Pick of the Week: All Things New by Steven Curtis Chapman

CD: All Things New
Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman
Label: Sparrow Records / EMI

Quote: “Instead of rehashing Scripture or relying on tired rhetoric, [Chapman] offers thoughtful ideas—the mark of a good songwriter—using personal examples, catchy turns of phrase, and introspective questioning. You wouldn't think this would be a rare trait, but so much of today's Christian music relies on worshipful platitudes and generalities. Here's a guy expressing faith amid everyday living with lyrics that are all his own. The difference is like cool water in a desert.”—ChristianityToday.com

FYI: To record this his 14th album since 1987, Steven Curtis and co-producer Brown Bannister opted for an ‘out-of-the-box’ experience, spending a month in Los Angeles with musicians largely unfamiliar with Chapman’s work. “The challenge for me was this,” Steven said, ‘If I'm going to write an album about the reality that God makes all things new, that He is the one who will be continually be rolling back the curtain on Himself, revealing more and more of Himself for all of eternity, then I need to do my job as an artist with diligence and with freshness, lyrically and musically.’" Speaking of diligence: Steven Curtis and his wife Mary Beth recently adopted their third daughter from China—for a total of six children!

The Bottom Line: I’ll just go ahead and say up front: All Things New is not the kind of album one thinks of when one thinks ‘worship music.’ It’s not bursting with songs that congregations can sing together. The lyrics are not always vertical. But make no mistake, the songs here express what worship looks like in the everyday, whether it’s a father’s love song for his daughter (“I Believe In You”), a song about wanting to make every day count (“Last Day On Earth”), or of seeing Jesus in the faces of those in need (“What Now”). The title song and “Much of You” are especially poignant and worshipful, great additions to any music ministry. And “Treasure of Jesus” is not to be missed. Whether you’re familiar with Steven Curtis Chapman’s music or not, give this one a listen. It’s the stuff of real life—music that acknowledges and worships the Creator in all His glory.

Featuring: Twelve new songs—“All Things New,” “Much of You,” “Only Getting Started,” “Last Day On Earth,” “What Now,” “Please Only You,” “Coming Attractions,” “Big Story,” “Believe Me Now,” Angel’s Wish,” “I Believe In You,” and “Treasure of Jesus.”

—Chris Davidson