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SACRED REVOLUTION: SONGS FROM ONEDAY03 (2003)
Jesus announced to His disciples that where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in the midst of them. This call for corporate gatherings has extended through the centuries to reach our modern churches. The call for corporate worship has proved to hold much power, and events such as OneDay, a 3-day "festival" where Christians from around the nation can gather to worship their Savior in a corporate setting, have become extremely popular. Passion: Sacred Revolution captures the worship from this year's 3-day event in May. Artists such as Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Charlie Hall, and Christy Nockels congregate in Texas to make a joyful noise to the Lord, a noise that inspires thousands of university students and young adults to enter into closer fellowship with their God.The Passion organization is one of the only worship groups that has my entire respect. While other artists continue to jump on the bandwagon and make worship CDs because it's popular, Passion seeks to equip generation X with ways to reach for their Creator.
Following the trend of previous Passion recordings, Sacred Revolution is full of intense praise songs like "O Praise Him (All This for a King)" by David Crowder Band, with a chorus that declares "O praise Him / He is holy." Chris Tomlin leads with scripture references, "We stand and lift up our hands / for the joy of the Lord is our strength. ...Holy is the Lord God Almighty / the earth is filled with His glory" in his song, "Holy is the Lord."
I found the songs "All the Earth," "Sing to the King," and "Sending" refreshing musical changes from the preceding songs. I find a huge fault in modern worship when the psalmists refuse to depart from the same three chords we hear ever Sunday morning. These three selections bring new keys and new musical arrangements. "Sing to the King" engages the listener with powerful female vocals. "Sending" serves as a cry to God to "send us with fire to go love the world," a reinforcement of Jesus' Great Commission. The pulsing beat urges the listener to passionately seek the lost in their environment.
The quiet moments come in songs like "Come Let us Return to the Lord," "Knees to the Earth," and "Take My Life." My favorite of this trio (and of the whole album) is "Take My Life." The worship leaders revisit this old hymn and reintroduce it to a new audience. The lyrics hold an intimacy, uniqueness, and concentration on image, more so than many of the modern songs. Look at these phrases: "Take my voice and let me sing always only for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee. Take my intellect and use every power as You choose. Take my will and make it Thine. It shall be no longer mine. Take myself and I will be every only all for Thee." The chorus culminates in a soaring surrender: "Here am I, all of me. Take my life, it's all for Thee."
This song allows the audience at OneDay to enter the CD in the strongest moment. When the band dies down, the voices of a multitude can be heard serenading their King. That's the aspect of this CD I admire the most, the one that moves me to tears. Anyone can go in a studio and whip together a few songs that will make us think about God, perhaps providing a beat and creating a few slower ballads to give us emotional goosebumps. But in this moment, there is purity. We hear voices of a crowd who aren't singing to be recorded on a CD. They aren't on a stage for an audience of humanity. They're on their feet, on their knees, on their faces, in a posture of heart-felt reverence, and singing for One audience alone.
God displays His glory in the gathering of His saints. When the Levitical priests ministered to Him, His fire fell, consuming the sacrifice. It's in moments of intimacy with the King that lives change for the better. Passion: Sacred Revolution is a musical soundtrack we can use to give glory to Jesus Christ. For those of you seeking a CD that allows you to enter the Holy place, to enter high praise, I encourage you to purchase this recording. It's sacred in attitude and revolutionary in content.
- Hollie Stewart
October 2003
October 2003
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