New Life Worship “You Hold It All” – CD Review + Video Debut
THE REVIEW: (by Joe Cameneti, Jr.; review copy provided by Integrity Music)
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This seems to be the approach of the seasoned New Life Worship Team as they release yet another remarkable live project recorded at their home church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you enjoy massive arrangements, epic imagery and corporate anthems, You Hold it All is the perfect worship experience for you.
This 12 track collection boasts a strong lineup of familiar faces with artists like Jared Anderson (“Rescue,” “Amazed,” “Coming Your Way”), Jon Egan (“I Am Free,” “Overcome”) and Glenn Packiam (“My Savior Lives,” “Your Name”) leading the charge. There are also some great vocal performances from the rest of the New Life team.
Although You Hold it All returns with the familiar New Life flare of albums past, it definitely seems to have different points of emphasis and a more “celebratory” feel. Their last project, Counting on God, was anchored by songs like “Overcome” and written in response to several devastating moments in their congregation’s recent history. So it was exciting to hear about the new things God is doing in and through this beautifully resilient example of the local church. Here are some tracks I especially enjoyed:
“Lift the Name” – Fun, hooky and fresh – This is the often evasive “song # 1” that every worship leader desperately needs to jumpstart a service in the right way.
“Our Messiah Reigns” – A Co-write with Ian Eskelin and Glenn Packiam (featured on his latest solo project). It focuses on the meaning of Messiah – the long awaited Savior, Healer and Restorer.
“Great I Am” – The stand-out track of the album by Jared Anderson. Full of beautiful and epic imagery, painting the picture of worship around the throne. I think this is the next “Revelation Song.” Just saying…
“Captives Free” – Based out of Luke 4 and Isaiah 61, Jesus fulfilled the Scripture, and now New Life gives us the opportunity to declare the same over our lives. I love the message that this song arms a believer with – The Spirit of God is now on us to do even greater things than Jesus Himself! (John 14)
“Dry Bones” – Inspired by Ezekiel 37, this song has a strong prophetic message, speaking to the dry bones in our midst and commanding them to come back to life.
“God Be Praised” – Another powerful song borrowed from Desperation Band’s Light up the World – adding a new bridge, “Out of ashes you lifted us. To the table you came and filled our cup.” (See video below)
You can’t get ahold of this album fast enough. Buy it. Learn it. And teach it to your congregation!
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THE VIDEO DEBUT: “God Be Praised”
We are partnering with Integrity Music to debut the music video of “God Be Praised” on our site as well as provide the chord chart for free!
Click Here for the FREE CHORD CHART
Glenn Packiam “The Kingdom Comes” – CD Review
Rarely does an album come along where one feels that every track has a place in a Sunday morning worship set. Yet with his EP The Kingdom Comes, in my opinion Glenn Packiam has come up with an offering worthy of being placed into this bracket.
From start to finish, the EP conveys a great message of truth, wisdom, reverence, holiness, and praise. There is even a sense of chronology to it – as worshippers we seek opportunities to praise, encounter revelation from the Lord, and then respond accordingly. Track for track, this album gives worshippers every opportunity to do just that, from the punchy opener ‘Our Messiah Reigns’, through to the reverent, responsive ‘At the Cross’. 
The level of praise and adulation expressed in ‘Our Messiah Reigns’ is something to behold from a songwriter’s perspective. At no point during this song do you feel like Glenn was struggling to find words to express his praise, and at no point do you feel like there wasn’t a plan, a binding structure holding the song together. This is one of those songs where you question whether it hasn’t just been around for ages, it’s too good to have just been written.
‘Forgiven Forever’, for me, is the standout track on the EP. As Christians, it is often forgiveness that presents the most difficult aspect of God’s love for us to accept. This track presents forgiveness in a way that says to me that we are forgiven, not for who we are, but for who He is. Summing it up with a stunning bridge based upon Romans 8:38-39, we are reminded that:
‘no death, no life, no present, no future,
no angel, no demon, no power, no creature,
could take me away from the love that’s in Jesus Christ’
We are forgiven because He is forgiving, we are loved because He first loved us.
