Braveheart Worship - Sheila Walsh

Two friends and early collaborators reunite on an excellent remake.

Braveheart Worship

Sheila Walsh

Label: Venture3Media

Length: 11 songs/49 minutes

Having been a longtime fan of Sheila Walsh I am delighted to discover that the closing track of Braveheart reunites her on a duet with her friend and early producer Cliff Richard. Their first duet was a song called “Drifting” from Walsh’s 1983 UK release of the same name. The album was released in the US as War of Love (1983) but lacks the duet. We were robbed! I guess variations between UK and US releases didn’t stop with The Beatles.

Cliff Richard is not as well known in the US as he is in the rest of the world but his over five decade career includes 300 million albums sold. I first came to know of him through participating in Billy Graham’s 1984 Mission England outreach in Birmingham, England. Cliff Richard was a special guest. I’ll never forget being in the overflow crowd outside Villa Park watching on a giant screen as he sang “The Only Way Out,” a single released in 1982.

Richard may be best known in this country for the pop songs “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and “Devil Woman.” He also appeared and sang in some of Billy Graham’s early movies. Since learning more of him through his music and biography I appreciate how he navigates Christian faith with fame in the pop world. Sir Cliff is a gracious gentleman.

To find Walsh and Richard remaking “It is Well with My Soul” is to witness the reunion of two friends who “through many dangers, toils and snares … have already come.” This adaptation includes new words and melodies that make it come alive. It does not matter if one is familiar with the original. It’s like a new song, and makes the album worth having for this alone.

What’s refreshing is that Walsh takes a similar approach in the style and sound of the rest of the tracks, which comprise her first full-length in eight years. All but the hymn remake are new, done in the studio but could pass for being live but for the absence of crowd noise. Walsh leads the singing but much of the time is joined in harmony with other voices.

I have not heard her more recent prior releases on the Women of Faith label but my guess is that this is the most contemporary that Walsh has sounded for some time. Hints of this are reflected on the cover which shows Walsh and her collaborators in black and leather. Album covers can be revealing. It’s not so different that she loses the Women of Faith crowd. I appreciate the artistry.

Past producer, John Hartley, is back layering the background with soothing washes of sound. His excellent work is recognizable. In addition to working with Walsh in the past, he produced Heaven & Earth: A Tapestry of Worship (1999) that brought together some popular female artists.

“A Thousand Hallelujahs” is the perfect opener, cheerful with some Celtic accents. I would have enjoyed more of the latter. It does not seem to be as evident in the remainder.

“Love Changes Everything,” the following song is surprising in that Walsh is heard only in the background, if at all. I suspect that it is Jonathan and Rebecca Hart who take the lead as they are part of the worship team that travels with Walsh. I give her credit for letting her collaborators shine.

The lyrics in “Behold Him” point the broken to wholeness:

For every heart that just won’t heal
Behold him
In all the emptiness we feel
Behold him
For every heart that’s on the floor
For shadowed hopes and closing doors
And every moment we fall short
Behold him

Walsh’s heart of compassion finds expression in lyrics like this which you find throughout. It’s comfort in a trying time.

Being the author of over 17 books, writing may have inadvertently eclipsed singing. It’s been said of John and Charles Wesley that we remember their hymns more than their numerous writings. There may be something to this, and I hope it will serve as an encouragement for Walsh to continue in music. I will never forget her excellent cover of “Love is the Answer” and “Angels with Dirty Faces” on Say So (1988). I even vaguely remember being moved by a video of Walsh singing, “It’s All for You,” that I think was from a Billy Graham Crusade broadcast.

Walsh’s singing and writing are like the investor diversifying their assets. God may use both or one and not the other in a particular situation.

It may be too much to hope for more collaborations with Cliff Richard, but it would be an automatic buy for me. I admire them both and it’s so lovely to hear them singing together again almost 40 years later.

When Narcissism Comes to Church - Chuck DeGroat

“I love you more than your mask” (Rich Mullins).

When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
Author: Chuck DeGroat
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Pages: 192

In the foreword to When Narcissism Comes to Church Richard Mouw writes, “I was struck by how often news reports and casual conversations include the word narcissistic” (1). I have even used the term without knowing much about it, which is why I wanted to read this book. Author Chuck DeGroat offers much-needed wisdom, drawn from a background of pastoring, therapy and theology. Scholarly yet applicable to everyday life, it is a valuable resource for the church and the academic world.

Rather than taking an us versus them mentality, DeGroat writes, “My hope is that this book will invite each of us to ask how we participate in narcissistic systems while providing clear resources for those traumatized by narcissistic relationships, particularly in the church” (4). This approach reminds me of the quote from Alexander Solzhenitsyn, “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart—and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.”

