What is FMA?
The purpose of FMA is to equip singers and musicians to be skillful musicians who are consumed with love for Jesus and operate in the spirit of prophecy in a way that releases His presence and power, as they walk out lives of passion for Him and compassion for people. The Scripture makes it clear that this is where the Spirit is bringing the worship movement in the earth in this hour of history.
There is a new song rising throughout the earth today as the Spirit is drawing the hearts of young musicians and singers into adoration of Jesus, abandonment to His will, bold proclamation of His truth, and demonstration of His power that liberates people from bondage. It is a new song because He is doing a new thing. The new song is a significant part of the global worship movement that will culminate at the second coming of Jesus. Often when the new song is mentioned in Scripture, it is in the context of the events that lead to Jesus’ return.
We are just at the beginning of where the new is song is going and we have only caught a glimpse of where the Lord wants to take the earth in anointed worship music. We can already see the beginnings of this new thing that He is doing as “Presence-filled” worship is changing the spiritual atmosphere of cities, bringing restoration to the brokenhearted, healing the sick, and bringing liberty to those in bondage. Prophetic songs of deliverance are even now releasing God’s power. However, it will continue to get stronger and stronger. The lost are coming to the sound of the song and finding their ultimate destiny as worshipers of Jesus. The Spirit is filling the earth with love songs that are empowering believers to walk in wholehearted devotion to Jesus, as He restores the first great commandment to first place in the Church. There has never been a better time to be a singer or musician than today!
This generation is inundated with music. There is a multitude of young people who have grown up with movies, iPods and radio. This is a culture filled with song. The human spirit has always been musical but never before in history has the earth been as full of music as it is today. This generation is hungry to experience something and music plays a big part in this. Music, anointed by His presence and His Word, enables us to not only feel the impact of the music, but also helps draw us into the experience of God. This is the deepest thirst in the human soul—to experience God. Anointed music draws us into deeper connection with Jesus’ heart as it awakens our hearts in extravagant love for Him. The most skilled music in all of history will be coming forth in the Church.
Satan is preying on this thirst for encounter, by raising up a counterfeit worship movement that will allow people to experience the power of darkness (Rev. 13:8). The end-time conflict is between two houses of worship but we know that Jesus has already won. We are walking out that victory and in the midst of deep darkness we will awaken the dawn with a song in the night, a song that carries the presence of God and prepares a people for His appearing. These love songs will tenderize hearts in love for Jesus while bringing forth light in the darkest hour of humanity.
At FMA our desire is to raise up skillful singers and musicians who have understanding of the Bible and flow in the spirit of prophecy, releasing the new song. We seek to press the limits of where we can go in skilled, prophetic singing and music. To do this we must know our instruments well and be confident in our voices. For this reason, part of our students’ time is spent in classrooms learning music theory, composition, and the like, along with time spent in private practice hours. With education in music, one of the primary values of FMA is getting our students actively involved in live worship.
We have found that singers and musicians learn the quickest by actually playing their instruments and singing in live worship sessions. I grew the most as a musician and singer by taking what I learned in my private lessons and practice hours and then having a chance to fly with it in live prayer meetings. I sang and led worship for hours a day for the first few years of IHOP–KC. When I started singing, I only knew a few chords and did not have confidence vocally but as I did it everyday in live prayer meetings, I began to learn my voice, learn my instrument, and learn to move in the Spirit and how to sing the Word. Actually, hands-on involvement is key to learning music Therefore, our FMA students regularly play in live prayer meetings where they learn to play together as a team, sing the Word, play what is written on the page, and play spontaneously, all the while in a real prayer meeting where they are reaching for the Spirit and searching the Word.
Because our entire missions base here at IHOP–KC is centered around the prayer room, where the music literally never stops, our entire community is built around music. It is therefore an ideal place to learn music, press the limits of prophetic worship and songs of deliverance, and grow in the new song. I am excited to see hundreds of like-minded young singers and musicians who are dedicated to learning the skill of music to bring glory to Jesus. These are exciting times we are living in and music will be at the forefront of what God is doing in this generation. I am sober and alive in faith when I see that what was prophesied in Scripture is happening before my eyes. The new song will fill the earth, and the Spirit and the Bride will cry, “Come!” in an eruption of song, intercession, and demonstrations of power. He will move at the sound of our voices and a great multitude will join in the song, as we worship Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. He will receive the worship that He is worthy of and the earth will be covered with His glory.
To the end,
Misty Edwards
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