NEW MUSIC
JOSH BALDWIN Song Spotlight “ Made For More ” that when we were adopted by Christ into His family , we became a part of something much bigger than ourselves and out of response to that belonging comes the call to love as Christ as loved us . “ Coming Clean ” follows and is a humble prayer asking for forgiveness while “ To God Be The Glory ” is a re-wrap of the classic folk hymn as the mixture of female vocals gives this version warmth and depth .
“ How Long ” is pensive look at Psalm 13 with classical guitar and cello that brings the suffering of God ’ s people to the forefront while reminding us that He is our justice and peace in all things . Former “ All Sons and Daughters ” member , Leslie Jordan leads the uplifting anthem , “ Take Off Running ” which speaks of the freedom that every believer has in Christ .
“ To Dwell As One ” brings the album to a close appropriately as Sarah Kroger , Tamar Chipp and Jillian Edwards borrow lyrics from Psalm 133 as they call all believers to come together as one to worship the King .
I enjoyed many of the songs crafted on this project . There was enough eclectic difference between most of the tracks to keep things moving and interesting throughout , with a good mix of modern and traditional hymns and melodies . These songs will definitely appeal to folks of all generations and there were a few tracks that grabbed my attention and could find a nice spot in the regular Sunday rotation .
Bethel worship leader and solo artist , Josh Baldwin ’ s newest single “ Made For More ” is a song that calls followers back to their true identity in Christ who calls us by name .
The song begins with Baldwin ’ s gravelly tenor over an upright piano . The swinging 6 / 8 tempo gives the song lilt and a subtle southern Gospel flavor . Verse one finds Baldwin singing with quiet conviction about how our identity is firmly rooted in Christ and because of this , our future is worth the living because we belong to Jesus . These first words are very matter-offact without question or uncertainty and is an idea that every believer should cling to when searching for their meaning while searching for hope for the future .
The first chorus adds a church-style organ to the mix as Josh introduces us to the main theme that runs throughout the song ; our purpose is to live as resurrected beings , freed from shame and made for more than we can imagine . Lyrically , the chorus is one of the strongest I have heard in a while . The reality that these words bring us to is that so many people are stuck in their own sinfulness , never imagining that God could ever forgive what they have done . But Romans 8:38 tells us otherwise as we are reminded that God gave His Son to become sin and sacrifice for us so that we could be reconciled to God and that there is nothing in this world that could ever separate us from Him . Melodically , the chorus hits a homerun as these words are easy to sing and definitely have that “ stick-in-your-brain ” quality .
The drums and bass enter in verse two ( Sidenote- can we please arrange a song that doesn ’ t add drums until the 2 nd verse ? It just gets redundant that this happens structurally in 90 % of worship songs today ... ok rant over ) as again Baldwin sings about how our identity is solidly found in Christ who adopted us as sons and daughters through Christ ’ s work on the cross .
Chorus two mirrors the first but we get a nice increase in instrumental energy with some electric guitars and louder B3 organ before the driving bridge takes over . Here , we hear the climax of the song as Baldwin and the team sing triumphantly ; “ Hallelujah , You called out my name , so I ’ ll sing out your praise . Hallelujah , You buried my past . Oh I ’ m not going back ”
The first chorus post-bridge is just drums and hand claps with block chords as the worship energy by the end of the track is through the roof . You can almost feel the Holy Spirit move in the room as they sing and worship with reckless abandon . Baldwin repeats the bridge before a quiet chorus ends the song .
This song is classic Josh Baldwin . Hopefilled lyrics with a southern Gospel feel . I can confidently say this song will be finding a spot in my Sunday set-list .
Gerod Bass Worship leader in Tacoma , WA . Mentor with Worship Catalyst . Singer , songwriter , guitarist with a passion for impacting lives for the sake of the Gospel . www . oslc . com
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