This book helped me realize how complex this issue can be. Learning that this behavior falls on a scale that ranges from normal to toxic confirms that labels are tossed around too freely.

The author advocates leaving the labeling to the experts. That’s not to say the average person cannot recognize traits that may be part of a diagnosis. The author, however, encourages self-examination, while not mitigating the real damage done by others. It’s this combination of analysis and a balanced perspective that makes this more than a self-help book.

Initially, I may have been disappointed because it can get technical. It’s more academic than self-help, but it strikes a reasonable balance between the two. The clinical influence makes the book more valuable because it can serve as a diagnostic tool. The church needs this kind of resource to point people in the right directions. It makes it clear that those who have been wounded need therapy, not a self-help book. As I have read and heard here and elsewhere, it’s wise not to try and go it alone.

This goes a long way towards defining and outlining treatment approaches. In the beginning, the author cites Christopher Lasch’s definition of narcissism: the “longing to be freed from longing” (4). It’s a desire to be free from the constraint of human limitations. This longing to be superhuman wreaks havoc on relationships.

It is a passion that makes the narcissist less than human. “The masks meant to protect ourselves and ease the ache of longing become the only faces we know” (4).

What surprised me is the author’s contention that shame is an underlying factor. Those with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) lose touch with their true feelings in the attempt to hide their shame and pain.

Since shame is no longer well understood in our culture, it might help to think of it in terms of feelings of inadequacy, continually falling short. Thinking that we don’t measure up. This enables me to understand it better and see why it would lead to putting on false fronts. The person is ashamed and seeks to hide their true selves, wishing to be what they project.

Just as you find individuals like this in the realms of government, business, education and all spheres of life, the church is not immune. Those of us within can bear witness to what Christian psychologist Diane Langberg says of the narcissist, “He has many gifts but the gift of humility” (15). Sadly, humility probably gets overlooked when hiring leaders. Henri Nouwen writes, “The long painful history of the church is the history of people ever and again tempted to choose power over love, control over the cross, being a leader over being led” (18).

I think of the promotion that I received for The Pastor of Kilsyth, a short biography of W. H. Burns. “In our celebrity-driven age (from which the evangelical church is far from exempt), this is exactly the kind of life we need to study. We need to be reminded of the beauty, dignity and ultimately the glory of humble, obscure Christian service” (Matthew 10:42). This is the antithesis of many but not all narcissists. For as the author explores in this book, it comes in many forms.

DeGroat sees hiddenness as a factor in why this trait is found in the church. Church leaders can struggle with secrecy as much as anyone and in some cases there is no real accountability. Plus, increasingly churches look for charismatic individuals that can do what a CEO does for a business. With such demands is it any wonder that we find narcissists among us?

Understanding narcissism is the subject of chapter two. The author takes a different look at the myth of Narcissus, traditionally seen as a tale of excessive love. In this interpretation, “it’s a story of being stuck, immobilized, fixed in a death dance”(28). Healthy self-love would have enabled a moving on to get true needs met.

Aside from being warned against self-love, I gather that clinging to a false image will keep one from knowing the true self and moving on to maturity. As the Psalmist tells us, “Behold you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart” (Psalm 51:6). God desires truth in our hearts, and he bestows what he intends by giving wisdom. I appreciate that the Scriptures encourage realistic appraisal, not thinking too high of ourselves (see Romans 12:3). Nor should we think too little of ourselves, another form of narcissism.

So if I understand correctly, Narcissus was immobilized by his desire to obtain something illusory. He was stuck in unreality, not able to embrace imperfection and limitation, which would make him vulnerable.

Narcissists avoid vulnerability. They project a front to protect themselves, but in so doing they lose the capacity for intimacy.

The third chapter uses the Enneagram to identify nine masks or personas associated with narcissistic behavior. The author writes, “To my knowledge, no one has made a clear connection between the Enneagram and personality disorders before. However, having worked with and taught the Enneagram for more than fifteen years, I think the connections I make are worthwhile and helpful additions to conversations on both narcissism and the Enneagram” (48). Those familiar with Enneagram will appreciate this analysis, and those like me who have little or no knowledge of it should still be able to glean insight. Each chapter including this one has a list of additional resources.

The book goes on to explore the many facets of this subject. It’s a fitting textbook but also points the way toward healing and transformation. Most impressive for me is the balance and maturity. A book like this could have easily devolved into finger pointing. Instead we must examine ourselves and the systems that we help perpetuate.

