Les Moir - Missing Jewel

What people are saying about

Inspiring. Insightful. Encouraging. A producer, mentor, and treasured friend to many, the wake of Les Moirs life is wide. Im grateful God moved him to pen this compelling chronicle of the Spirits work through His people to move His church to worship in Spirit and Truth. In a voice coloured by being both an observer and participator in this history, Les will keep you leaning in for more as he chronicles story after story of the God-incidences that ignited and built the modern worship movement in the UK, and far beyond. Missing Jewel reminds us that God is always at work, behind the scenes, chiseling the facets of the jewel until it shines for all to marvel at the Glory of the Craftsman and His work.

Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church, founder of Passion Conferences, author of The Comeback

The first time I visited the UK was in my early twenties, and to be honest, I felt like I was coming home. The church was rich with life-giving theology, and I was amazed at the array of hymn-like contemporary songs that really spoke to my heart and helped develop my understanding of truthful worship. The global church is far richer for the UK worship movement, who have led the way for my generation in every facet of worship ministry, seen and unseen, and I will ever be grateful. Les Moir has played a significant role in this over many decades, and in my opinion, is the right person to tell this story. Receive and enjoy.

Darlene Zschech, worship leader and songwriter

I thought reading through this book would just be a nice exercise in re-visiting the past, but something else happened to me along the wayI came away re-envisioned for the future. Every page tells a story of Gods faithfulnessand how He connects our lives together in beautiful and brilliant ways. I loved reading of the cross-pollination that happened between countries such as Australia, the UK and the USAand the insight that the key to all this blessing was the rich soil of unity. Theres no one better positioned than Les Moir to have written such a book, and its a fascinating read. More than anything Missing Jewel helped me remember that we are better together for theres no question that as worshippers travelling side by side we went much further on this adventure than we could have ever gone alone.

Matt Redman, worship leader and singer-songwriter

Les Moir has weaved into a unity the many different strands of the Holy Spirits renewal of the churchs worship, in and through the UK, over the last fifty years. His book parallels my adult lifetime, but I have learned things I did not know, and been reminded of others that I had forgotten. The songs we sing today, and those we will sing tomorrow, do not appear out of nowhere, they are part of a living and deepening tradition, whose story is told here. It is not only those who have loved and sung these songs who will benefit from this book, but anyone concerned with the next part of the story.

Bishop Graham Cray, chairman of Soul Survivor

Over the past few decades there have been worship movements that began in the UK and have impacted the church around the world. Songs have been birthed in British churches that are being sung on every continent. Redman, Smith, Townend, Hughes and many others are the faces of this movement. However, the man behind the scenes who has been a father figure, mentor, encourager and enabler is the author of this book, my friend Les Moir. In these pages you will live the story and learn the principles and lessons. Enjoy!

Mike Pilavachi, Soul Survivor

Les is one of the most remarkable people I know. Kingdom minded, generous, kind and pure. His ultimate passion is to make the praise of God glorious and he delights wherever he sees this take place. His influence on sung worship in the UK and worldwide is more significant than many of us I think will ever realise. He has continually poured fuel on the flames and championed people unbelievably. He has cheered me on and encouraged me in stunning ways. I simply wouldnt be doing much of what I do today were it not for Less sacrificial love. Im so glad he has written this book. A wonderful and insightful look into worship in the church. Everyone loves Les and Im sure people will love this great book!

Tim Hughes, worship songwriter and leader of St Lukes Gas Street Church, Birmingham

Les Moir does a great job of guiding us through the roots of the modern worship movement in the UK. Hes a good guide because he was there through most of it, even playing bass on the original live recording of Come, Now Is the Time to Worship in 1998. Because of the two years I lived and worked in the UK training songwriters and worship leaders in the late 90s, I have always felt like an honorary Brit, and I still believe this was one of the most important and fruitful seasons of my life. The chapter on John Wimber and Vineyard Music brought a flood of gratefulness and memories having experienced much of this first hand. If you want to know more about why the UK has had such an important role in renewing worship in song throughout the world, this book is a great start.

Brian Doerksen, writer of Come, Now Is the Time to Worship

This book is a fascinating and enlightening story, not just for people like myself who like Les Moir were in the front row, but also I believe for those whose worship journey and practice has been profoundly shaped by it but have not yet heard it told. Through conversations and interviews with many of the key players, together with his own personal memories and reflections, Les traces how what became known as praise and worship moved from the fringes to the mainstream, to a global phenomenon.

Graham Kendrick, worship leader and songwriter

For years, Les has talked about writing this book and I am really delighted that at last he has done so. It is a story, capturing the excitement of the early days of the modern worship movement in the UK; but it is more than that. This book contains insights about the role that sung worship plays in all our lives today. It also looks ahead to an exciting future, encouraging this current generation of songwriters to take the message of Gods love beyond the walls of the church, to the whole world.

Noel Richards, worship songwriter