David and Dale Garratt, who became widely known not just across the Bay of Plenty for their involvement in the Tauranga Christmas Conventions in the 1970s, but across NZ churches, have both been made Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s honours list, for services to Christian music production.

The birth of the modern praise and worship movement in New Zealand, and indeed globally, has its roots in this couple's willingness to follow what for them is a calling.

From the mid-1960s until 1975, for about a week from Christmas through to New Year, Des and Carley Short from Faith Bible College would host an annual convention in Tauranga where people would come from all around New Zealand, and in fact the world.

The Tauranga Racecourse would be packed with thousands of people who came to listen to world renowned speakers such as Derek Prince, Judson Cornwall, Bob Mumford and Ralph Winters. There had really been nothing quite like it since the Billy Graham crusades in 1959 and 1969.

Remembered well for leading the music and worship times at many of the convention’s morning and evening gatherings were husband and wife team Dale and David Garratt accompanied by musicians and other worship leaders.

David and Dale Garratt started a modern praise and worship movement in churches throughtout New Zealand that went on to have a global impact. Photo: Supplied.

The non-religious and authentic way they taught the crowds simple devotional songs appealed to many, who found themselves easily learning biblical scripture off by heart because they were set to music with tunes that were remembered.

In a stunning example of "using what’s in our hands", although David knew some basic guitar chords, both of them were unable to play other instruments or read music at the beginning of their charismatic Christian ministry.

Through their fresh approach to Christian worship, Tauranga racecourse would be full of the sounds of not only older hymns like ‘Amazing Grace’ but resonating more and more with a new and exciting type of Christian music – scripture simply set to song.

Dale and David Garratt in the 1970s. Photos: Supplied.

From the simple one word ‘Hallelujah’ song through to ‘Be exalted’, ‘Praise the Name of Jesus’ and many other popular freshly written compositions, the stadium was packed with hundreds of people singing together. For many who came from Baptist and Brethren backgrounds, the idea of church outdoors was something new, and it also came at a time when the NZ Charismatic movement was beginning to grow.

Dale (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri) and David founded the Christian ministry brand ‘Scripture in Song’ in 1968, producing recordings and music books for worship in Christian churches over more than 50 years.

Their music also features in two films ‘Once Were Warriors’ and ‘The Devil’s Advocate’.

The songs David and Dale wrote, recorded and published have been used in virtually every Protestant church and by some Roman Catholic groups in New Zealand. Church congregations around the globe have been singing their songs for half a century.

They are recognised nationally and internationally as pioneering worship leaders and modellers of congregational singing, particularly for their contextual application of biblical texts and current musical trends.

Their breakthrough double LP ‘Prepare Ye The Way’ (1972) was authenticated Platinum.

'Praise The Name of Jesus' album cover. Photo: Supplied.

A live expression of worship in the outdoors was recorded at the racecourse in Palmerston North on a 4-track recording machine in the open air.

The surrounding birds are heard on the final recording. Although difficult to know for certain, 'Praise the Name of Jesus' was probably the first live worship album of this new “worship movement” era.

The early days

The couple met in 1962 at a Youth for Christ meeting.

“We were two young followers of Jesus, helping out at Youth For Christ NZ, this was where we met, fell in love and were married from. At this time David played very simple guitar and we both sang,” says Dale.

Dale and David Garratt at a Youth For Christ NZ rally in the 1960s. Photo: Supplied.

At the 50th anniversary of Scripture in Song in Auckland, David reminisced about the beginning.

“It was 1968 and we’d lived in Dunedin for three years after our marriage. We came back to Auckland almost immediately got into a meeting that someone had invited us to,” says David.

The speaker at that meeting was biblical teacher Derek Prince.

“As soon as we got there we started to hear a few choruses that were different than the ones that we'd heard before and we heard one in particular which was taken from the book of Revelation.

“This was ‘thou art worthy O God to receive honour and glory and power’. I just felt God say to me I want people to sing songs to me not just about me or not about themselves or about the sweet bye-and-bye or something but to me.

“And that sort of captured my understanding not that we were planning to do anything with it but that actually meant something to me right then.”

Brent Chambers recalls the early days

Tauranga resident and Christian musician and composer Brent Chambers recalls the early days of Scripture in Song.

“Whatever I am, wherever I am today, I owe most of it to David and Dale's loving mentorship and friendship,” says Brent.

“I remember a phone call back in 1973 while at Bible College in Auckland, and David inviting me to participate on an album they were working on.”

The album was ‘Thou Art Worthy’.

David Garratt on stage at the 50th celebration of Scripture in Song in 2019, with Brent Chambers and Dale Garratt. Photo: Supplied.

“David listened to some of my "Jesus & me" songs, and was not particularly impressed at the time," says Brent.