It’s ironic that in looking for love and well-being, we put on masks in our hope of obtaining it. I appreciate the attitude that Rich Mullins sings about in his song “Peace”:

Though we’re strangers, still I love you
I love you more than your mask

Can we ever know peace without discarding our masks? Can we know love as God intends it apart from revealing our true selves?

Glory Pt 2 EP - Planetshakers

Starts as the musical equivalent to the Fast & Furious

Glory Pt 2 EP
Artist: Planetshakers
Label: Venture3Media (V3M)
Length: 4 songs/25 minutes

Glory Pt 2 EP starts off as the musical equivalent to the Fast & Furious media franchise.

I’m gonna shout it out
I won’t be silent or quiet
I’m gonna let it out
For You I’m giving
All, all, all, all

The above words and music from the opening “Living Louder” highlight a neglected side of praise. This is loud, bold and intentional. Defiant praise!

The pace does not slacken on “So Good,” which follows. Towards the end the worship leader even exhorts the bass and drum players to praise the Lord with their instruments. Their intricate solos are the highlight, and the momentum never wanes.

At first I thought that the “Encounter Song,” clocking in at over 10 minutes, might be too long and repetitive. Some may find that to be the case, but on repeated listens I kept making new discoveries. Led by female voices and melodious keyboards it now strikes me as meditative and soothing, no longer seeming so long.

The music flows and ebbs like the changes in the tides.

I’m pushing through the crowd
’Cause Lord I need you now
Jesus I’m desperate
For a touch from heaven

These words remind me of the woman in Scripture that had the issue of blood. “And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came behind him in the crowd and touched his garment” (Mark 5:25-27 ESV).

In her desperation she pushed through the crowd to touch Jesus and was made whole. I would not be surprised to learn that the songwriter was inspired by this incident. It aptly illustrates the longing that characterizes the song.

The only music heard in the first part of “All” is a chord progression on electric guitar. Subtle textures on this instrument are added later on followed by a brief but explosive solo. This musician is certainly accomplished.

During the bridge I delight in hearing what sounds like a tin whistle in the background.

Female vocals are once again in the forefront. Unfortunately, well worn phrases detract somewhat from the mesmerizing sound. Even though it’s a common challenge in this genre I hope for better from this talented group.

This EP may not quite achieve the same heights as some of their previous work but it’s certainly close. I don’t think fans will be disappointed. There is much to commend it.

Let the Ground Rest - Chris Renzema

“Your love is like springtime.”

Let the Ground Rest

Artist: Chris Renzema

Label: Centricity Music

Length: 10 songs/40 minutes

“Springtime” is such an appropriate opening for Let the Ground Rest by Chris Renzema. Not only does it coincide with the current calendar season, but it offers hope for what ills the world “’cause death is dead and gone with the winter.” That may seem like wishful thinking in light of the news but even now “We will sing a new song … Reaching towards the light/Your love is like springtime.”

Despite the brokenness in the world, Renzema has reason to hope. “I want to believe that your love makes everything better,” he sings on “Better.”

On “17,” an age when he saw in just two shades, he wonders what the person he was would think of who he is now. Was he wiser then? He does not shy away from honest evaluation. Those who condemn themselves over failure will appreciate the resolve expressed here. Since I like to surprise, I won’t reveal it. You have to hear it!

I found it difficult to compare him to another artist but he reminds me of Jason Gray. Overall, I might describe this as thoughtful lyrics with an acoustic base and a touch of indie and alt rock sensibility.

The rustic sound of the piano stood out to me. The production is excellent providing a warm, rural sound. Synthesized elements are more in the background.

Authenticity is more than a buzzword. It includes not hiding the true self. The lyrics seem genuine and often self-revealing, which has been a primary source of attraction.

“Maybe this is the End” makes me smile. When Renzema sings “surely this is the end” I can’t help but think about the current predicament. But so the reader won’t be tempted to think he is a purveyor of doom, he quickly adds, “for the end is just another door.” This is a perspective that I need. Singing against an indie rock background, it’s a panacea and downright ebullient.

The first part of the opening stanza is just acoustic guitar and drums. The second stanza is even wilder with just bass and drums and a slightly different rhythm.

“I never saw it coming …,” he sings. We often don’t!

“You’re everything … and already more.” Why does it take a crisis to reveal it?

Clearly a favorite, recommended against the stay-at-home blues. It’s not really the end.

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3 ESV). It is essential! Oh, to be able to look back and say with Dylan, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”

Renzema poetically extols to piano accompaniment some of the attendant wonders of childhood. What a tragedy when we allow life to make us “older than our God.” “You are forever young Bright Morning Star,” he sings on “Older Than Our God (Forever Young).” “Love is always new! … How can anyone stay old in Love’s presence?” asks Hadewijch, a thirteen century woman from Belgium.

