All new worship music centered around the radical theme of God's self-exalting love for us. God created all things to bring glory to Himself and even when His creation rebels against Him, the Bible tells us that "God so loved the world, that He gave..." and what He gave was Himself! In the greatest demonstration of extravagant love, the Lord Jesus Christ stepped off of His throne, came to Earth, lived, died, & raised victorious in a sovereign pursuit of our souls. The songs of "Extravagant God" are a passionate response to that truth, using theologically rich lyrics over an organic folk/pop/rock sound.
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Personal Prayers| Posted September 04, 2013
Patrick Levis, the outspoken Christian actor most known for his work on Disney Channel, has developed a growing music ministry. He has spent fifteen years serving as a worship leader in the local Church, and ten years leading the Christian music group Least of These. Levis is launching his first solo album, Extravagant God.
I have had the privilege to meet Patrick, and he truly has a passion for praising our God. Right from the opening song "Extravagant God," Patrick brings uplifting reverence and a joy of worship to our King. I really like the song and find myself frequently singing the chorus: "Extravagant God, the world is Yours / You made us for Your glory / So here we are to glorify Your name / Cause we want to see you extravagantly praised." The song has a great melody, and I could imagine singing it with fellow believers, especially the worshipful chorus. I love the biblical truth of the song and Patrick's sincere vocal style.
My favorite moments on this solid album are the glimpses into Patrick's walk as a Christian in the original songs "Magnificent Lord" and "Unwearied Savior." I find myself really praying along with Patrick when he cries out to God: "When I break His heart again and again / to Him I come with all my need / My Unwearied Savior forgives me." The album also includes a standout recording of the hymn of the faith "How Great Thou Art."
"Break My Heart" and "My Rock" continue with an engaging rock ballad musical style. The soothing musical feel is just one of the many attractions to savor about this soothing worship album. I find that in many of the songs we get to join in Patrick's prayer time as he prays,"So won't You break my heart / Shatter desires to make it Yours alone / And I'll boast in nothing but Your Son who You gave to a cross / To make me Your own." Amen to that! Those songs remind me of contemplative worship songs like "My God" by Jeremy Camp and "Jesus, Son of God" by Chris Tomlin.
I especially like the blend with female vocalist Caitlin Wade on "His Song." Many of the songs are arranged in a very sing-able and catchy style. "His Song" picks up the tempo as it continues and finishes with a great anthem for believers: "His song, hallelujah / Brought me to my knees / His song, hallelujah / Forever set me free / I've been saved, I've been changed / I've been raised from the grave / And now for all my days I'll sing His song."
The album ends like it starts, with a catchy rock tempo worship song "Take Your Place." The closer has gang-vocals and a sincere cry for Jesus to be the Lord of our lives— "Take Your place, set Your Kingdom on earth / As it is in Heaven above / Take Your place, rule our lives / Bow our knees and lift our eyes / To the praise of our King Jesus Christ." This entire project has a nice Brit-rock tinged worshipful vibe. I'm really engaged by Patrick's sincere vocals and the prayerful corporate lyrics throughout the album.
Closing Thoughts: Patrick's passion is to create music that inspires the worship of Jesus Christ in his listeners and to point their attention toward the lavish love of an extravagant God. He honestly opens his heart in each song as an invitation to the listener to do the same, welcoming them to wrestle through the realities of life, faith and art in a way that is unapologetically authentic. His debut album Extravagant God is an overflow of this authenticity. With Psalm-like candidness, Patrick cries out to God to be real and relevant in the midst of life's messier situations, to reveal His grace in times of failure and to bring redemption to life's most hopeless moments. I really like Patrick's singing voice as it is very soothing, and his album is great for meditative times of worship. I really enjoy the musical vibe of this album. The melodies and lyrics are all catchy and biblical. Fans of Jeremy Camp and Chris Tomlin should enjoy this solid worship album.
Song to Download Now: "Unwearied Savior" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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