Review

Winds of Worship 12, Hungry and Surrender are all great worship CDs produced by the Vineyard Music Group out of the United Kingdom over the last few years. The song writers and worship leaders who were discovered on these three discs brought to the Body of Christ such modern worship favorites as “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship”, “Humble King”, “Hungry”, “Your Name Is Holy”, “Lord Reign In Me”, “Hallelujah” and numerous others.

Now, some of these same worship leaders and songwriters have come together again to release a live worship recording that equals the artistry and verve of their previous efforts. “I Love Your Presence” was recorded live at a three-day conference called “Doing The Stuff”. This annual worship event includes a wide range of practical workshops, as well as main sessions of worship, teaching and times of ministry. Out of this gathering of worshippers, hungry for the presence of God’s touch, is captured a set of twelve worship songs recorded during the event.

All of the songs contained on this disc are Vineyard staples such as “Father Of Lights”, “Pour Out My Heart”, “Who Is This” and “Blessed Be The Name” among others. What makes the CD stand out from the pack is the sense that you are listening in on a time of great, intimate and focused worship that is deepened by the impact of the three days of intense emphasis on God’s presence and power. Much like the America’s own “Winds Of Worship” series, this latest glimpse of God’s movement in the United Kingdom scores more points on its refreshing passion than on the anticipation of hearing a new song.

There are certainly many more great worship songs that are bound to come out of the Vineyard UK in the years to come, but this CD is a welcome opportunity to re-explore some of the wealth and beauty found in what worship has already been given, and to discover that there was more to worship than just singing a new song. Although this CD may contain a few song titles you’ve heard before, there is a treasure of worship buried beneath the familiar song list just waiting to be discovered by those who take the time to sit and simply listen.

Review by Keith Giles