Hillsong take few, if any, steps away from their long-established tradition of live congregational worship songs on their 19th outing. Once again, the music team from the fast-growing Australia-based church echoes its set of praise with its large-stage sound. Because this album preceded the group's first-ever U.S. tour, co-worship leaders
Reuben Morgan,
Joel Houston, and others saw to it that these songs worked for the masses. As a result, it would be difficult for a believer to imagine an album that's easier to sing along to and more meaningful to understand. Themes include the hope of "The One Who Saves," the confession of first single "Forever Reign," the reconciliation of "The Father's Heart," and the rousing praise of opening track "Our God Is Love." The seasoned worship team doesn't pull out a lot of bells and whistles, but it doesn't have to. The team's core passion manifests itself in a way that transcends simple artistry. Fans of the
Passion series and
Chris Tomlin will likely enjoy this live participatory approach to worship. ~ Jared Johnson