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"The Fisherman’s Offer" by David Bollmann: Laying It Down to Follow

(by Jasper Tan) Are we ready to take on the Fisherman's offer? That's the big question that David Bollmann asks in "The Fisherman's Offer." The moment I hit the play button, the jangly guitars immediately caught my attention and captivated me. Being a huge fan of the CCM band Jars of Clay, I could immediately tell that David Bollmann's latest single is something pretty much sounded like it was influenced by such CCM bands from the late 90's to mid 2000's. It's just the kind of CCM that I am into. David shares that "The Fisherman's Offer" is a reflective, cinematic indie praise song that was inspired by Jesus' simple but life-changing invitation: "Follow Me." The song draws from the book of John, chapter 15, and the calling of the disciples by the sea. The song explores the idea of being pursued by sacrificial love and responding by laying everything down. "The Fisherman's Offer" opens with driving guitars ...

"Stand In Awe (Live)" by Perimeter Worship: Grace Upon the Cross

(by Jasper Tan) If you are looking for a very beautiful praise and worship song this month, then look no further than listening to Perimeter Worship's song "Stand In Awe." From the get-go, you'll feel the chills and the calming presence of the Holy Spirit as the opening notes are played. And the song gets right to it when the opening lines "Christ alone be lifted high, Christ alone be glorified" immediately glorify God. As Perimeter Worship shares, "'Stand in Awe' is a declaration of worship centering our hearts on Christ, reminding us of His finished work on the cross, and thanking Him for the grace He lavishly poured out for us. We worship with both humility and confidence, ascribing all majesty, power, and authority to Christ alone (Psalm 96:7–8)." The song is a through-and-through worship song that is tailor-fit to be sung at churches. It's a call to worship with humility and confidence, ascribing all majesty, power, and authority ...

"I Know You're Angry" by Stephen M. Miller: A Gentle Lament That Meets You Where You Are

Have you ever felt so angry at God that you couldn’t bear to listen to His still, small voice? Stephen M. Miller knows that feeling all too well. After losing someone he loved deeply, he was angry at God for how it happened—so he wrote “I Know You’re Angry” to imagine what God might say if He spoke plainly, meeting Miller in his fury instead of pulling back. This quiet lament doesn’t fix the grief; it sits with it. Verse 1’s opening lines, “I know you’re angry // I know you feel its pain // I know you think that I’m to blame” , don’t shut down anger—it validates it. Instead of rushing to answers, the song echoes the honesty of Psalm 13, with God saying, “It’s okay to feel the way you do // I feel it too.” The chorus is the part that really anchors us: “where you go // Is where I am // And where you hide // I’ve always been.” The message of this song isn't about getting over grief, it’s about knowing God is with you through every part of it. It's okay to feel and not have answe...

"Dusty Bibles (EDM Version)" by Josiah Queen: Modern Worship for a Digital Age

We live in a time where many people are glued to the screens of their smartphones, and the smartphone often takes precedence over the spiritual part of our lives. Josiah Queen's EDM version of "Dusty Bibles" has a message for the generation that is caught between tradition and technology. The remix by PHIN XVI turns the original version of Josiah's song into an electrifying track that resonates with younger Christians who grew up with EDM and dance music. Instead of having to choose between the music genres they love and worship, they can now experience both.  The song confronts a modern reality: we've got dust on our Bibles while our iPhones remain brand-new and are constantly updated. "No wonder why we feel this way," Queen sings, pointing at the disconnect that many experience between their faith and daily digital lives. He puts the question out there… After a decade of rapid technological advancement, have we unintentionally pushed our spiritual foc...

"Locked In" by JONATHYN: A Call to Total Surrender

(by Jasper Tan) Looking for a different kind of CCM song? Then Jonathyn's new single "Locked In" might be the one that you are looking for. In this side chain bass-tinged song, Jonathyn delivers a catchy, danceable track that offers a different worship experience. Jonathyn was experimenting with a song using a sidechain bass, grounded in an appealing melody, before the words were added. As someone who's struggling to be a good Christian, Jonathyn instead chose to focus on writing a song that encourages us to be someone who is totally sold and committed to Jesus, rather than just relying on being a good Christian. This theme is drilled into us when he repeatedly sings the lines "Locked in, I'm locked in All in" that feels like we are put in a trance as the words bleed with the hypnotic beats of the sidechaining bass technique used in the song.  Imagine being on the dance floor while singing to these lines "Locked in, I'm all in, I'm sold out...