...except after "C"

I'm not exactly sure how to start this review, except to say that I'm glad that I didn't do it two weeks ago when I received the CD in the mail. It was part of a free giveaway offer on Bob Kauflin's blog, with the requirement that I post a review of it on my blog. Here's the Sovereign Grace take on the project (yanked right from their website):

	Worship God Live is the latest live recording from Sovereign Grace Music, capturing two evenings in February 2005 at Covenant Life Church. Featuring worship leaders Bob Kauflin and Pat Sczebel, this CD includes 14 new songs from two generations of songwriters – Bob Kauflin, Mark Altrogge, Stephen Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook, Pat Sczebel, Jonathan Baird, Ryan Baird, Adam Sacks, and Rich Dalmas.
	The songs range in style, but are all congregationally oriented. Two of the songs features lyrics from Isaac Watts ("O God Our Help in Ages Past") and William Cowper ("God Moves") in current arrangements from Mark Altrogge and Bob Kauflin, respectively.

So I'm going to start with positive, then give some critiques, then I'll come back to what I really like about it. First, it was free. That's always cool. Also, I think it's essential to mention that all the lyrics, chord charts, lead sheets, and song samples are available for free from the website. They make it pretty evident up front that this CD is about ministry, not profitability. Second, it is very energetic sounding, with clearly gifted and skilled musicians and vocalists, and a reasonably high-quality production - making it at the very least a pleasant listen.

That being said, I've got to admit I wasn't initially all that impressed. Starting with the cover art, which looked like a mock-up of the "polaroids stuck on with tape" theme employed by Derek Webb on "She Must and Shall Go Free", I feared that this wasn't going to be a first-rate experience for me. Of course, individual musical preferences played a big part in forming my opinion. As I listened, there seemed to be very little that really set this recording apart from any other well-rehearsed praise band. It featured some of the same styles that I eschew and elements of worship that tend to get on my nerves, like ending a song with 27 repeats of "Jesus thank you how we thank you yes we thank you Lord we thank you thank you Jesus yeah we thank you Jesus thank you Jesus" or taking a perfectly good hymn like "O God Our Help In Ages Past" and setting it to a rock beat with electric guitars to "juice it up a bit".

But, I decided that I needed to give the CD a fair shot, so I left it in my player in the car. I began to adjust my opinion, and I decided that it would be the perfect kind of music for an individual, band, or church that had gotten swept up into the "contemporary movement" but then realized the vapidity of the lyrics that were being purveyed as "worship music" and needed something that wouldn't offend the newly acquired modern tastes of their audience but wanted more God-focused lyrics. However, for others who had already taken the time to discover the treasures that can be found amongst the rest of the garbage heap, this CD didn't really represent anything earth-shattering. Essentially (I reasoned) the only thing "Worship God Live" offers is biblically-based, theologically-sound, God-honoring lyrics. Slowly it began to occur to me how earth-shattering that really is.

Consider some of these comparisons:

• MWS produced a solid eighties CCM hit and an enduring praise song with...

  O Lord Our Lord
  How Majestic Is Your
  Name in All the Earth

  ...WGL fleshes out that thought in their rendition of the Psalm with:

  You are awesome in Your glory
  We are sinful and impure
  How can we approach the Holy
  Who will not one sin endure
  Yet You sent Your Son to die
  His blood has paid the price
  For all our sin
  



• Lincoln Brewster gets me on my feet with...

  In you
  In you I find my peace
  In you
  In you I find my strength
  In you, I live and move and breathe
  
  Let everything I say and do
  Be founded by my faith in you
  I lift up holy hands and sing
  let the praises ring

  
  ...WGL drives me to my knees with:

  Look upon this wondrous sight
  Foul sinners clothed in white
  With the righteousness of Christ
  All our guilt is washed away
  Every debt we owed is paid
  How astounding is this grace

  Let us lift up endless praises
  Let us give Him endless song
  Let us lift up endless praises
  Let us sing of all He’s done
  Let us sing of all our God has done
  
  

• Dennis Jernigan offers a simple song of thanks in...

  For all that You've done I will thank You,
  For all that You're going to do,
  For all that You've promised and all that You are,
  Is all that has carried me through.
  Jesus, I thank You.

  
  ...WGL puts real pictures to that sentiment:

  Your blood has washed away my sin
  Jesus, thank You
  The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
  Jesus, thank You
  Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
  Jesus, thank You

Do you see what I'm getting at? Worship God Live at its very worst, mines the depths of Scripture to force gospel-laden lyrics into somewhat banal music. At its best, it evokes my response to the character, words and actions of God, initiated by His revelation and enabled by His redemption, whereby my mind is transformed, my heart is renewed, and my actions are surrendered, all in accordance with His will and in order to declare His infinite worthiness. I think that's called worship.
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