school students that

will include a community outreach project in Costa Mesa’s Westside on

Wednesday. Hughes burst into prominence with the release of his song,

“Here I Am To Worship” in 2001. The song has garnered two Dove Awards

-- the Christian-music equivalent of a Grammy -- and versions have

appeared on no less than 125 albums and compilations.

According to Christian Copyright Licensing International, which

licenses the use of songs in churches, “Here I Am to Worship” is the

most played track in American congregations.

“Obviously, it’s something very encouraging to think something I

wrote is being used by people to express their worship to God,”

Hughes said. “That is hugely encouraging, but it’s also very

humbling. I remember writing that song in university. You just know

that it was a God thing. It’s through him that’s it’s impacted as

many people as it has.”

The song’s success has earned Hughes some fame, but he has

remained unfazed by it. His website (https://www.passion

foryourname.com) has little mention of his career, save for a section

on songwriting and the tablature for a new song.

Paul Martin, the director and pastor of Soul Survivor USA, says

the lack of pretense is by design.

“Tim would say, ‘I feel led to lead people in prayer, and through

that, I’ve become an artist,’” said Martin, who has known Hughes

since the 1990s. “There’s no one less comfortable about signing

autographs than Tim.... Tim’s not big into being the artist.

“The worst thing that could happen to him is if people focused on

him. It could be damaging to his overall mission if he was trying to

point people to himself rather than to God,” Martin added.

Hughes, who is a regular at Soul Survivor conferences, says he has

been seeing a greater desire by his audiences to participate in

worship, rather than sitting back to watch a concert. That, he says,

brings him more joy than adulation from fans.

“The thing that gets me is trying to hear what God says and trying

to be obedient, not trying to impress people, but trying to impress

God,” Hughes said. “What I hope people get out of it is that their

eyes are lifted up to express their worship, to meet with him,

whether they’ve had the most exciting week of their life or are

depressed, that they’d get caught up in God.”

* JAMES LEE is the features editor. He may be reached at (714)

966-4633 or by e-mail at james.lee@latimes.com.