We Are Messengers has over 400 million career streams, over 2.5 billion airplay audience, and a 14-week #1 billboard radio song (“Come What May”), along with six Top 5 and ten Top 10 Christian Airplay hits. Add to that, numerous sync placements in films and on TV, and you can understand that this band has quite a following. Choral voices introduce the title track, before Darren Mulligan’s vocals take over. The sound is very anthemic, as the lyrics proclaim “What a Saviour. Emmanuel has come, with hope for everyone.” ‘From Heaven To Earth’ takes parts of ‘Joy to the World’ and mashes it with the band’s own words. Musically, it’s a cross between Coldplay and Casting Crowns. Original songs like ‘God With Us’ and ‘Flesh and Bone’ celebrate the birth of Jesus, with the latter laying our hearts before Him. The closing ‘This is Jesus’ follows in similar vein, with some nice orchestral sounds accompanying the vocals. “Rejoice, He is with us; Rejoice, hope is here!” Well done guys, for some new, original, festive tunes. 8/10.
Gas Street Music is a worship community based at Gas Street Church in Birmingham, UK featuring worship leaders and songwriters such as Tim Hughes, Luke & Anna Hellebronth, Nick Herbert, Millie Tilby, Michael Shannon and more.
In a world obsessed with image, branding, influence and style, these are intimidating days for communicators and creatives. Gas Street Music take inspiration from the words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth for their brand new EP, ‘This Is Jesus’. To a people questioning his credentials and gifting as a leader he writes,
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2 The hope of the world is not to be found in great new songs, eloquent words, impressive organisations and events. The hope of the world is found in a person and his name is Jesus. At a time of chaos, darkness and uncertainty Gas Street Music inspire us to be bold in declaring the truth of who Jesus is. The God who walks with us, weeps with us and speaks to us. The one who bled and died for us. The resurrected Christ who now rules and reigns over us. This is Jesus! And what power there is in his name. What life is unleashed when we sing of what his done. What freedom comes when we respond to who he is. For there is no higher name. This Is Jesus!
Village Lights introduce their latest single, ‘King of Salvation’, based on a descriptive Scripture from Revelation of what Heaven is like: “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Rev 7:12) Moved by these words, Village Lights wrote a new song for the Church to contemplate the Kingship of Christ. ‘King of Salvation’ envisions what heaven is like, with every people, tribe and tongue coming together in a stunning hope filled picture! In a time where the world seems to be easily divided, remembering the unity and harmony of the New Creation certainly is something to rejoice about. May we, by God’s grace, do what we can to bring that picture of Heaven to earth today and every day.
Dutch worship movement Mozaiek Worship introduce stripped-back versions of some of their most loved songs on new EP ‘Binnenkamersessies‘. Meaning “the inner room sessions”, the project is a nod to Matthew 6:6. Mozaiek Worship translated various songs from their album ‘Jezus Overwinnaar’ into smaller arrangements and supplemented the EP with a similar version of the song ‘Houd Vol’ (Hold On); an appropriate encouragement for today! “These songs have helped us as a church on our journey,” says pastor and Mozaiek Worship leader Kees Kraayenoord. “They helped us to think about who we are as a church in society. They helped us realise that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to actually be a beacon of hope.” ‘Binnenkamersessies’ highlights ‘Jezus Overwinnaar’, which quickly became the song of the nation and stirred up a lot in the Netherlands; a special strings version of the song features on the new EP.
The powerful duo of Jess Ray and Taylor Leonhardt weave their soaring vocals with intricate harmonies and lyrical poetry in this intimate look at the songs from their first debut album, ‘I Heard A Song I Can’t Ignore.’ Stripping back that project’s expansive sonics, ‘My Eyes Are Open’ shows us what happens when the band grabs a couple acoustic guitars and invites their friends over. Mission House has made a lot of fans since they emerged on the scene in 2019, and a lot of those new fans show up to sing along on ‘My Eyes Are Open’. Listen in and see why artists like Josh Baldwin, Andrew Peterson, Sarah McMillan, Leslie Jordan, Nashville Life Music, Corey Voss and others can’t help but jump in and be a part of the exciting story Mission House is telling.
Ludwigsburg-based band Urban Life Worship revisit Phil Wickham’s ‘Battle Belongs’ in German. Translated to ‘Der Sieg gehört Dir allein’, the new single is the first release on the 2nd Volume of their new ‘Worship Song Series’. Over the last few years, Urban Life Worship have been greatly impacting the worship landscape in the German-speaking world and have grown in popularity by releasing German versions of international worship songs. ‘Der Sieg gehört Dir allein’ shows once more how Urban Life Worship are embracing the wealth found in international expressions of worship!
Never for Nothing 