Our God Saves, the seventh Integrity Music recording from Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter Paul Baloche, will release next Tuesday, September 18th. Produced by Baloche and Austin Deptula, Our God Saves was recorded live at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where Baloche has served as worship leader for 18 years.

In conjunction with the release of the album, a website www.OurGodSaves.com has been set up for people to go and share their testimonies of how God saved them. The feature testimony is by Israel Houghton.

Andree Farias recently had an opportunity to interview Baloche and find out more about his new album.

How has your life changed since “Open the Eyes of My Heart” happened?

Besides being able to pay my bills on time it has probably opened more doors for ministry. I’m able to bring along a full band when ministering in the States or overseas instead of going solo. Hmmm… other than that, life is pretty much the same. I’m still a husband, a dad, and a worship Pastor. I’m still trying to write songs that inspire people to worship the Lord. However, I’m grateful and humbled by the impact that that song has had on the church.

You’ve been recording praise-and-worship albums since before it became a trend, yet you’re still not a household name; people still go “Paul who?” Do you mind the lack of name recognition?

There’s not much I can do about that. It’s out of my hands. All I can do is stay on task and continue to do what God called me to do all these years. It would steal my joy and kind of “poison the well” if I worried about that. Like the psalmist said, “not to us but to Your name be the glory”.

Conversely, 2006’s A Greater Song was acclaimed across-the-board. How do you process the accolades? Do they ever get to your head?

I don’t think that it goes to my head but I take it as encouraging feedback. It’s encouraging to know that you’re hitting the bulls-eye once in a while. My target is to write songs that the church will want to sing back to God. When I hear from worship leaders that they’re using 5 or 6 songs from that project in their worship times, it amazes me and makes me want to dig deeper to write something fresh.

For both “A Greater Song” and your new album, “Our God Saves”, you’ve decided to write songs in community, alongside other worship songwriters. Why?

The result of collaboration seems greater than the sum of its parts. You always end up going some place creatively where you would not have gone by yourselves. It was such a privilege to write most of the songs with friends and peers that I respect and love including Brenton Brown, Matt Redman, Kathryn Scott, and so on. There is nothing more fun than getting with a friend, singing some familiar worship songs, and seeing what springs up in the midst of trying to connect with God in the moment. I love the mysterious potential. From beginning to end, this project was created out of close relationships. The essence of life is about our relationships. The essence of worship is about our relationship with God.

Of late, your music has adopted a louder, more modern rock sound; you’ve never sounded better! I like to say Paul Baloche has gone from contemporary worship to modern worship. Any reason for the change in approach?

That’s nice of you to say. For one, I get to lead worship at a church where half the congregation is under 25 years of age. Maybe some of their energy and passion are rubbing off on me (laughs). I also have two kids in high school that expose me to a lot of the music that they listen to as well. It seems like much of today’s music hearkens back to the classic rock sounds of the 60’s and 70- the music that I grew up jamming to in my parent’s basement every night. So I guess if you live long enough music kind of circles back around and catches up to you (laughs). I’m just thrilled to still be involved with music that is relevant and able to inspire people in their walk with the Lord.

Worship songs are vertical; us reaching up to God. But for Our God Saves, I sense an opposite theme; a downward trend, so to speak; as if you set out to write songs about God reaching down to us. Tell me about this.

Hmmm, well I usually try to write in the first person, like singing prayers to God. But besides aiming for that on this album, I also wanted to reiterate the timeless doctrines of the faith like the Trinity, the plan of salvation, the process of redemption, and so on. Right or wrong, I’ve noticed over the years that a lot of us seem to develop our image of God or our theology from the songs that we sing. I wanted the lyrics to reflect the classic themes usually found in the old hymns, but set to the music of our generation. Songs like Only True God and Our God Saves shed light on the Trinity while songs like I Cling To The Cross and You Gave Your Life Away give an overview of God’s salvation process in our lives.

QUICK TAKES:

Where are you from originally?
Philadelphia/ South Jersey

Favourite place you’ve travelled to?
Israel. Ireland would be a close second.

Best meal you prepare?
My kids call it “Daddy Gumbo”. Beans, rice, turkey sausage, peppers, etc…

Pet peeve?
When technology lets you down. Internet, printers, etc…

Your most annoying habit?
Being late for everything

What makes you laugh?
Everyday moments with my kids

Last good book you read?
Bono: in conversation with Michka Assayas

Last good movie you saw?
“Once”

Band/artist you’re listening to the most right now?
Soundtrack to the movie “Once”

Band/artist that comes closest to your sound?
The Wallflowers?

Song you wish you’d written?
Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Age you became a Christian?
18

Your favourite Bible verse?
Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened so that you would know…”

Last lesson God taught you?
That life is about finishing the race and keeping the faith. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

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