Tony Cummings quizzed singer, songwriter, bandleader and worship teacher SCOTT CUNNINGHAM

Scott: She actually finished her own project called 'Authenticity' last year. We helped her raise support and record the project. She did a great job. There's like 11 songs that she wrote - very unique kind of singer/songwriter - some of it's kind of indie, some of it folky. Very thoughtful, very creative - not super poppy: not something you hear necessarily on the radio, but the songs are so brilliant. She's recording again right now, sending me some mixes. This one she's funded herself, saved her money, so she's a lot more independent. But I'm always trying to do as much as I can with her. I have to schedule her out months in advance. It's both exciting and challenging as a dad, in my little mind, thinking about, as a family, going together in our car, doing everything together; those seasons are changing. Now there are boys around the house. My oldest daughters have boyfriends - a boyfriend each, not boyfriends plural! They're both great guys and it's fun to have some male influence in the house. It's a total different season: my church has been in transition, my family's been in transition. It's been a huge blessing and a huge challenge; this year's been unique.

Tony: It would be shame if the Scott Cunningham Band lost your daughters. They add a key dynamic to the band.

Scott: For sure. They're so much a part of it. I feel like they're lifelong members. Although they won't be with us every time we play at church, when we play out I definitely want them involved. My third girl - I've got five - has been singing with us a little bit more; she sang with me in one of our showcase tents for volunteers. They're all growing up, so I have a little school worship at home.

Tony: Are you now writing some songs for a new project?

Scott: Yes. I've been writing the last couple months - the Lord's given me new songs. I shared one today called "The Steadfast Love". I've been reading through the Psalms. There's this word lovingkindness in the King James; it's a beautiful word. ESB uses the words "steadfast love" and that hit me in a fresh way. This last year, going through a lot of changes - a lot of highs, a lot of lows - I found myself pushing through a difficult season and the Lord reminding me his love is steadfast, he's never going to leave me or forsake me. The more you walk with the Lord, you realise that the great saints of the past dealt with both wonderful victories and difficult challenges; but you find that the Lord walks through all those valleys with you. There's no human that will get out of going through the difficulties, the highs and the lows. The beauty of being with Christ is that he walks through those seasons with you and he continues to encourage us on in seasons of despair or depression or anxiety or suffering, or even death. As we deal with those realities of life the Lord insists in the Psalms that he's our guide even unto death. On the plane ride over I believe the Lord gave me a poem - or hopefully it'll be a hymn with some music. "Christ completes what he begins" was the theme. I shared it this morning in our worship service. There are seven verses of truth: what God has begun, he's the author and finisher of our faith. He that began the good work will complete the good work. The older I get, that news is so good to know. If it were depending on me, that'd be a disaster. Christ completes what he has begun. "God has not forgotten and God will not forget your work, your labour of love, as he keeps what we command. All that he's promised and all that he's done affirms his main intention that he completes what he's begun. For even if we fail and we sin with great regret, God's purpose can't be thwarted no matter what the threat. For the devil cannot touch us, for we hide in Christ the Son. Our victory is certain for Christ completes what he's begun. Even if our sorrow did drown the light of day, even if my faithless heart still drifts along the way, the good shepherd leaves the number to go and find the one, to bring back what was missing for Christ completes what he's begun." It goes on and on, there are seven verses but that's the gist of it.

Tony: You've recently recorded a hymns project.

Scott: We just finished a hymns project for our church. We called it 'Monuments'. The idea came from Joshua chapter four. As Joshua's entering into the promised land, the Lord told Joshua to set up 12 stones on the other side of the Jordan in the promised land, and these 12 stones the Lord said would be a constant reminder for the generations to come of God's faithfulness and his promises, that he brought them through the Red Sea out of Egypt, over the Jordan, towards the Promised Land. Hymns are kind of like those remembrance stones. So we did hymns like "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"; I wrote a chorus to it. A modern hymn, "In Christ Alone". We did "Oh Happy Day" and "Be Thou My Vision". There's 12 of them, just like there's 12 stones. We're excited to see those continue.

Tony: Who's singing on it?

Scott: It's me, my daughter Madison, my friend Brendan, Chelsea Moon, Danny Donnelly, Char Brodersen, James & Rebekah Caggegi - a whole group of guys, Calvary Chapel worship leaders and songwriters from our fellowship of churches.