[ WM ] Paul you have been a friend of [ WM ] since our first year of publishing over 22 years ago . All this time you have been a blue-collar worship leader writing numerous songs for the local churches to sing and also lending practical advice and training to others who lead worship at their local church . Thank you for that !
We heard that you have a new song for this Christmas season that you are excited about . Tell us about “ Angels We Have Heard on High / Glorious ”?
[ Paul Baloche ] As a local worship pastor I always try to find ways to include classic Christmas carols during the Advent season while still maintaining the prayerful , vertical aspect of worship that we ’ re accustomed to throughout the year . Combining “ Angels We Have Heard on High ” with “ Glorious ” is an example that helps us maintain a posture of worship in our church . I love that my dear friend , Sarah Kroger is featured on this recording . We ministered together in Canada last year for our Christmas Worship Tour .
[ WM ] Will you have resources like charts etc . available for it so worship teams can learn the song ? If so , where do we find those ?
[ Paul ] Yes ! Leadworship . com / songcharts . PraiseCharts is great , too .
[ WM ] Christmas seems to be a time when visitors coming to church can be more open to the good news message of the gospel . Have you seen this in your years of leading worship ?
[ Paul ] No doubt . I ’ ve seen that dynamic every Christmas season and we keep that in mind as we prepare our services . Seekers are looking for a sincere faith and authenticity .
[ WM ] At this stage of your life you have entered , your family is full of grandkids as well . How does your family celebrate Christmas ?
[ Paul ] Our three kids are married , and we have five grandchildren . We ’ re a little spread out but we usually get to spend a few days all together between Christmas and New Years . Just being together , preparing meals , eating , playing , exchanging gifts , etc . - looking for moments where we can truly connect - heart to heart - in conversations .
[ WM ] You have led worship through many Christmas seasons . You know it is a busy time for your worship teams members too . What words of advice do you have for your fellow worship leaders , band mates and tech team members to navigate the extra services and challenges that presenting Christmas services and musicals bring ?
[ Paul ] Be kind to yourself . Extend grace to yourself - and to others - especially your family . With the overwhelming demand and stress of multiple services - prepare yourself by planning ‘ down time ’ and recovery time where you can rest , nap , or just chill with your family .
[ WM ] I like the idea you have brought to the table with mixing something from the iconic traditional Christmas song-list with a more
contemporary song . There are so many of those traditional songs to choose from and you have a slew of songs you have written . Do you have other songs you are looking at from this new perspective ?
[ Paul ] Well , I ’ ve done three albums of Christmas worship - so I think I ’ ve almost run out of Christmas Carols ! ( laughs ) I ’ ve used some Carols more than once - blending into different choruses and styles . It ’ s a good challenge to write a few fresh ones every year . I ’ m happy with this year ’ s “ Angels We Have Heard on High / Glorious ”.
[ WM ] Thank you so much for being a friend to this magazine and to our Christian Musician Summit conferences all these years . Merry Christmas to you and your family Paul !
[ Paul ] Thank you , old friend . We ’ ve been serving together for over twenty years now . God has been kind to us . So faithful . Watching how God has used your magazine and conferences to encourage and equip leaders in the Church - What a good God !
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