Ben Cantelon
Canadian born worship leader, Ben Cantelon, was based in the UK for a number of years, starting out as Worship Director at Soul Survivor before moving on to a role at Worship Central. Ben later served as the Worship Director at Holy Trinity Brompton in London, UK.
More recently, Ben’s heart for worship can be heard on songs like Phil Wickham’s “Eyes Fixed” and “He Lives” by Chris Tomlin. Ben’s years of experience as a worship leader and artist have greatly influenced his songwriting and have given him a unique insight and ability to write accessible and relevant songs for the church.
We were able to sit down with Ben at the Worship Together Conference to talk about his experience in the church in the UK & US, his time writing with other artists and his heart behind lyrics.
You were a worship leader in the UK for years and then you moved to Nashville recently. When was that? And what's been the key differences you notice in church life between the UK and the US?
That was five years ago, in 2017. Me and my wife and two children, at the time, got on a plane and moved here! I feel like the church is in different places in some ways and similar in other ways.
We worship the same God and do a lot of the same things. But I think in the UK we're quite theological — in a good way, in a healthy way.
When it comes to songs, I remember writing songs that we meticulously scan every line and make sure it's theologically correct and theologically sound. But sometimes it felt like it would slightly slow down the process and, that's not a dig on the UK because some of the best songs have come out of the UK, but then writing songs here, there's a bit more of: What do we feel, what do we sense God's doing? I think those are some of the differences I found.
That's the thing, there's beauty in both, and I think the UK does that so well in terms of just writing timeless songs, and that happens here in the US too. But different themes seem to come out from these different countries.
Well, speaking of timeless songs, you've written some really widely known ones such as “Love Came Down,” “Savior of the World,” “Guardian,” and more recently for Phil Wickham, “Eyes Fixed,” and “He Lives” for Tomlin. Of these songs that took off, were they the ones that you expected to or were you surprised by them?
Totally surprised. “Love Came Down” was actually one of the first songs I wrote. And it was one of those sort of in-my-bedroom-playing-my-guitar moments. I just start singing this chorus.
And it's the classic story of: I don't know what God's going to do with the song.
And then it just kind of took off and people started singing it, and that was just an incredible experience of seeing God use that song in a way that I never could have imagined just from that moment of having that spark of inspiration with that song.
I've been very fortunate to be able to write with different people and different artists. Because some of those songs started going around, people started saying, “Hey, we should write.”
So, “Eyes Fixed” was actually originally for Tomlin. Nick Herbert, Chris Tomlin and I wrote “Eyes Fixed on You.” It was great and it felt right for Tomlin, but I don't know, as time went on we were asking: is this the right feel? You know? And so, Phil Wickham came to mind because it still had a kind of Phil vibe. So, I said to Chris, “Hey, what do you think about sending this to Phil?” He was like, “That's a great idea. Do it.” So, we send it to Phil and Phil is like, “I love it. I've got a few thoughts.” And then we developed and changed it into what it is now.
So, two polar opposites, quiet time worship with the Lord in my bedroom to like, hey, this feels for something special. Who is it for?
And I'm grateful to be able to have those kinds of experiences. I'm grateful for just seeing these songs take on different ways and avenues.
So, we heard from the The Belonging Co last night — they performed, and we got to speak with them as well — and I know that you wrote and led “Supply” on their album Here. Reading some of the lyrics, this one verse really stuck out…
“The desert place is where the harvest rains. And yet you move upon the smallest seed of faith. Yes and Amen.”
Tell us more about the sentiment of this song.
I think it's just a faith song of declaring God's going to break through. I think that verse in particular is about believing that in the desert place, there's a harvest to be found. With a little, simple “Yes and Amen” coming to agreement, like, “I can't see, but I know you're going to do it” kind of thing.
He will supply all of our needs.
And I love that scripture.
I love singing just straight: My God shall supply all my needs according to His Glory. There's something about declaring and singing those things over our lives. When we were leading this song at the conference, it was a really special and an important song to me. We were, as a family, kind of waiting on some answers from the Lord and asking: “God, what are you doing? Where are you leading?”
So I led that song with everything in me because it just was like: I need this song in my life right now.
It was so special to see it come through and to be able to lead it and just hearing the stories of people getting in touch and saying: “Hey, this is this has been a life song for me right now in this season.”
So, you write songs and you just hope that it's going to meet somebody where they are and that one feels really special. And for people who are waiting, believing, haven't seen it yet kind of thing — and i's beautiful to hear testimonies to that song.
That reminds me of something Hope Darst said last night: she said, you get up onstage and either you're in a place of feeling really filled up or really empty. If you're feeling filled up, then you're singing with confidence and you're hoping people feel that too. But feeling empty, it's like you're singing it for other people, but also for yourself — almost like a prophetic statement.
Exactly right. Yeah. That's what it felt like with that one for sure.
We also interviewed Nick Herbert and you know, we like to talk about funny worship stories as well. He said something about Compassion Tour and a song called “Happy Day” and that it really connected well…?
I can't believe he brought this up (laughs).
So, they said to lead this conference and begin with my song “Happy Day.” We’re sound checked and ready to go. There was a human trafficking element to this event and it was really serious. Tony Campolo was there speaking and as we pray, right before the night starts, the organizer says to me: “Hey, just so you know, we’re going to play a drama piece/movie before you sing, and as soon as it's done, lights down, and you're on.”
And so, I’m like “Great!”
I'm standing side stage watching this drama unfold and it is very raw and real. Then, all of a sudden, at the very end, the lights go down, you hear this scream from this girl. It was just intense and everyone is dead silent.
So then I'm like, “All right, everybody, welcome to conference, let’s all stand!(singing) The greatest day in history…” You know, just go into this happy song and there's people crying in the front row. I was like: let the ground swallow me up.
It was just the wrong song at the wrong time, but it made for a good story.
It’s actually been a great teaching piece of just being able to sort of tell the worship leaders: know your audience and what you're going into.
Well, thank you for sharing that (laughs). We love hearing those moments too because we’re all human!
Finally, our community is comprised of worship leaders, songwriters, musicians, etc. Do you have a word of encouragement for them right now, for what they do every Sunday: leading your songs and other people's songs? Just anything you want to share.
Absolutely. I think you guys who are leading week in and week out, you're the hands and feet of Jesus.
I think the way you lead and the way you play and all those things that you do, you're serving not just your local church, you're serving the wider Church because we're all in this together.
These are uncertain times, and so even more so in these days, worship is such a powerful weapon. When we bring our songs, when we bring our praise on Sundays, it is doing things that we don't even see happening, so believe that, and just know that what you're doing is necessary and important.
God bless you, and thank you for what you give to the Church.
Lead song from Ben Cantelon with your congregation.