The guys over at Soul City Church in Chicago have put out a great bunch of songs that will work well for pretty much any congregation. Here are my thoughts after listening to it a few times.
Enter In // Standard opening number that would go really well with a visual element, scripture on the screens, painting, etc.. There are a lot of fun synth things going on so make sure your players are up for it.
Faithful // There’s something so powerful about God’s never ending faithfulness. Your congregation needs to be reminded that God will be there for them regardless of what’s happening in their lives right now. Faithful is a great uptempo song that can help get this message stuck in their heads for a while. There’s some really cool synth on this track but you could just as easily do it without if you don’t have the players for it.
Only God // The title track opens with a nice acoustic arpeggio and ambient electric guitar (need help on how to do that, we’ve got ya covered). The chorus is a simple declaration of those things that only God can do in our lives. There are people coming into our churches every week who are looking to be satisfied by everything but God. We all need to understand that God is the only one who can rescue us, restore us, and redeem us.
I Will Praise You // The first female led track on the album and it’s really accessible. There are some really tight harmonies to work on as well. You could easily adapt this to an acoustic arrangement too so don’t be put off by the synth if you can’t pull it off (we can help you on that here too). This album is packed with songs that are really adaptable.
You Are Lord // A great female led ballad that declares that God is Lord over every part of our lives.
Brought to Life // I get a big “Relentless” vibe from this one from the riffs and drums, your church will dig this song if you’ve been doing Relentless. Definitely a lot of fun stuff for your team in here. Thematically, this song sings about the life that we have through Christ.
Love Has Set Me Free // The chorus will really catch the ear of your congregation. The whole song has a more organic feel than a lot of the rest on the album and could be done with a piano, small percussion, and acoustic. The bridge sings “Your love, your grace, your mercy’s washing over me” with portions of Ephesians 8:18.
All of Me (I Surrender All) // A new take on the theme of “I Surrender All” followed by a great arrangement of the classic hymn.
Your Kingdom Reigns // I really dig the slow build of this song. By the time the drums really open up, your church will be really singing out. The bridge is simple yet powerful: “Your kingdom stands unshaken. Oh God You won’t be moved. Your steadfast love is unfailing. With all I am, I worship You.”
After Words // An actual outro song! As the title might suggest, there are no words for this one. You could use it under a video or to highlight some creative elements in your church though.
