Paul Baloche | The Same Love

Worship Pastor and songwriter Paul Baloche is back with a brand new album, The Same Love. Should you not recognize his name, most likely you have sung his songs in corporate worship. He is known for songs such as "Open the Eyes of My Heart," "Above All," "Hosanna," and "Your Name." As a worship leader I have greatly appreciated Paul's songs and have used many during worship services. I constantly return to A Greater Song and Glorious in times of personal worship. Through a collaborative effort with other great worship leaders and songwriters including Ben Fielding, Kari Jobe, Lincoln Brewster, Jason Ingram, Kathryn Scott, All Sons & Daughters, Brothers McClurg, and Ed Kerr, Paul Baloche has given us a great new collection of songs. Now to be honest, this album did not grab me right away like his other ones have. Having followed Paul's music for a while now, I thought I knew what I would be hearing the first time I hit play. It has taken a few listens to the album to get to where I've been with his previous albums on the first listen. This change in feel/sound is refreshing though. Music is always changing and this new album follows that, but Paul has not deterred from his solid lyrics. These new songs continue to draw you into worship and focus our hearts on the One who is worthy of our worship.

Shout For Joy: A wonderful call to worship for any service, though I could see it having tremendous impact at an Easter service or Christmas Eve/Christmas service. "Lift up your grateful heart to the Morning Star, He's alive and here with us. Shout for joy, for the Son of God, is the saving one, He's the saving one. Shout for joy, see what love has done, He has come for us, He's the saving one."

We Are Saved: This is a fantastic anthem that the church can lift up in praise, giving thanks back to God for the salvation that He's given us. "We stand amazed at the work of the cross, we are saved, we are saved. Our sin has been forgiven, You've broken every chain, we are saved, we are saved."

Several tracks on this album will also prove helpful for those looking to add a blend of traditional hymns and contemporary choruses to their repertoire. Paul has taken aspects of greats hymns and re-written them with wonderful new verses and choruses in "All Because of the Cross" (Nothing But the Blood), "My Hope" (The Solid Rock), and "Christ the Lord" (Christ the Lord is Risen Today).

Check out the music video to "The Same Love" below. You can pick up the single here, and get charts for the song here.



Special thanks to Integrity Music for providing this complimentary pre-release album to listen to and review. Look for this new album in Christian retail stores on March 13th and then through all digital service providers on April 3rd. You can also enjoy this new album in a great new digital experience.

Sunday Setlist - 02.19.12

Week #187 of Sunday Setlists. Here is the setlist for Sunday, February 19th.

- Alive Again by Matt Maher
- I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin
- All My Fountains by Chris Tomlin
- Hosanna by Paul Baloche
- Healing Is In Your Hands by Christy Nockels
- Voice Of Truth by Casting Crowns

In light of my comments in last Sunday Setlist post, my wife and I decided to return to Spring Hills this past Sunday.

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-187/

Sunday Setlist - 02.12.12

Week #186 of Sunday Setlists. Here is the setlist for Sunday, February 12th.

- We Cry Out by Jeremy Camp
- Forever Reign by Hillsong
- All Because of Jesus by Steve Fee
- Everlasting God by Brenton Brown
- How He Loves by John Mark McMillan
- Word of God Speak by MercyMe

This week my wife and I attended Spring Hills Community Church. The music was great. I've gotten to know the worship pastor over the years since I've been here and he does a great job with their team. We're definitely planning on going back at some point. The service was good, but when it came to the message there wasn't a lot of time spent in the Word, so we want to check it out again and make sure it's not a regular occurrence. Ironically, they just started the "40 Days in the Word" campaign. It was an introduction to the series, so we're hoping that the lack of scripture used in the message was just because of that.

To check out what others are doing in their services and learn more about what Sunday Setlists is all about, check out TheWorshipCommunity.com at http://www.theworshipcommunity.com/sunday-setlists-186/

Real Marriage by Mark & Grace Driscoll

Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together by Mark & Grace Driscoll has been a highly anticipated book and one that I was very much looking forward to reading. I was grabbed from the first time I read a description of the book and was happy to see that a pastor and his wife were going to tackle a book on marriage together. I appreciate how the Driscoll's start off this book by openly sharing about their marriage. It sets the tone of how open and real the rest of the book will be. Now I realize there has been a lot of backlash against Driscoll and this book for his supposed "crudeness" and the highly controversial "Can We _____?" chapter. However what I see and read is a pastor who is not afraid to tackle these tough issues. I believe the church needs more pastors like this. So often in the church we talk about how unfortunate it is that culture, movies, celebrities, etc. are influencing the way young people view sex, but at the same time we don't ever bring it up inside the four walls of our local churches. Here is a pastor and his wife who aren't afraid to take a biblical stand on marriage and sex. This is a definitely a book I will need to spend more time in, but I can say that is has caused me to stop and think about my own marriage. And I believe that is the point that Mark and Grace want to happen as people read this book; to stop and think and have conversations as a couple about their marriage. I recently came across an article interview that Mark did and he says this,

"Our goal in the book was not so that bloggers could talk with one another about issues of their sex lives. Our goal was that husbands and wives could have those conversations. That’s really the motive. So bloggers and tweeters and Facebookers, they’re free to discuss it, but really, it’s for married couples."

I challenge you to get past your preconceived ideas and opinions of the Driscolls and this book, and read through it with an open mind. Let it cause you to think, to have conversations.

Currently, Mark's church, Mars Hill, is doing a sermon series based off the book; Real Marriage: A Sermon Series About Jesus, the Gospel, and Marriage. You can check those out here.



Special thanks to Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze for providing this complimentary book to read and review. You can purchase the book here on amazon.com.