Brian Doerksen
Today (Hosanna! / Integrity)
Released November 2006

I love a journey - a great book, a good movie, or a speech from a great story teller. Each of these can move you through a compelling message and an artistic crafting of language. But journeys are not quick trips to the corner store- they are treks that take us to distant places and back again close to home. Journeys have story, subplots and great characters. Journeys take time. Journeys give back to the traveler as much as the traveler gives to the journey. So it is with the new project in my player for the last 3 weeks - "Holy God".

Song writer / worship leader Brian Doerksen presents this latest offering of worship not as a collection of "hit songs" (though there are some worthy of that moniker), but as a journey that takes you from the call of prayer to the throne of heaven and back home where we live our lives with our Holy God. Doerksen has always been an artist who presents themes in his projects and songs, but this project epitomizes that style. At sixteen tracks with an hour and 7 minutes in length, "Holy God" is a journey that will have you captured with the crisp musical vision of Doerksen's Holy God. But this journey will not find you drained and tired from the experience. Quite the opposite! From start to finish this project is rooted in Biblical truth that challenges the heart, comforts the soul, and lights the fire of passion for those pursuing God.

The album ebbs to life with the self-titled "Invocation" and builds nicely into the prayer song "Our Father In Heaven", where the Lord's Prayer is the core of a nicely woven song in which we all can open up in prayer to our Father.

Song three explodes into the title track "Holy God", which takes a microcosm journey into the attributes of the Trinity and His works to reclaim man into a restored relationship. "Holy God" is a simple and powerful anthem that radiates with the names and deeds of God, lyrically. "Holy God" is one of those great and rare songs that worship leaders will be able to employ in any format, from a simple piano or guitar with a single voice, to a rock band, to a full orchestra arrangement. And producer Philip Janz makes that point by revealing a masterful musical production that gathers the sounds of choral and orchestral ancient forms with driving modern guitars and stellar drumming. I won't spill all the lyrics here, but the punctuated style of the verses in this song exemplifies the strength of Doerksen's writing skills with that age old adage – less is more. In this case, much more!

If you aren't on the road of this journey by track three, you will be soon, as track four is a simple narrative to help you along. It also intros for track five "Song for the Bride" in which God speaks to His church from the text of Isaiah 30:15. The music and lyrics are as renewing as they are convicting. As the tracks roll on you will find that this project does something very few Christian worship recordings do anymore—it provides food for the soul of the believer, while at the same time engaging and inviting all to join in with the songs of heaven. As a person who listens to a lot of music, I find it common for many producers and records to simply try to hook the listener with a good groove or catchy melody - but the content is either lacking in Biblical depth or simplistic in its musical development. Not so with "Holy God" or Brian Doerksen, whose musical prowess and attention to detail in staying scripturally themed has his music played across thousands of churches around the world.

When my CD player hit "He Is Here", I had to stop and replay it. I just melted into my chair. In a beautiful duet with Christine Dente, Doerksen (in a co-write with veteran Paul Baloche) presents a wonderful song of peace in God. Very refreshing.

Just as you are getting refreshed, the project explodes again. This time into a sparkling rendition of Doerksen's upbeat "Light the Fire Again". Completely rejuvenated, you will love this new arrangement of a great praise song. And so it is with this entire project—ebbs and flows of musical and lyrical content bring you through a complete journey of the holiness of God and the prayerful weakness of us, His children.

There are plenty of great songs along the way of this journey, and I really want to be sure you check them out. But don't plan on rushing through this CD to find your latest hits. If you want them, they are there, but I would encourage you rather to sit down and listen for an hour and walk through an age old journey of soul and spirit learning about, searching for and being pursued by our Holy God!

Worship leaders will do well to take note of tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 15, as possibilities for wonderful contributions to any churches repertoire. I also found myself especially captivated by track 13 that is a beautiful medley of the song "Be Unto Your Name" (DeShazo and Sadler) and the hymn classic "Holy, Holy, Holy" (Heber & Dykes).

What really impressed me with this project is how encouraged and thankful I came away from listening to it. That "we are a vapor" and "He is eternal", and yet in His holy power He still pursues us and calls us to return to Him. In the end, it is a hopeful message that reverberates through the songs, lyrics and music. It is a message that builds up the soul and stirs it forward towards Christ. I encourage you to take the journey as well. This is a wonderful album worth taking the time to listen to and engage with.

