Hillsong

Another year, another project from the [insert adjective here] Australian worship powerhouse Hillsong Church. I say insert adjective since you can place any number of words there: influential, inspirational, trend-setting, torch-bearing, prolific, etc. In any case, you’re undoubtedly familiar with at least a few of Hillsong’s contemporary anthems, i.e. “Shout to the Lord,” “The Power of Your Love” and “Mighty To Save.” And more than likely you’re familiar with many more than that – whether through the various Hillsong church plants releasing their own discs or through Hillsong United – the more alternative, young-adult geared worship series.

In other words, Hillsong is clearly a forerunner in the sub-genre on store shelves known as ‘worship music.’ Releasing one album per year since 1992’s The Power of Your Love, album after album introduced us not only to new songs for the church but the songwriters and worship leaders as well. Darlene Zschech, Reuben Morgan and Marty Sampson have all become (Christian) household names with their frequent contributions over the years and newer writers such as Joel Houston, of Hillsong United, have now stepped in over the last few years to become mentioned alongside.

So of course 2008 was bound to have its own contribution to the mix. After all, missing a year would be uncharacteristic after 15 years of the otherwise occurring. This year’s entry is This Is Our God and will either be the most frustrating of the catalog or the one that pulls the two audiences together.

This Is Our God includes songs all across the spectrum, bringing together writers from United Live such as Brooke Fraser and Joel Houston to lead alongside Zschech and Morgan. It’s an amalgam of Hillsong Old and Hillsong New. And it’s clear the two have influenced each other.

The album opens and closes with United flavors. Joel Houston pens the album’s first two tracks: “Your Name High” and “Run.” Yet instead of the unabashed, jump-up-and-down fervor of most United openers, both tracks are slightly tamer versions, as if Houston realized 40- and 50-year-olds don’t exactly appreciate ‘raucous’ in their worship sets. It’s not that they are bad tracks at all – on the contrary, the initial track is instantly memorable in it’s completely vertical refrain of abandonment to this world’s offerings – but rather that it lacks the edge often found.

The same can be said of the opposite side. The Morgan-penned tracks of “Across The Earth” and “Where We Belong” both feature a United-styled element of epic Euro-rock bridges and/or proper emotional breakdowns toward song’s end. While the more established and celebrated writers occupy most of the album’s center, it’s clear United’s colors run all throughout and that’s a welcome refreshment, at least for this writer.

There are a couple highlights deserving of mention here. The album includes songwriter Mike Guglielmucci, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. His contribution of “Healer” is absolutely moving with a refrain that reads, “I believe you’re my healer… I believe that you’re my portion/ I believe you’re more than enough for me/ Jesus, you’re all I need.”

Also included is Fraser’s “You’ll Come.” If you’re unfamiliar with Brooke Fraser, then shame on you. Her pop debut is a fantastic gem and her contributions on other United projects are the best tracks on each effort without exception. Here she lends two tracks, but the aforementioned is the best. Coming toward the end, the acoustic strums that open lend a surge of energy, bringing the rhythm of the album back to the United side of the pendulum’s swing. The song is a confident statement of God’s inhabiting the praises of his people and it should become a worship staple worldwide. The chorus’ melody is worth the price of this album alone.

Those seeking the comfortable, predictable efforts of the United team or the regular Hillsong writers will be slightly disappointed. But those open to letting the flavors run together on the worship plate will be pleasantly surprised by the mixture. This Is Our God certainly isn’t the best in the series, but it’s a worthy entry all the same.

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