We Review Let the Future Begin

Key New Songs for the Church We Are Bound To Be Singing

Let the Future Begin, I think is an apt title for this year's offering from the ever popular Passion Conference hosted by Louie Giglio with worship from Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and a whole host of others.

For me the stand out tracks include Chris Tomlin's rendition of Martin Smith's ‘God's Great Dance Floor’ an upbeat, jump up and down sound track for this year's summer events, Chris Tomlin's uplifting future modern classic ‘Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)’ as featured on his latest album Burning Lights and to top it off, the album ends with an all time favourite of mine ‘In Christ Alone’ sung by Kristian Stanfill.

A good all rounder of an album packed full of songs that will be raising the roofs of churches up and down the country for years to come. - Anna Bunn: 4 Stars.

Great Album... But What Does It Mean?

Firstly, let’s get to grips with this confusing title (well, it confused me!)

“You’ll never stop loving us // No matter how far we run // You’ll never give up on us // All of Heaven will shout, let the future begin.” – chorus from ‘God’s Great Dance Floor’, co-written by Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman.

It’s a salvation cry - ‘God has found me, now my future can really start’. This song is an unashamed declaration of faith wrapped in electronic dance floor fun. Although we’ll never be singing God’s Great Dance Floor in church, it’s a song you can sing loudly in the car, or home, or inside your head to ignite your future with God (plus I love how the album starts with a crescendo of energy from a crowd of 20-somethings with a passion for exuberant worship, which makes me want to join in!)

With 10 brand new tracks and an extra 4 songs, I would describe the listening experience as spine-tingling. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a Passion album: Tomlin-heavy, energetic, extravagant, modern, sometimes lyrically bland, and student-friendly. - James Warwood: 4.5 Stars.

Lots of Hype, Not Much Humility

The perennial Louis Giglio and Passion regulars Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill and Christy Nockels have done it again: produced another silvery disk of upbeat songs that must leave the world thinking we have a very insecure God who needs constant reminders of a power that only his followers seem to notice.

I did a quick line count and - OK I might have missed a few, but of the 354 lyric sentences I counted only 9 that actually invited a response from God by asking him for something or calling on his power. And 8 of those (mostly in Come to the Water) are pleas on behalf of others! Leaving ‘Come and make me clean’ (in My Delight is in You) the only personal prayer. The rest were all statements of our certainty and about stuff we’re going to do for God. How cocky are we?

Yes it’s passionate, and in that sense entirely justifies the Passion brand. But ‘Let the Future Begin’... really? I think we probably need a bit more humility and honesty before God and our fellows before we can sing about that. But when you’re up for praising God - and it does do you good to remind yourself of his greatness, this’ll give you the soul and spirit to sing your heart out. - Les Ellison: 3 Stars.