CD: Bigger Than Life

Artist: Michael Neale

Label: Hosanna!/Integrity

Quote: “The choir is very special to me. There’s a community dynamic there of sharing, praying together and care-giving. A choir is a microcosm of the Church modeling worship to the congregation.” —Michael Neale

FYI: With 3,000 worshipers. 140-voice choir. A full orchestra and strings by the Nashville String Machine, this live recording lives up to its name. Bigger Than Life, Michael’s second worship project for Hosanna! Music, is also available in a wide array of worship resources.

Bottom Line: To point out the obvious, the worship genre is a melting pot, and rightfully so. What moves a 17-year-old student to worship is a world away from what speaks to the heart of a 60-year-old grandmother. And yet on Sunday morning, some common ground must exist so that we can all worship side by side, together as one body. That’s why I’m grateful for innovators like Michael Neale, a young worship leader who finds that common ground and makes it the richest soil possible for those of us in the pew. He also understands the powerful role the choir can play in leading congregations in worship, which makes Bigger Than Life an invaluable resource for worship leaders and choir directors. Oh yeah, and it’s a great ‘flying down the highway’ CD, too.

Features: 13 songs, including “Bigger Than Life,” “In Your House,” “Praise The Lord (Psalm 103), “Come To Jesus” (with “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”), “On Mountains High,” “Not Unto Us,” “This Is The Day,” “Arise,” “Friend Of God,” Peace Will Be Mine” (with “Wonderful Peace”), “In This Place,” “Saved The Day” and “Never Gonna Let The Rocks.”

Listen to sound clips from Bigger Than Life