“Keep me as a child,” Renzema tenderly asks. “Teach me, dear Lord, to have ... a child’s love,” Bryan Duncan sings in agreement. It’s the conversion that you need Jesus says.

Far from fear Martin Luther once exhibited a holy disdain for the devil. I hear an echo of that on “Steal Back Your Joy.” “Go on steal back your joy. The destroyer’s plans are all that are being destroyed,” Renzema sings. “If the thief comes to steal your flame, go on take it back again.” The only music you hear is a finger-picking folk style on acoustic guitar.

In “Let the Ground Rest” Renzema points out, “God he made four seasons and only one spring.” Why expect a perpetual summer? God has reasons for letting the ground rest. The different seasons produce the maturity that he desires.

The music is earthy: basic instruments without a lot of embellishment. It’s a fitting finale.

Hopefully, these words give you a glimpse of an artist in awe of God. I think we are fortunate that it often comes dressed in the garb of roots music. Salt of the earth sentiments join with organic sounds for a timeless snapshot.

Prior to this Centricity Music debut, Renzema released I’ll Be the Branches, an independent recording. Now based in Nashville, he comes from Grand Rapids, MI.

Go - John Schlitt

A remedy for the times

GO

Artist: John Schlitt

Label: 4K Records

Length: 11 songs/44 minutes

Keep moving. Bob Dylan said it was a key to health. On GO, the latest solo release by John Schlitt, he sings along the same lines:

Go
No time to stop
Just take your shot
Keep movin’ on

Everyone has something to give. Even in a time of isolation, we can move forward by praying, reading, writing, giving, etc. One thing I learned in retail, there is always something to do.

It’s a pleasure to hear an album that is so straightforward both musically and lyrically. Encouragement abounds, which should come as no surprise to those who have followed Schlitt’s career. He aims to help Christians experience all that God has for them. The sound is similar to his former bands, Head East and Petra.

You might never know that Schlitt has been singing for more than four decades. His voice is strong, and he uses it in the best possible ways.

“Where is the truth,” he sings on “Fake News.” Heavy music gives a feeling of doom and gloom. He decries, “Phony experts … holding us hostage to the fake news.” He points to something more trustworthy: “our faith, a sacred treasure/a strength we must defend.” It echoes the exhortation found in Scripture, “Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (2 Timothy 1:14 Berean Study Bible).

On the bright side is “Find a Way,” my personal favorite. Strong acoustic strumming. A solid hand-clap following the kick of a bass drum. Allusions to a shared journey to heaven, “All aboard will ride together/And we will make our great escape/Like a dream of love in Camelot/I’ll remember you this way.” Soaring harmonies on the chorus are euphoric.

The supporting cast on this release provides a fresh take on a classic rock sound. This is predominantly guitar-driven with some interesting variations.

“Go” has a world music influence, similar to some of Robert Plant’s solo work. “Feel It” is fast-paced rock n’ roll. “Where Would I Be” is Motown inspired complete with gospel singers and horns. “Fighting the Fight” is power pop with vulnerability.

This is a mature work from a seasoned artist.

Paid It All EP - Justin Rizzo

The electro pop worship on the first two songs is a delight.

Paid It All EP

Artist: Justin Rizzo

Label: Spotlight Music Group

Length: 4 songs/20 minutes

God’s relentless pursuit is the theme of the opening “Love Won’t Stop,” a rich blend of electronic and programmed energy. The chorus erupts in celebration, “Your love won’t stop/Your love will not give up/Relentlessly you pursue me.” This is true despite any lack of awareness. Music and lyric combine in a joyful ode to God’s faithfulness. His love continues regardless of circumstance and even failure on our part.

I like the opening electronic rush that starts a cascade of programmed percussion on “You Are My Treasure.” Each unique beat lays a foundation for the exquisite wash of sound that follows.

It includes one of my favorite lines, “I’m hanging on every word, every word you say,” just before breaking into a calming chorus, “I’ve never known a love like this before/So alive in the glory of you Lord/You are, you are, you are my treasure.” Since I tend to treasure other things, it’s a beautiful reminder of the most real and lasting treasure.

Rizzo sings this in a higher key; it might even be characterized as falsetto. That along with mesmerizing sound make it gorgeous.

Finally, in a bridge Rizzo repeats in a raised multi-voice, “Jesus you are all I want!” Another highlight on my favorite track.

