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Paul Baloche: A Songwriter's Worship

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GLORIOUS
Paul Baloche is one of today’s most influential worship leaders and songwriters. Glorious is his eighth collection of worship songs. For this album, Paul said he didn’t want to “rely on clichés or crank out Christian jingles.” He wanted to go deeper in God and have words and music that would help congregations connect with God to strengthen their relationships, families, and communities. He wants every song on this new album “to matter, be biblical, have relevance and to carry spiritual weight.” This is the cry of Paul’s heart.

He says Glorious is “about the adventure of being led by a living, active God, looking beyond the cross, to look behind the mystery, to see the risen Savior. For us to live in the new covenant idea, that Jesus Christ is alive in us. Instead of only looking back 2,000 years, we see the risen Christ now. Learning to be led by His Spirit, guided by His Spirit, and to discern the language of His Spirit.”

The song “Just to Be With You” offers a different view of God and our reliance on Him. It is about intimacy with God. Paul says, “With all of the stuff in this world that overwhelms us, no matter what happens, all I want is to be with You as I’m walking through this life.”

MORE THAN WORDS
Having served as the Worship Pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, TX, for 20 years, Paul is regarded as one of the preeminent worship writers of the contemporary Church. He has written some of this generation’s most compelling worship songs, including “Open The Eyes of My Heart,” “Hosanna,” “Your Name,” “Above All,” “Offering,” “All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises,” “Our God Saves” and “Because of Your Love.”

Songwriting is a big part of Paul’s spiritual life, which he doesn’t take lightly. It has helped him go deeper with God and fix his mind on Jesus and things above. Paul has said it keeps his heart fresh and alive. When he’s writing songs, he asks himself, “Will this help the church worship God? Will this help people connect with him?”

Paul wants to make music people can connect with and believe in. He takes his responsibility as a songwriter seriously. He realizes that he is putting words into the mouths of God’s people and these are words that they are singing back to God. These words go deep into our souls and something can happen in us through these words. He just doesn’t want to have any random words or phrases; he has to believe the words he is singing as well.

LOVE FOR MUSIC
Paul grew up in Camden, New Jersey, in a strong Catholic family. Paul has clear memories of his mother praying every morning and that priests were regular visitors to the house. Paul became an altar boy and considered becoming a priest. Paul says it provided him a foundation for a reverence for God and knowledge of Jesus.

He had an early fascination for the guitar. So desperate to play the instrument at the age of six, Paul and his friends tied tennis rackets round their necks with shoestring, pretending to play Beatles songs. He used to sit in dark, crowded basements watching local bands practice, carefully observing the right and left hand fingerings. He would rush home and furiously put into practice what he had just learned, spending hours trying to copy the styles of local guitar heroes. In 1980, Paul was offered a chance to play lead guitar in an Atlantic City band. Soon the excitement of playing professionally lost its luster and the nightclub scene left him empty. At one point, Paul sat in the pew of a Church with a hangover, crying out to God.

PURSUING GOD
Through business relationships, Paul was invited to a Sunday morning service. He heard different testimonies and when the salvation message was delivered in December 1980, Paul gave his heart to the Lord. Though his experience with the business team was short lived, the relationships led him to seek out a church where he could nurture his newfound faith. Soon Paul joined an Assembly of God church where he was first exposed to charismatic worship.

As a worship leader, Paul’s approachable style has encouraged many to draw near to God in worship. “I want my music, and more importantly, my life to inspire people to pursue a sincere, authentic relationship with Christ,” says Paul. He has traveled the world teaching and leading others in worship. He has performed in South Africa, Europe, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand where many of his songs have become favorite choruses sung by people of all denominations.