In keeping with the idea of every song being suitable for Sunday mornings, the arrangements and instrumentation on this album are kept simple, yet highly effective. Led from either an acoustic guitar or piano and backed by the standard guitar, bass, keys and drums line-up, this album would present worship leaders with no problems with using the songs for their own worship sets.
I particularly like the arrangements in ‘All Things’ – a great praise chorus, with a nice building chord progression in the verse; and ‘Everlasting God’, with it’s melodic piano introduction leading into a reflective song of response to the Lord.
I have realized more and more in the past few weeks and months that worship is about us bringing a pleasing offering to the Lord, a response worthy of the praise He’s due. This album does this succinctly, ordering praise, revelation and response worthy of a great offering to God. I pray it blesses you as much as it has blessed me.
-Review by Ed Rotheram
(review CD provided by Integrity Music)
Don’t Forget About the People! (Article & Giveaway)
There are many challenges that a worship leader faces on a weekly basis, from choosing music to arranging songs, planning the service, rehearsing the team, and the list goes on. With the focus so much on the music and planning, you have to be careful not to forget about the people. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of seeing your singers, band members and tech crew as just that – singers, band members and the tech crew, instead of real people with real lives and real hurts and needs. The danger is to value your volunteers for what they can do for you and the ministry, instead of valuing them as people. When that happens, it only leads to resentment, frustration and a disconnect on the part of the volunteers.
I believe that all of us as worship leaders should be equally concerned with what’s going on in the lives of our singers and band members as we are with what songs we’re doing this week. Whether your official title is Worship Pastor, Worship Leader, or Director of Worship, we are all still called to serve the people in our ministry as well as lead the congregation. We have to move beyond just seeing those on our team as tools at our disposal, to actually building relationships with them.
Building these relationships with the musicians and artists on your team will have so many positive results. When someone on the team is going through a rough time (illness, job loss, relationship issues, etc…), hopefully they feel they can come to you with what’s going on, and you will be truly concerned for them and the situation, not just concerned with whether they are still able to play/sing that week. We all are familiar with Galatians 6:2, which says to “Share each other’s burdens” (NLT); but we also need to remember Galatians 6:3 “If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself.” (NLT) We don’t get a pass on being the one to care for those God has placed under us. Also, when the artists on your team really know that you care about them, they will be much more apt to stick around and invest themselves in the ministry.
So, what does this look like on a weekly basis? What are some things you can incorporate in your worship ministry to foster relationships? Please leave a comment below, and share some ideas and things that you have done at your church! But, I’ll just list a few quick ideas. Rehearsal nights are huge in this area! Make sure to be prepared for your rehearsal well in advance so you can use those precious minutes before the rehearsal as people are coming in to just ask them how they’re doing, or get to know them, rather than run around doing last minute details. Make sure to include a prayer time in your rehearsal. Sharing prayer requests and praying for one another is a great way to build bridges.
Also, make sure to spend time with your team outside of rehearsal nights and Sundays. Take someone out to lunch, just to invest time with them, and to let them know you’re praying for them. Also, make sure to plan some events throughout the year for everyone in your ministry to get together just for fun! At our church, we have monthly worship ministry gatherings, where one month we’ll focus on fellowship, and the next month our focus is training. On the fellowship nights, we’ll invite everyone to come with their families for a night of food, games and fun! We’ll provide the drinks, plates, etc, and each family brings a dish to share. We’ve had Wii tournaments, table games, CD giveaways, and more. It’s great to see some of our seniors who serve on our Traditional worship team interact with the young kids on those nights! On the training nights, we’ll usually invite just those on the team, and ask them to bring a snack to share. We’ll start with worship, and then spend time focusing on both the heart and the art of worship. We’ve used different DVDs and books that focus on the heart of worship, as well as DVDs that focus on the practical training on vocals, style, or certain instruments. If you’re looking for resources of this kind, I’d check out the “RE:VERB// Conversations on Biblical Worship” DVD by Ross Parsley and Glenn Packiam; or any of the DVDs in Paul Baloche’s Modern Worship Series. We also have a more in-depth prayer time for one another on these nights.