Even though these first two tracks may be like a prelude to the two versions of the title track that follow, I find them more interesting because they lean toward electronic pop. I don’t mean to take anything away from “Paid It All.” It’s more worship oriented and will be the preference for corporate gatherings.

The ballad format that builds to a climax is overly familiar to me, and I am partial to what is outside the norm, along the lines of the first two tracks.

Nevertheless, my favorite line in the title track is, “If I had to bring payment for all of the error of my ways, I’d live and die in those chains. Thank you for all that you’ve done.” The song also makes effective use of the word “Hallelujah,” which seems to have fallen out of use in recent years.

Originally this was two songs written by Caleb Andrews, a friend of Rizzo. When the latter heard them both he immediately wanted to combine the best parts. He enjoys using it because it enables congregations to declare the finished work of Christ.

“Paid It All (Acoustic Version)” retains some electric instrumentation but in general is more stripped-down. Both versions are well done but I may favor this quieter one.

Rizzo currently lives in Kansas City, MO where he serves as a worship leader and in several other roles. He has recorded five solo albums and been featured on a number of compilations. He has traveled the world leading and teaching about worship. He has also produced musicals and films through his own production company.

Simple Hymns: Songs of Communion

Classic texts and new songs explore being in Christ.

Simple Hymns: Songs of Communion

Artist: Various

Length: 10 songs/45 minutes

Label: Venture3Media

 Don’t imagine songs about receiving communion from the title of this release. Songs of Communion is about partaking of the union that comes through the cross of Christ. Classic texts and new songs explore being in Christ.

As with the prior releases in this series, this being the fourth, there is minimal accompaniment, and some of the finest writers in Christendom add creative arrangements, alterations and new compositions. The writers include Chris Tomlin, John Hartley, Chris Eaton, Stuart Townend and others.

This opens with “The Wonderful Cross,” a majestic anthem in the world of hymnody, written by Isaac Watts. The powerful verses that make the cross loom large are borne along by simple guitar strumming. Brushed drums are employed here, and percussion is light throughout if used at all.

Some time ago a fragment from “And Can It Be” made it’s way into a modern worship song, which in no way could carry the gravity of the full text. This one doesn’t get covered as often, and fortunately it’s not an abbreviation here. That’s not to say that incorporating elements of hymns is bad when it can add something worthwhile.

I first encountered this Charles Wesley hymn during a sojourn in England, and they knew how to sing it! It originated from their part of the world where it is still sung with gusto. It was unforgettable the way male and female voices were intermingled and then joined in a chapel meeting. Here, where simplicity reigns, it has a new melody, which is probably wise given that the original is not as accessible today. This is bright and cheerful, and even though what I heard at Birmingham Bible Institute was more dynamic, I’m glad to be able to experience the text anew.

“Man of Sorrows” is like a throwback to an earlier time even though it has a contemporary feel. It’s slow, deliberate and quiet with piano backing, which makes it somewhat meditative. This is sung by American Idol alumni, Joanna Beasley. Her vocals are terrific and she also gives a different but lovely feel to “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us.”

“Be Still My Soul” has always been a personal favorite for its lyrical richness. There is wisdom in every line. This version has an interesting contrast. Under-girding the melody is an otherworldly sound, almost like steady, low-sounding feedback. The foreground includes high notes that sound like a toy piano; whatever the instrument it’s an interesting mix. It’s anchored by finger-picking on an acoustic guitar.

For the most part “Nothing But the Blood” is not the traditional hymn. “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood, nothing but the blood. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood” becomes the chorus, the stanzas being new.

This track has a strong roots music feel that features David Fitzgerald, a founding member of Iona, the prog rock band. He is also credited as one of the writers. The style is punchy. Fitzgerald sings with a grit that reminds me of Matt Maher.

Another adaptation is Reginald Heber’s “Bread of the World, In Mercy Broken,” which is titled “Broken for Us.” The added bridge breaks in boldly declaring: “Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.” It’s repeated a few times and with some variation. I like this succinct summary.

“The Wonder of the Cross,” the only duet, sung by Gabe Wilson and Amy Little, is a tender rendering of a song written by former UK worship leader, Vicky Beeching. The latter came out as gay in a 2014 interview and a book about her experiences came out in 2018. This modern hymn expresses holy desire: “May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross. May I see it like the first time standing as a sinner lost.”

“O Fount of Love,” a new song, has a hymn-like structure and becomes especially noteworthy for its catchy string arrangement that drives the rhythm. Whenever employed the string arrangements on this release are excellent.

Christian singer and author, Kelly Minter, closes with another new song, an understated piano ballad, which brings this to a worshipful end.