The story that moved me the most was Keesee’s account of their visit to Yullin Church in Seoul, South Korea. Keesee dives into the history of missionaries and the beginnings of Korean Christianity, highlighting the work of faithful Christians who have gone before me…The book comes with a free film series that beautifully captures the people and praise of God. ‘From the Rising of the Sun’ is a fascinating testimony of God’s faithfulness to His church, the wonderful worship of Christ, and the power of the Spirit to move in God’s people.

In From the Rising of the Sun, Tim Challies and Tim Keesee take you on a journey of worship around the world. This book chronicles their travels as they discover how churches worship God in their own unique ways according to respective cultures and traditions. From Lautoka, Fiji, to Unalaska, Alaska — this book will open your eyes to the praise of our God from all nations, tribes, and tongues.

Customs and Cultures

Each church Challies and Keesee visit along the way aligns with a variety of Protestant traditions. I found descriptions of each church to be familiar in preaching and worship, but varied in terms of customs and cultures. Keesee provides travelogue entries, taking the reader along for the journey, and Challies offers reflections on the various elements of Christian worship they encountered.

While different music and singing styles are highlighted around the world, I was most delighted to read about their visit to St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia — the home church of the band CityAlight. Reading about the band’s ministry aspirations and convictions was very inspiring, and I realized that I have been tangibly impacted by the thought and care they put into their work. The effort they put into making their songs singable and attention to lyrical choice detail are both elements that help me enjoy worshiping with their songs.

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