Ministry of Music: Harrogate’s Acoustic Nights prove a Huge Success for Christian Band.

Just eight months after establishing The Paul Mirfin Band, lead singer Paul Mirfin and violinist Dan Jackman spoke to Rachel Williams about their relationship with God and how their music has led people to faith.

The Paul Mirfin Band. Credit: Facebook.com/Paul.Mirfin.Band3

Forget the organs and choral singers that may spring to mind when you think of church; this three-piece band is bringing the gospel to people of Yorkshire through folk rock.

Unlike many musicians, Paul isn’t looking for fame and fortune; he’s just simply following God’s plan.

He said: “It has been an incredible journey. God’s the opening and he’s networking for us. We’re not striving for things or playing every weekend or knackering ourselves out because that’s not what God wants.”

I met Paul and Dan at Café Nero in Knaresborough before hearing the band play at an Oaks Acoustic Night there one Sunday evening. Unfortunately, drummer Dom Cottrill, who’s day job is as a farmer, couldn’t be there as he was buying a new cattle shed. In fact, all three of the members have what some might call ‘ordinary’ day jobs: Dan is a music teacher and Paul is a train conductor. That’s one of the many inspiring things about the band; they’re so down-to-earth and genuine.

Paul, who created the band last June, said: “We all met at the same Church in Harrogate. At the time we were all playing secular music in a secular environment.”

The turning point for Paul’s music came when he heard from the Holy Spirit. “I thought ‘oh I need to play for him now’, which was kind of a big move,” said Paul, “I was really worried about that because I didn’t really know any Christian musicians but I decided to give God a chance.”

Taking that chance, Paul approached Dom and Dan after sending an email of his testimony to another member of the church, Ruth.

He said: “Then that was it, its all been God’s timing since then: its just gone vooooom.”

Paul has taken inspiration from the American folk scene, whereas Dan- with a degree in music- adds more of a classical vibe and they said that Dom interjects with undertones of rock. And they couldn’t be more right. From seeing them perform, their marriage of all three genres -combined with an unusual array of instruments including the merlin, banjo and harmonica- create a beautifully fused sense of serenity and calmness.

In their initial stages, they were nervous about non Christians not understanding what they were singing about and judging their music. Paul said: “I was quite fearful of people sussing us out. I thought we might get mocked a lot by my old band friends and musicians in the area, I thought they’d be like ‘you’ve gone all spiritual’. But actually they really love it.”

Dan said: “We don’t want to be a Christian band that’s in the mainstream, we just want to be a band that sings about God for God.

So we don’t see ourselves as music for Christians and we don’t see ourselves as music for anyone really. We’re just making music that we hope glorifies God and more people that hear that the better.”

Perhaps something that makes the band’s music so raw is Paul’s real relationship and connection with God. But like many Christians, his journey into faith hasn’t been without difficulties.

Paul said: “I’ve had a lot of struggles with faith. I was brought up in church but I got divorced about 8 years ago and I completely lost my faith.

It was always there in the background but I wasn’t interested then. I believed in a god but I didn’t know Him then.”

Paul has always been musical and played in bands but couldn’t find a direction with it until he got called from God. He said: “I would say music is what I’ve always wanted to do and doing it for God is just the ultimate really.”

Not surprisingly, the band all agreed that God was their biggest inspiration for the songs they play but without overtly mentioning religion, lots of their songs use nature to reflect their feelings; something really relatable for new listeners and followers.

Paul said: “God is everything that I write about. But I’m also inspired by things around me like trees or what people are doing.”

This is very apparent in their song Bring the Rain that they played at Café Nero. Looking around the crowded coffee shop, everyone’s transfixed with the band’s easy-going rhythm, as the audience is transported to a quiet and tranquil place, making their music accessible for all.

Paul recalled the first person to turn to Christ from attending an Oaks event.

He said: “The first one was a guy who happened to be called Paul too. He was an atheist and he was happy to come to church but he was definite that was an atheist but he’d just to check it out. After that, he started to come to church then he became a Christian then he moved up here and was asking us about joining a church.”

Dan said: “A lot of people have come to the Oaks gigs that we’ve done in Harrogate and people have asked ‘what’s this about?’ And Paul has been able to say ‘well come along to our church.’”

Paul agreed: “People are asking ‘what are you singing about?’ And I can see that they’re quite uncomfortable sometimes because they’re trying to suss us out.”

Despite the doubtful curiosity from onlookers, they continually share their story and sound with others including on local radio. Amazingly, the radio presenter, who interviewed them, had started following God three days after she met the band.

Dan remembered that: “She interviewed us as a band but Paul went back to do another one with her and that gave him the space to talk to her outside the interview and she was really excited.”

Anyone can catch the band play and relax at the chilled acoustic night where they play roughly once a month. The band are excited to be recording their debut album and making a professional music video to promote their music.

Paul has been so overwhelmed by the results of the band. They’re even going to make their first television debut this year. He said: “I feel like God has excelled us. From just over a year ago when it was just me and God we’re now doing all sorts of things including going to be on BBC Songs of Praise. It’s pretty intense but it’s just pretty amazing. It’s all in God’s hands.”

The band are very excited and feel very blessed to feature on the popular Christian topical music programme later this year.

Something we can all take from the band is their selflessness. Dan said: “We kind of don’t want to make too many plans yourself because you know that God has got something better planned”.

Paul agreed: “He’s never let us down. And he keeps surprising us. But I think ultimately it’s an absolute pleasure to see someone turn to Christ that you’ve actually been involved in; when they’ve actually listened to something you’ve played and they’ve eventually become a part of God. He will take us where He will take us. We get on our knees and we pray.”