Our Ship Has Come In!

Last updated on: May 18, 2012 at 12:45 pm by Steve Knight

Our Ship Has Come In! 2012-05-18T01:33:31-03:00 Steve Knight

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yes, shifty missioners, Christmas has come early this year — in the form of this spiffing new video of N.T. Wright singing the Bob Dylan classic “When The Ship Comes In”:

Bishop Wright says the song is “stuffed full of wonderful biblical imagery” and, as he says, “it’s basically eschatology.” While I’m impressed with his courage to sing in front of an audience, the performance leaves a little something to be desired. I’ll just say, please keep your day job, Tom!

Want to do some missional theology with me? Here are the lyrics to the song, so you can play along:

Oh the time will come up
When the winds will stop
And the breeze will cease to be breathin’
Like the stillness in the wind
’Fore the hurricane begins
The hour when the ship comes in

Oh the seas will split
And the ship will hit
And the sands on the shoreline will be shaking
Then the tide will sound
And the wind will pound
And the morning will be breaking

Oh the fishes will laugh
As they swim out of the path
And the seagulls they’ll be smiling
And the rocks on the sand
Will proudly stand
The hour that the ship comes in

And the words that are used
For to get the ship confused
Will not be understood as they’re spoken
For the chains of the sea
Will have busted in the night
And will be buried at the bottom of the ocean

A song will lift
As the mainsail shifts
And the boat drifts on to the shoreline
And the sun will respect
Every face on the deck
The hour that the ship comes in

Then the sands will roll
Out a carpet of gold
For your weary toes to be a-touchin’
And the ship’s wise men
Will remind you once again
That the whole wide world is watchin’

Oh the foes will rise
With the sleep still in their eyes
And they’ll jerk from their beds and think they’re dreamin’
But they’ll pinch themselves and squeal
And know that it’s for real
The hour when the ship comes in

Then they’ll raise their hands
Sayin’ we’ll meet all your demands
But we’ll shout from the bow your days are numbered
And like Pharoah’s tribe
They’ll be drownded in the tide
And like Goliath, they’ll be conquered

Previous Post

May 18, 2012

Evangelicals Don't Own Missional

Next Post

May 18, 2012 What Would Your Missional Community Do With $3,000?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Definitions Events Funding Funny History Mainline denominations Missional Mondays Networks Offers Startups Tech Theology Video Youth-Young Adult Ministry

Select a Month January 2014 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the Hebrew word 'Shekinah' mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Everlasting Light Holy Fire God’s Glory Divine Presence