Seven New Ways to Worship
By Christa A. Banister, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com
When I was a kid, my family’s weekly drive to our home church (about 60 miles roundtrip) often involved listening to several 8-tracks of Maranatha! praise & worship music.
See, back in the day, Maranatha! was about the only game in town if you were jonesing for some praise music. Well, that or Sandi Patty’s Hymns Just For You record, another of our family’s favorites.
But as much as “As the Deer,” “I Love You Lord” or Sandi’s how-in-the-world-does-she-hit-that-note rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” still conjure up mostly happy memories of those family car rides, I’m thrilled there’s far more options available these days – ones that aren’t in bulky 8-track form.
In fact, in the past few weeks alone, several of worship music’s biggest names (and a few that probably will be sooner rather than later) have new praise music available now. And for your Sunday morning listening pleasure (or any other day of the week you deem praise-worthy), we’re highlighting seven new ways to worship.
1. David Crowder Band
Church Music (sixstepsrecords/Sparrow)
Club-friendly worship?
Whether it’s the bluegrass-infused strains of A Collision in 2005 or the big, anthemic hooks that made the songs of 2007’s Remedy really sparkle, David Crowder is all about mixing it up.
While his lyrics are unabashedly worshipful, the musical template is always changing, something that keeps things fresh for the eclectic singer/songwriter and his band.
And now with Church Music, an ambitious 17-track effort that chronicles the history of, well, church music with an amalgam of pop, rock, electronic and dance timbres, Crowder hopes to expand people’s definition of what music made for congregations can be.
“What we’ve made is not a critique of more traditional expressions of music in the church, but rather how the creation of expectation by language can actually be limiting in ways that divide and confuse, rather than unite and clarify,” Crowder says. “The fact that those who come from a traditional setting hear this music and think, ‘this is not church music,’ and others coming from more progressive settings think, ‘this is not church music,’ causes me to think that both expectations should be reevaluated.”
Download This: “The Nearness”
2. Brenton Brown
Introducing Brenton Brown
Brenton Brown is probably the most popular worship leader you’ve never heard of.
With five of his cuts currently charting in CCLI’s Top 100 (the gauge for measuring the most popular tracks sung in churches around the world), his songs have already been recorded by the likes of Rebecca St. James, Chris Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster and Flyleaf’s Lacey Moseley.
And now with Introducing Brenton Brown, he puts his unique artistic stamp on those familiar favorites including “Everlasting God” and “All Who Are Thirsty.”
“Brenton Brown has such a big heart, and it’s been an honor to know him over the past few years,” says Leeland guitarist Jack Mooring. “He's been an encouragement to us since we first started doing this full time. He's a top-notch worship leader and songwriter and has a vision to change the world."
Download This: “All Who Are Thirsty”
Your Comments
I grew up listening to Rev. James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Edwin Hawkins and the Hawkin Singers, and Mahalia Jackson. now that was som serious toe-tappin', hand clappin', shoutin' and praisin' the Lord music!!!