Review

I love a journey- a great book, a good movie, or a speech from a great story teller. Each of these can move you through a compelling message and an artistic crafting of language. But journeys are not quick trips to the corner store- they are treks that take us to distant places and back again close to home. Journeys have story, subplots and great characters. Journeys take time. Journeys give back to the traveler as much as the traveler gives to the journey. So it is with the new project in my player for the last 3 weeks- "Holy God".

Song writer/worship leader Brian Doerksen presents this latest offering of worship not as a collection of "hit songs" (though there are some worthy of that moniker), but as a journey that takes you from the call of prayer to the throne of heaven and back home where we live our lives with our Holy God. Doerksen has always been an artist who presents themes in his projects and songs, but this project epitomizes that style. At sixteen tracks with an hour and 7 minutes in length, "Holy God" is a journey that will have you captured with the crisp musical vision of Doerksen's Holy God. But this journey will not find you drained and tired from the experience. Quite the opposite! From start to finish this project is rooted in Biblical truth that challenges the heart, comforts the soul, and lights the fire of passion for those pursuing God.

The album ebbs to life with the self-titled "Invocation" and builds nicely into the prayer song "Our Father In Heaven", where the Lord's Prayer is the core of a nicely woven song in which we all can open up in prayer to our Father.

Song three explodes into the title track "Holy God", which takes a microcosm journey into the attributes of the Trinity and His works to reclaim man into a restored relationship. "Holy God" is a simple and powerful anthem that radiates with the names and deeds of God, lyrically. "Holy God" is one of those great and rare songs that worship leaders will be able to employ in any format, from a simple piano or guitar with a single voice, to a rock band, to a full orchestra arrangement. And producer Philip Janz makes that point by revealing a masterful musical production that gathers the sounds of choral and orchestral ancient forms with driving modern guitars and stellar drumming. I won't spill all the lyrics here, but the punctuated style of the verses in this song exemplifies the strength of Doerksen's writing skills with that age old adage - less is more. In this case, much more!

If you aren't on the road of this journey by track three, you will be soon, as track four is a simple narrative to help you along. It also intros for track five "Song for the Bride" in which God speaks to His church from the text of Isaiah 30:15. The music and lyrics are as renewing as they are convicting. As the tracks roll on you will find that this project does something very few Christian worship recordings do anymore—it provides food for the soul of the believer, while at the same time engaging and inviting all to join in with the songs of heaven. As a person who listens to a lot of music, I find it common for many producers and records to simply try to hook the listener with a good groove or catchy melody- but the content is either lacking in Biblical depth or simplistic in its musical development. Not so with "Holy God" or Brian Doerksen, whose musical prowess and attention to detail in staying scripturally themed has his music played across thousands of churches around the world.

When my CD player hit "He Is Here", I had to stop and replay it. I just melted into my chair. In a beautiful duet with Christine Dente, Doerksen (in a co-write with veteran Paul Baloche) presents a wonderful song of peace in God. Very refreshing.

Just as you are getting refreshed, the project explodes again. This time into a sparkling rendition of Doerksen's upbeat "Light The Fire Again". Completely rejuvenated, you will love this new arrangement of a great praise song. And so it is with this entire project—ebbs and flows of musical and lyrical content bring you through a complete journey of the holiness of God and the prayerful weakness of us, His children.

There are plenty of great songs along the way of this journey, and I really want to be sure you check them out. But don't plan on rushing through this CD to find your latest hits. If you want them, they are there, but I would encourage you rather to sit down and listen for an hour and walk through an age old journey of soul and spirit learning about, searching for and being pursued by our Holy God!

Worship leaders will do well to take note of tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 15, as possibilities for wonderful contributions to any churches repertoire. I also found myself especially captivated by track 13 that is a beautiful medley of the song "Be Unto Your Name" (DeShazo and Sadler) and the hymn classic "Holy, Holy, Holy" (Heber & Dykes).

What really impressed me with this project is how encouraged and thankful I came away from listening to it. That "we are a vapor" and "He is eternal", and yet in His holy power He still pursues us and calls us to return to Him. In the end, it is a hopeful message that reverberates through the songs, lyrics and music. It is a message that builds up the soul and stirs it forward towards Christ. I encourage you to take this journey as well.

This is a wonderful album worth taking the time to listen to and engage with.

Review by Kim Gentes