Brian Doerksen
Live in Europe
Released 2005

Live in Europe is Brian Doerksen at his best. This is a brilliant album of beautiful worship songs - sung the way they were meant to be used. Brian leads with such passion that you feel like you are there in the heart of the tour as you listen. He skillfully weaves old and new songs together (like Hope of the Nations, Today and Stay (Orphan's song)), bringing them to life again with fresh arrangements, and the superb musicianship of the band. As you listen to the voices of thousands of worshippers recorded during the tour, your own heart is drawn again to worship the One for whom it was all for. This really is an album too great to miss!

Brian Doerksen
Today (Hosanna!/Integrity)
Released August 2004

Sounds like … Doerksen's familiar Vineyard worship approach, blending traditional with contemporary by touching on pop, rock, Celtic, jazz, and traditional hymns.

At a glance … available on CD and video, the combination of Doerksen's practical message with artistic expressions make Today a potent worship experience that could inspire churches to glorify God with similar zeal and diversity.

For 15 years, the contemporary worship scene has appreciated the music ministry of Brian Doerksen, best known for such popular mainstays as "Come Now Is the Time to Worship," "Refiner's Fire," "Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)," "Your Name Is Holy," and "Light the Fire Again." An insightful songwriter, musician, and worship leader, Doerksen (pronounced Dirk-sen) has yet to achieve the household name recognition of his contemporaries Darlene Zschech or Matt Redman. In some ways, that might be a good thing, but that could all change with Today, which could well be the worship album/event of 2004.

Today was recorded at Northview Church in Doerksen's hometown of Abbotsford , British Columbia . Were it not for the occasional rounds of applause between tracks, you might not know this were a live performance from the CD, because it's that well recorded. It's also available as a 90-minute video (DVD or VHS), and while the music stands on its own, the visuals that accompany it are also powerful. After hearing this CD for the first time, I was elated to learn that there was a video for it as well.

Doerksen's inspiration for Today comes from Nehemiah 4, which chronicles the work of the Israelites to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon . More specifically, the focus is on the halfway point—the crossroads at which God's people either give up hope out of fear and discouragement, or choose to persevere out of faith and obedience. Doerksen impressively applies this slice of Bible history to all our lives through the application of worship and the arts. This is a thematic worship album, and there's no chance of missing the message either. The CD booklet includes photos, lyrics, detailed song explanations with Scripture, and Doerksen's overall rationale for the album. Additionally, the video includes plenty of spoken musings and teachings in between songs.

The message that ties together all the songs is impressive in itself, but Doerksen also remembers that he is an artist, and Today is one of the most ambitious undertakings in blended worship. The songs range from traditional hymns to soft inspirational pop to rocking modern worship, with a lot more wedged in between. The music's core features the typical five-piece praise band, colored by the wind instruments of Doerksen's friend James Isaacs. On top of that, there's a 9-piece string section, a choir, and guest appearances by a jazz ensemble and a children's choir.

Wait, there's more—it's easy to see why the thank you's in the liner notes are so extensive. Today also taps into accompaniment from the visual arts, including stage design, lighting, costumes, interpretive dance, and congregational sign language. Taking a page out of Pink Floyd's playbook, there are people dressed as Israelites that gradually build a wall at the foot of the stage throughout the worship service. Later, a small regiment of cloaked men carrying torches enters the sanctuary as a men's chorus sings "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," setting the stage for the spiritual warfare expressed in the funky pop/rock of "Fortress 144." A pleasant Vineyard styled pop/rock song like "Everlasting" is made more vibrant with the addition of the choir, as dancers with flags and ribbons make their way down the church aisles. And the aforementioned jazz ensemble helps give the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" a new spin while remaining true to its tone and form.

Brian Doerksen
Today (Hosanna!/Integrity)
Released August 2004

“The chapters of Nehemiah have long been a prophetic spark to call forth life in the church. The painful beginnings in the rubble of defeat and shame. The ongoing antagonism and attacks of Sanballat and other nay-sayers. Even the internal struggles of uniting the families and people into the one task of rebuilding the wall of hope. Nehemiah is not a story for the great victorious church, where Christians triumph idyllically in every circumstance. Rather, it is a call to the broken and tired church, where followers of Christ long to be reminded, and encouraged, to once again stand up, and say with that ageless prayer-confession of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

With these two thoughts, Brian Doerksen begins an interwoven message of music and ministry through his newest offering, entitled "Today". As I soon found out, merely picking up this CD and listening to it, was a bit of a limiting perspective in engaging with all that this project encompassed. For days, I listened to and enjoyed the CD, but the richness of the "Today" experience wasn't clear until I began to read the book-length liner notes (seriously) and finally to pour over the "Today" DVD (available separately from the CD).

