NEW MUSIC
The title track launches the album with an infectious energy as the opening song calls on all believers to actively testify to what Jesus has done for them . The mixture of up-tempo gospel , choir , catchy lyrics , and house beats makes this opener perfect for any worship gathering when you want to get people on their feet praising the Lord .
“ Living Proof ” features some gorgeous guitar work and a simple melody while sharing a poignant message of how we are all part of the living story that Jesus is telling of His love for his creation while “ Kingdom Crowns ” is a loud arena shaking declaration of how we were adopted as heirs of the kingdom of God .
Worship director , Jordynne Bentley lends her soothing , velvety soprano which brings out the softer , more intimate side of the album with songs like “ His Name ” and “ Peace In Place ” which are both vertically aimed and heart-felt .
The big 15-song album lands the plane with the powerful closer , “ Praise the Lord ” which borrows lyrics from Psalm 150 and features a mixture of voices passionately extoling the faithfulness of a God who never leaves or forsakes His people . Worship leader Tenisha Session absolutely soars to the heavens with her incredible vocal chops on this one and you can ’ t help but sing along and raise your hands to the sky .
I really enjoyed the diversity of voices , instrumentation and style on this collection from Rock City . These are songs that are intentionally written for their church but could fit well in any community . The album is a good mix of style and tempo overall but there were spots where the writing could have gone a bit deeper . They fell into the dreaded Christian Cliché land more than once and a few of the song structures were pretty obvious . Still , there are a few great songs here and the authenticity with which these anthems are delivered are above average .
MATT REDMAN
Song Spotlight “ Heart of Worship ” 25 Years Later
If there were a Mt . Rushmore of modern worship leaders , Matt Redman would surely be one of the faces we would see etched in stone . If you glance at the top 100 worship songs of all time , you will see his name over and over again as a writer , co-writer and performer on some of the most loved worship songs of the past three decades . His songs are sung all over the world but none more than “ The Heart of Worship ” which was released 25 years ago this year and still sits firmly in place in the Top 40 on the current CCLI Top Songs chart .
Many would argue Redman ’ s signature song , “ The Heart of Worship ” helped set the foundation of what is now the modern worship movement with its simple melody wrapped around scripturally rich lyrics written for the average pew sitter . “ The Heart of Worship ” became the blueprint for thousands of songs that followed it , but this beautifully simple acoustic ballad is “ more than a song ” and has impacted lives for the Gospel all over the world .
The song was written in the late 90 ’ s while Redman was leading worship at Soul Survivor in England after his Pastor asked the church what they were bringing as their offering before the Lord . This question prompted the main theme of this iconic anthem which is spelled out in the first few lines of verse one ; When the music fades , all is stripped away , and I simply come / Longing just to bring something that ’ s of worth that will bless your heart / I ’ m coming back to the heart of worship , and it ’ s all about You , Jesus . Redman wrote the song fairly quickly in his bedroom and God did the rest .
The chorus sets the foundation of who we are in Christ while reminding us that HE should be the object and reason for our worship . As leaders ,
we in the church often allow ourselves to be so pre-occupied with things that take our focus off of Christ , we sometimes forget the true purpose of what God has called us to do . The chorus brings us back to our purpose ; I ’ m coming back to the heart of worship , and it ’ s all about you , it ’ s all about you , Jesus . The simplicity and beauty of this lyric resonates with every worshiper of every generation , and I believe this is one of the things God is constantly calling us back to , our purpose and reason for being . I also love how Redman was able to make this chorus a statement of repentance by adding the line ; I ’ m sorry Lord for the thing I ’ ve made it . The seamless interaction of announcing what He has done and how we now respond here is pure written gold .
Verse 2 points us to the magnitude of God ’ s majesty , power and glory at a time where so many songs were being written about what we were going to do for Him without sharing the Gospel of what Jesus did for us . In this verse , Redman redirects our focus to where it should ultimately be ; giving Him glory and honor and praise .
Classic songs like , “ How Great Thou Art ”, “ A Mighty Fortress ” and “ In Christ Alone ” seem to stand the test of time , being sung generation after generation of believers all across the world and I think it would be fair to say that “ The Heart of Worship ” definitely has and will continue to stand the test of time bringing thousands into the knowledge of Jesus and His love for us . Thank you , Mr . Redman , for writing a song we all need to sing .
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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