In 2001 after relocating to Orlando, Florida, William was hired as the Music Director and keyboardist for Ron Kenoly. It was during his time with Dr. Kenoly that William had the opportunity to travel all over the world and experience the presence of God in multiple cultures and expressions. This experience impacted his ministry tremendously. William has an ability to connect with people of multiple cultures and reach multiple generations in the same setting so that everyone can experience the presence of God together.
In 2003 utilizing his educational background (B.S. in Entertainment Business) and fulfilling a God given desire, "The Delivery Room" recording studio was established. William recorded his first solo effort, "The Reason I Live" out of the studio, along with hosting numerous other sessions. In 2005 "The Delivery Room" expanded into a brand new 2300 sq ft space and has hosted several artists and producers such as Martha Munizzi, Group One Crew, KJ-52, Tito Nieves, Loris Holland, Aaron Pearce, and EA Sports.
In 2006, William accepted the position of worship leader at The Gathering Place in Lake Mary, FL., serving alongside Pastor Sam Hinn. In 2007 William was ordained as a pastor at The Gathering Place and while serving this multicultural body has hosted recording artist and worship leaders such as Hillsong United, Martha Munizzi (also a member of the church), Jeff Deyo, Israel Houghton, Aaron Lindsey, Ricardo Sanchez and others.
In addition to music, William is a teacher who ministers the Word in churches and conferences, and is fully committed to establishing an organization that deals with some of the global goliath's facing our world today such as hunger, clean drinking water, and domestic H.S. graduation.The Williams Brothers
Arise Intro
William McDowell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look around, tell me what you see:
Nearly a billion people into the 21st Century,
Unable to read a book or sign their names.
Illiterate, and unable to read, not even the Bible.
Look around, tell me what you see:
Earthquakes, natural and man-made disasters,
And disease all around us.
The truth of God being trampled,
And Jesus being scorned by a world
In desperate need to encounter him.
Tell me, what do you see?
Jesus said: You are the salt of the earth.
But what good is salt if it has lost it's flavor?
Can you make it salty again?
It will be thrown out underfoot as worthless.
You are the light of the world,
Like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
And Jesus Christ, the only answer for the world,
Lives in you, and moves through His body, the Church.
Yet the world says the Church is losing it's influence.
This cannot be- not on our watch.
May the eyes of this generation be open.
One-sixth of the world's population is hungry.
Half of the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day.
Half of all the children in the world live in poverty;
More children die from drinking bad water
Than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.
And water is the most abundant resource on the planet.
Look around: what do you see?
Church, how will we respond?
The spoken intro of William McDowell's song "Arise Intro" serves as a call to action for the Church to take note of the world's current state. The lyrics paint a picture of a world that is plagued by natural disasters, political unrest, famine, war, poverty, disease, and illiteracy, with the truth of God being trampled and Jesus being scorned. The song emphasizes that Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and it is their duty to help bring change into the world. The words highlight the fact that Jesus Christ is the only answer for the world and that He lives within us and moves through His body on earth, the Church. These words call Christians to open their eyes, to see the urgent need to arise and bring about change in the world.
The lyrics of "Arise Intro" also serve as a reminder of the dire situation of many people in the world today. The statistics are staggering, with one-sixth of the world's population being hungry, half of the world's population living on less than two dollars a day, and half of all the children in the world living in poverty. This song calls the Church to respond to the needs of the world, to help those who are suffering, and to be the answer to someone's prayers.
In conclusion, "Arise Intro" is a powerful song that urges Christians to take note of the world's current state and to take action. It is a reminder that Jesus Christ is the only answer for the world, and we must be His hands and feet in the world today.
Line by Line Meaning
Look around, tell me what you see:
Observe your surroundings, describe what you notice
Nearly a billion people into the 21st Century,
There are close to one billion people who have entered the 21st century
Unable to read a book or sign their names.
This billion people are illiterate and are incapable of reading or writing their names
Illiterate, and unable to read, not even the Bible.
These illiterate individuals can't access the truths of the Bible themselves
Look around, tell me what you see:
Observe your surroundings again, describe what you notice
Earthquakes, natural and man-made disasters,
There are naturally occurring and human-caused disasters such as earthquakes
Political unrest, famine, war, poverty,
Additionally, there are issues such as political instability, food shortages, violent conflicts, and poverty we can see
And disease all around us.
Various diseases are common and frequent in many areas
The truth of God being trampled,
There is a disregard or lack of respect for God's truth and wisdom
And Jesus being scorned by a world
Furthermore, many people mock and disrespect Jesus Christ
In desperate need to encounter him.
However, the world desperately needs experiences with Jesus and His teachings
Tell me, what do you see?
Describe what you observe now
Jesus said: You are the salt of the earth.
Jesus explained that people are the seasoning of the world and are important
But what good is salt if it has lost it's flavor?
However, if people and their actions are no longer impactful, they are worthless
Can you make it salty again?
Can humans still have an impact and change the world positively?
It will be thrown out underfoot as worthless.
If people lose their influence, they become ineffective and ignored
You are the light of the world,
People are the light in the darkness and bring hope
Like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
This light cannot be covered or shut off once it is turned on
And Jesus Christ, the only answer for the world,
Jesus Christ is the only resolution for the problems afflicting humanity
Lives in you, and moves through His body, the Church.
Jesus dwells within individuals and moves through the group of believers that form the Church
Yet the world says the Church is losing it's influence.
Despite this fact, some people believe that the Church is losing its power to influence society
This cannot be- not on our watch.
The Church must not lose its ability to make a difference in the world
May the eyes of this generation be open.
Let the younger generation understand and take action about these problems facing humanity
One-sixth of the world's population is hungry.
Around 1/6th of the world's people are hungry and are struggling to feed themselves
Half of the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day.
Around 50% of the world's population works with less than 2 dollars daily
Half of all the children in the world live in poverty;
50% of world children are living in poor conditions with limited resources to grow in
More children die from drinking bad water
Children die from consuming contaminated water more than any other reason
Than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.
This number is higher than a combination of deaths caused by diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.
And water is the most abundant resource on the planet.
Surprisingly, water is still readily available more than any other resource on earth
Look around: what do you see?
Observe the surroundings once again, describe what is visible
Church, how will we respond?
What actions should the church take as a whole or individually towards these problems?
Contributed by Ethan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.