"Today" is a worship project that really needs to be experienced to be appreciated (IE. get the DVD!). And there is much to appreciate here. Musically, the track list is comprised of eight new songs (except for one, all written or co-written by Doerksen), five redone songs mostly from Doerksen's Vineyard repertoire, and two re-visited classic hymns. Stylistically, this is Doerksen's most diverse palette of tastes presented on a single album yet. While maintaining his signature vocals and soft pop acoustic/electric sound, Brian draws in sounds and sights of the past with moving renditions of hymns of the church, and incorporating music styling from classical and traditional influences. Blending pop vocals and instrumentation, adult & children's choirs, a wonderful orchestral group and even a jazz ensemble, Doerksen, and co-producer Philip Janz, create an album that bridges ages and builds a wall of God's faithfulness through music and multimedia.

The live evening of worship (as recorded on the DVD) begins with the reading of Nehemiah and a short message by Doerksen. The music recorded on the CD provides the content structure of the worship flow that goes from declaration and celebration to deep devotion and contrition to heartening prayer and exultant praise. The first song and title track bursts out with the anthem "Today", singing a modern revision of the declaration of Joshua. This song is typical Doerksen- refreshing lyrics, hook-laden melody, and easily played music. But right from this first track, there is a distinctive clarity on this project that defines a previously indefinable Brian Doerksen. From the understatement of pop influence on this album, to the inter-generational song selection, to the orchestral arrangements, to the blends of vocal leads, choirs, and children- Doerksen looks more at home on this album than any to date. The song "Today" will be a great new 'call to worship' song for the church.

The second track is the song "Everlasting", which is a building declaration song that is vibrant and memorable, and ripe for use in churches. And like much of the new songs on this album, it is a well-crafted collaborative songwriting effort. This CD is a wonderfully arranged worship set, songs selected purposefully to tell a story in a rich sequence of ebb and flow. Track three is a deep prayer/declaration (in the tradition of Psalm 42) called "You Are Everything". This song leads perfectly into the lilting melody of "The River", a country-styled song highlighting the beautiful voice of Brenda Janz. Don't miss this song, or you will miss one of the most easily adapted contributions on this new album. For brevity, I will not explain each song on this album, but please give yourself the benefit of listening to them. You won't be disappointed. From a song about our place with God ("My Redeemer"), to the call to war in "Fortress 144", to the timeless repentance anthem of "Refiner's Fire", this is a storehouse of great songs for the church.

My favorite track on this project is titled "Hear From Heaven", a soul-piercing prayer borne from text of 2 Chronicles 7:14. This prayer/song calls to God to forgive our wickedness and heal our land. I have been saying regularly in this review that you must experience this project to fully appreciate it, and this is most poignantly expressed in the video (from the DVD) of this song. I was moved to tears as I watched every person in the auditorium of the event expression hand actions while singing this song. The song rests in tender prayer transitioning from our cry for God's healing into the wonderful declaration of His work on the cross, through the song "I See The Cross". The album concludes with an equally powerful reprise of "Today", in which any father or parent will be brought to tears as you see generations of Christ's servants declare in song to Him, "today we choose to follow You"!

There is no doubt about it, the new album "Today" with Brian Doerksen will bring you a collection of songs ready for use in a broad spectrum of church applications from styling as diverse as guitar-driven bands to blended worship to choirs and orchestra-backed ensembles. But this project is much more of an experience of sounds and sight than just a few new songs. It is a celebration of what the church is called to, and what it can be- a church of unity, of power, of history and of "today".