“As I got to know them better, I realized that their much simpler songs were vehicles of personal worship to a personal God, and as I began to breathe that air myself, so I began to write songs that people could easily sing.

“I would describe it as "Breathing in the word of God...breathing out worship..",” says Brent.

David and Dale Garratt have both been made Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s honours list, for services to Christian music production. Photo: Supplied.

Brent says he remember the origins of two songs in particular – ‘Song of Offering’ and  ‘Be exalted, O God’.

“Re ‘Song of Offering’, we were gathered for prayer in a circle, and I remembering crying out "God, I wish I knew how to worship You”.

“Then it was like a song dropped into my heart, words and music, line by line, which went: "Oh accept these words that we bring, as an offering to You, our King, lifting our voices in praise to You, our God. As Your children we come to Your throne, with the worship that is Yours alone, GIVING OURSELVES WITH OUR PRAISE to You, our God...." “

Brent says they sang it and sang it, “just as it came”.

“It's like God heard my heart-cry and answered with a God-song.”

Stephen Hart presenting a special commemorative 50th anniversary photo book to the Garratt family - Melinda Garrat, David and Dale Garratt, in 2019. Photo: Supplied.

Brent says the song ‘Be exalted, O God’ happened one afternoon in May 1977, “when I was at home doing catch-up on university assignments”.

“I took a break, found myself looking at Psalm 57:9-11, picked up my guitar, and pretty much wrote the song as it's become known,” says Brent.

“Our Scripture in Song home group were meeting at our place that night, and I sang the new song. David got me to sing it about three times, and said to me "Brent, do you think God is speaking to you personally through this song?"

“Up until then I wasn't particularly impressed with it...and then I realised that yes, God was speaking to me.”

Brent says ‘Be exalted O God’ became his call to worship in the nations.

“Like it says: "I will give thanks to You O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations”, “ says Brent.

Dale Garratt on tambourine, Brent Chambes on guitar and Melinda Garratt. Photo: Supplied.

Brent found traveling with David and Dale for over 20 years gave birth to numerous other songs, many of them of the "instantaneous" variety, because a song was required.

“I learned to listen for the Holy Spirit like they did, learned to praise God exuberantly and wholeheartedly, like they did....they loved me, and made room for me,” says Brent.

“I regard them not only as friends of the best kind, but "Elijah's" speaking to Elisha, making a way through worship.”

Brent recalls when he, David and Dale were invited to an evening of Mediterranean music.

“There were costumes and dancing...mandolins, accordions, and as we were leaving I had a melody playing through my head like nothing that I'd heard that evening.

“A couple of days later, I sang the melody to Dale. It didn't yet have any words, or suggestion of any interpretation. Dale said "Sounds like a celebration to me" so we called it "The Celebration Song"...very Jewish-sounding.

“The words and interpretation came to me while looking at the verse in Psalm 22 which says in the RSV footnote "Thou art holy, enthroned upon the praises of Israel", which caught my imagination.

“The rest came together quite quickly, and The Celebration Song was borne. The lyrics are ‘In the presence of Your people. I will praise Your name. For alone You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Let us celebrate Your goodness, and Your steadfast love. May Your name be exalted, here on earth and in Heaven above’,” says Brent.

50th anniversary of Scripture in Song in 2019 in Auckland. Photo: Supplied.

Brent says The Celebration Song still gives him goose bumps when he sings, plays or hears it.

“I was on a journey of discovery re my adopted Jewish roots at the time, and found myself writing a lot of Hebraic-sounding songs, encouraged by David and Dale.

‘Let My People Go’ is a documentary produced by David and Dale Garratt filmed from 1998-99 in New Zealand, Switzerland, France, Australia, and Hawaii. Released in 2000 it highlights the importance of indigenous cultures and their unique expressions of worship. This documentary also briefly details the history of Scripture in Song from 1968-2000.

David and Dale Garratt have produced more than 30 recordings in New Zealand and overseas, with most released internationally, the most recent being ‘Songs of Blessing’ (2021).

Dale could be considered one of NZ’s best-selling Māori composers, as in total, 13 of their albums have achieved Gold or Platinum status and more than three million song books have been sold.

A group singing at the 50th anniversary of Scripture in Song in 2019 in Auckland. Photo: Supplied.

They have promoted indigenous expressions of song, rhythm and dance into their repertoire and teachings, incorporating Māori, Pacific, North American First Nations and Hawaiian expressions into established Western practice, and producing songs of worship in native languages.

They have presented at First Nations conferences in Canada, the United States and Australia and have ministered in the US and South Africa.

David and Dale received the Dove Award, the lifetime achievement award from the Gospel Music Association in 1984.