We’ve had several difficult situations here at our church the last few months, and I’ve been reminded of the importance of relationships in the worship ministry. I’ve been honored to have some of the team really open up and share their concerns, hurts and joys with me. It has to be about more than just the music – we’re a family!
Barry Westman
All About Worship
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Here’s the giveaway…Re:Verb (Conversations on Biblical Worship) Vol. 1 DVD. Leave a comment (of at least two sentences) on this post to be entered.
Deadline: 9pm CST, Monday, September 13th. You must be at least 18 years old to qualify. We ask that the winner donate $3 to help cover shipping & handling.
Aaron Keyes, Not Guilty Anymore – CD Review (and Giveaways)
A review by Mandy Thompson
Aaron is a worship leader at heart. He brings to the church songs that are singable, inspiring, and truth-filled. His lyrics are accessible, clear and simple. No need to for interpretation, we know exactly what his songs are about. We know the message and how we are to respond to the words.
He asks important questions like: “Who will cry out, unashamed, ‘He is glorious?’” “When will our faith be a burden no more? When will I not have to hope anymore?” And beautifully brings God’s words to us: ” Doesn’t matter where you’ve been, Hear me tell you I forgive.” “Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul.” This album carries both a modern hymn, and a pop-rock praise song. With beautiful ballads and worshipful melodies in between.
Forever Worthy: Pretty, but with passion and power. Singable and accessible for the local church.
Psalm 62: Sung like a modern hymn, poetic, lyrical, beautiful. With an elegant and inspiring rise in the Chorus.
Blessing and Honour: I’ve always appreciated Aaron’s studied approach to worship leading. His knowledge is evident in this song, as it recounts the various names of God found in scripture, holding the heart behind these names in the chorus: blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto your name oh Lord.
I Am Yours: This song is a challenge to the Body of Christ – a challenge for us to stand up and declare that we are His. It’s a call to devotion. To speak up on God’s behalf in our lives.
Like Jesus: I can hear this song filling youth bands across the country. Rocking, fast, with power chords and steady beats, and a simple catchy message.
Not Guilty Anymore: This song soothes the weary soul. It brings a refreshing element of grace and love, through poetic lyrics and a solid melody.
Nothing Less Than Beautiful: “Even in tears, You’re always good to us.” Wow. What a song. Simple. Clear. This is a song of faith that runs deep. Much deeper than we realize. The lyrics are short, repeated, and will quickly be written on the heart of the hearer.
Help Me Lord: The tonal makeup of this song is unique. The instruments used to create the accompaniment feel reflective and pensive. There’s a waiting for God to come – to help us to trust Him.
Where Are You Now: This song offers a beautiful melody in the midst of pain, offering worshipers a moment to ask questions that we don’t often ask in worship songs. I’ve wanted a song like this in church – and I know others will be relieved that we finally have one.
Not What My Hands: Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful. I’m not sure what it is that draws me into the melody of this song, but I love it. And the message of the song is that we can’t fix ourselves. “Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul.”
You Never Cease to Amaze Me: We don’t sing songs like this – that sound like this – mysterious and rocking, all at the same time. I love how this song has been pulled together – the verse and chorus work together in a fantastic pop-rock way, but it’s still singable and catchy. Congregations will love this, and bands will have a blast playing it.
CLICK HERE to check out Aaron’s music on iTunes. The album release date is Aug. 24.
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Here’s the giveaway…Re:Verb (Conversations on Biblical Worship) Vol. 1 DVD and Saint Lewis’ “Songs From The Hope Farm” CD. Leave a comment (of at least two sentences) on this post to be entered.
Deadline: 9pm CST, August 24th. You must be at least 18 years old to qualify. Winner will need to donate $4 to help cover shipping & handling.
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