These days Brian Doerksen is best known for his involvement with the UK Vineyard releases Hungry and Come Now Is The Time. For this very special live recording, Brian and band led worship in St Catherine's Church in Dublin and consequently there's an Irish tinge to some of this. Check out the Irish rock flavourings for the incredible version of the Vineyard favourite Hallelujah and the subtle warm Celtic touches added elsewhere. The magnificent gentle ballad Your Faithfulness is a centrepiece of the album. Thematically the songs on the album reveal the faithfulness of God no matter what circumstances we face. Another highlight is the gorgeous acoustic version of the old hymn that reflects the faithfulness of God, It Is Well With My Soul where Brian duets with his father Harry. The album closes with a rousing version of Come Now Is The Time To Worship complete with Celtic rhythms and passion. Ultimately this is live worship that shines with the hope and faithfulness found in God.

Brian Doerksen
You shine

Hosanna! Music / Integrity Media

Review - Recorded live at St. Catherine's Church in Dublin, Ireland. You Shine reveals the faithfulness of God through every circumstance.

A single voice echoes through the halls of an historic church in Dublin, Ireland. Shortly, the voice of that young chorister joins not just a band on a worship recording, but the choir of human history singing an anthem whose message is as old as Abraham, but as timeless as the long awaited return of Christ.

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."

Ever since the call of Abram back in Genesis 12, the challenge to all of us has been to turn our attention to the greatness of God, especially in light of the discouragement of the earthly conditions that surround us. As the title track "You Shine" plays on, the lyrics synthesize this struggle perfectly, saying:

In this world we will have trouble
But You have overcome the world
You shine brighter than the brightest star...
You shine, filling us with courage and strength
To follow You

Welcome to the first track of the new worship project "You Shine", from Brian Doerksen and Integrity Hosanna Music.

In keeping with his modus operandi, Doerksen places his most significant new song offering right on the first track, and in that sense, he also sets the tone for the album. For this album is not just about singing joyful answers (though it certainly does that)- it is about the struggle, the questions, and, yes, the joy of living in the resting place of God's love and strength. For those not familiar with him, Brian Doerksen is a worship leader from the Vineyard tradition, having written dozens of tremendous songs (including Refiner's Fire, Light the Fire Again, and many others) and recorded on over a dozen albums.

This spectacular new album, "You Shine", palettes a wonderful song spectrum, adding seven newly-written Doerksen songs, four modern classics from his Vineyard repertoire, and a redone version of the church hymn "It Is Well".

Certainly the title track is the song which will gain huge acceptance in the global church, through this recording. But I would strongly encourage you to set aside an afternoon or evening and take the journey archived for us on this recording. As the power of the chorus drives home the hopeful message of "You Shine", the listener is left perfectly at the doorstep of praise for the second song, "Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)". This popped-up version of the already classic UK Vineyard birthed song will carry your heart through the lyrics with musical bliss running through a path of crisp, exciting electric guitar, Celtic bridges with violins, flutes and whistles, and a drum-framed acapella chorus. For the audiophiles, hearing these first two songs will make it clear that there is a level of excellence in this album that places the production on a whole other strata for Brian and his creative crew (who are the some of the same amazing musicians he has been recording with for years).

It is hard to deny the amazing timeliness of these songs. The third song, "I Am Convinced", speaks succinctly to God's response to the deep sense of fear that has been imbedding North America around this one year anniversary of 9/11. It says:

Violence or danger
Hunger or shame
Won't separate us
From the love of God
The song answers wonderfully drawing from the Corinthian text:
So high so wide so measureless, filling eternity
So strong so deep so intimate
Encircling mystery
That nothing can take Your love from me

The next few songs walk through Gaelic prayers with "You Surround Me", the Vineyard classics with "Faithful One", and the deeply personal struggles of life with "Your Faithfulness". I won't talk through all the great songs on this album, but would very strongly encourage you to spend time listening and praise and worshipping along with this album. You should especially highlight the following songs when searching for materials usable in your local church, and with your music and worship teams: "You Shine", "Hallelujah", "I Am Convinced", "Faithful One", "Hope of the Nations", "I Lift My Eyes Up", "With All My Affection" and a lyrically updated version of "Come Now is the Time to Worship" (includes new second chorus).

You will love this new recording from Brian Doerksen, and will find it an ample archive of excellent new songs for your local church. Thankfully, Integrity's Hosanna music brand has made this a useful church resource, by making available accompanying songbook and split tracks products as well. From the album liner notes and song stories, the only complaint I would have is a question as to why this project didn't also produce an accompanying VHS/DVD video of the live night of worship. Some of the moments and prayers were so poignant, I am sure it would have been a wonderful experience to share.

