Shout Praises Kids Featuring Jared Anderson & New Life
Worship Kids “We Belong to Jesus” Album Review
Before the tail lights recede into the darkness and the
sound of goodbye fade into oblivion, there’s a serious call for churches to minister
to the vanishing young people in our congregations. Incrementally direr through the passing of
time is the shrinkage of our numbers of teens and young adults in our churches. Though some churches have rightly look at
radical ways in revive youth programs, the nexus of the problem starts
earlier. Often teenagers leave because
they did not receive a solid Gospel-grounded foundation while they were still
in church. Sunday School, for many such
churches, is nothing more than sanctified babysitting where the songs and
messages are nothing more than moralistic lessons without much engagement with
Jesus and the Gospel. This is where
Integrity Music is of such a Godly resource to churches. Not only is the worship-centered imprint
committed to provide new expressions of congregational worship through their
copious catalog, they are also committed to the next generation. “Shout Praise Kids” is a series of CDs/DVDs designed
to be used be used in churches and homes that provide opportunities for
children to worship via songs that are fun, catchy and speak to these young
hearts.
“We Belong to Jesus” is the latest release to roll off this
series. This time they have engaged New
Life Worship (with worship leader Jared Anderson taking the lead) and the kids
from the Colorado Springs based New Life Church to front the worship. Best known for housing the ever popular “The
Desperation Bad,” the church is also known
for originating some of the best-loved anthems sung across churches worldwide,
including songs like “Overcome,” “Great I Am,” “I Am Free,” “Your Name,” “My
Savior Lives” and many more. And more
recently, New Life Worship (also signed to Integrity Music) has just released
one of their best worship oeuvre “Strong God.”
As for “We Belong to Jesus,” what Anderson has done is that he and his
team have re-recorded 11 of their more popular songs imbued in a more
simplistic format with the kids from the children being invited to sing with
the team.
Pumping with sugar-infested adrenaline, “Counting on God” is a
power house kicker that will get the most soporific kids wide awake praising
God as soon as the case Anderson and his team calls upon us to praise God for
his faithfulness. Nothing draws a child
attention quicker than an irresistible tune and this is the case with he hooky
“Impossible Possible.” You get bet the imaginations
of kids lighting up with glee when they sing especially on the line of the song
about crooked thieves: “Come all you
crooked thieves /Cast your cares and believe/He is the water/The water that
never runs dry.” In a time where
kids are often bombarded with the latest toys and video games, it is important
to ground such young minds that it is truly Jesus and His Word that truly
satisfies on “According to Your Word.”
Not only will children be singing along to some of the latest worship
songs, they do get to learn a hymn too with the medley of “Just Give Me
Jesus/’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”
But not only is this a great album for the spiritual edification
of kids, other than the kids’ backing, many of these songs are also for
adults. “Strong God,” the title cut
from New Life Church’s latest release, is already becoming a worship anthem
across numerous churches. Nevertheless,
this makes the skeptical among us question if the weightier themes (and
language) of songs such as “Victorious God” and “Never Be Shaken” behoove the
younger kids? Would Jared Anderson and
his team do better if they have actually written songs geared specifically for
children rather than just trying to squeeze adult-songs into smaller minds?
Nevertheless, if you do not want to see your teenagers leave the faith later in
life, start now by soaking their ears, hearts and minds with worship that is
contemporary, intelligent and cool. Encountering the Risen Christ through
worship, not church programs, is what will ultimately stop the goodbye
generation from leaving.
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