And while you will think deeply about the pains and struggles of life as you hear some of the lyrics of these songs, the overwhelming theme of God's powerful hope and love will surge into the forefront of your thoughts as you sing and bless the Lord with the album "You Shine". In many ways, Brian Doerksen is re-launching the Hosanna brand for Integrity with this new album, bringing to it sounds and raw passion that echo the heartbeats of so much of the worldwide church.

Don't pass by this new project, or by the great songs it gathers for us. You won't be disappointed. In keeping with my lauds for this project, I am very happy to give this project our Editor's Choice Award. The great thing is, you don't have to take my word for it, you can check out the RealAudio sound clips for yourself (here)

Blessings in the Hope of Israel,
Kim Gentes

p.s. Musicians and worship leaders, don't forget to check out the songbook and/or split track resources so you can put these songs to use in your local church.

Brian Doerksen
You shine

Hosanna! Music / Integrity Media

Sounds like … very much like Winds of Worship 12 - Live from London and Hungry, on which Brian played - sophisticated contemporary worship with a little bit of Celtic thrown in.

At a Glance … You Shine is a terrific worship album that thoughtfully combines traditional and contemporary worship elements into a beautiful praise offering to the Lord.

Odds are you're already familiar with the vocals and songwriting of worship leader Brian Doerksen (pronounced "durk-son"): "Refiner's Fire," "Light the Fire Again," and "Come Now Is the Time to Worship" to name a few. In the late '90s, the British Columbia native served as a key leader at Vineyard UK and was one of the driving forces behind Winds of Worship 12 - Live From London and Hungry. If you liked those two landmark worship albums, you won't want to miss this 65-minute live recording from Dublin, Ireland. Those who aren't acquainted with the albums mentioned above also will appreciate Brian's contemporary worship songwriting, which is on par with Matt Redman and Darlene Zschech.

You Shine bears a strong resemblance to Vineyard music's finest Winds of Worship projects, with more of a Celtic European pop influence. The album begins in a traditional manner with a boy soprano singing an Introit, in this case the chorus of the title track, which follows. "You Shine," inspired by Isaiah 51:12-13, includes the moving lyrics: "Why should I fear man when you made the heavens? / Why should I be afraid when you put the stars in place? / Why should I lose heart when I know how great you are? / Why should I give up when your plans are full of love?" Both this song and "Hope of the Nations" are enjoyable pop/rock anthems with catchy melodies. "I Am Convinced," written by Brian and Vineyard UK worship leader Brenton Brown ("Lord Reign in Me"), nicely combines strong rock verses with a melodic pop chorus and a Celtic-styled bridge. Even more impressive is the way the two writers blend together two scripture verses, Romans 8:38-39 and Ephesians 3:17-19. A lesser songwriter would have stopped with a single scriptural reference adapted to music. Brenton and Brian effectively use both verses to hammer home the message of God's love and the security we can find in his arms.

Another effective Brian and Brenton collaboration is the popular "Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)," which sounds fresh and joyous in this rousing Celtic-flavored rendition that's not unlike the music of Ceili Rain. "Faithful One," one of Brian's first recorded songs, also is given new life in a terrific duet with Kathryn Scott, the UK worship leader known for "Hungry" and her rendition of "Breathe." The simple worship song builds effectively from a gentle acoustic guitar to a powerful rock ballad sound, with a knockout performance by Kathryn that only confirms that she also should release a solo album. Brian's classic "I Lift My Eyes Up (Psalm 121)" is given a rhythmic treatment similar to "Better Is One Day."

There are so many highlights on You Shine, but I'm sure most will appreciate the beautiful balladry. The atmospheric "You Surround Me" has a melody as beautiful as "Draw Me Close," and it features Irish worship leader Kim McKevitt whispering Gaelic lyrics that echo Brian's singing, resulting in an intimate and prayerful sound. Brian's hymn-like "With All My Affection" is a simple acoustic worship chorus that's as meditative and memorable as "Take My Life (Holiness)" and "Refiner's Fire." Then there's the quiet "Your Faithfulness," which Brian wrote in response to his two children's medical disabilities. The honest lyrical expression of faith is impressive: "I don't know what this day will bring / Will it be disappointing or filled with longed for things? / I don't know what tomorrow holds / Still I know I can trust your faithfulness."