One of the great new trends in worship music is to invite worshippers to dance before the Lord with a contemporary, exciting musical feel featuring electronic dance music (EDM), and upbeat musical arrangements. Some recent examples of songs we've been able to sing and dance along with include the energetic songs "Wake" by Hillsong Young & Free, "#LITO (Love in the Open)" by Press Play and "Feel It" by TobyMac. In that same vein of upbeat songs to really get you excited about your faith comes "The Anticipation," a great new dance anthem by Fearless BND-- a movement which was started by Christy and Jeremy Johnson (formerly known as Worth Dying For) in Los Angeles.

Following "Brighter," "Jump Around" and "We Lift You Higher," Fearless BND's fourth of twelve monthly singles, "The Anticipation," released in December, 2015.  Fearless BND kicked off an ambitious release schedule late last year with plans to release a new single on the first Friday of every month for twelve consecutive months, along with music videos, lyric videos, tutorials, chord charts and much more. I had the chance to speak with Rochelle LeGuern about "The Anticipation."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

I wrote this song with a guy named Alan, who wrote and sings on "We Lift You Higher." He's an awesome guy. Mattie Montgomery, the lead singer of For Today, was doing an interview at our church, Fearless. He's on fire for God, and he preaches the Gospel. His band plays at big secular events, and he sees people saved at those events. Pastor Jeremy interviewed him and asked him what he would say if he was trying to infiltrate the world with the Gospel, as sometimes that can be intimidating, in every situation. He said this statement that honestly rocked me: "the world is waiting, they are anticipating the sons and daughters of light to be revealed." It is based on a verse in the Bible, Romans 8:19.

This is a fun pop song, but it has a deeper meaning and a real sound of praise that we want to shout. From the verse to the chorus, it says "In the dark, I hear You calling my name, From the start, You never left me the same." God pulled us out of the dark and calls us His children. No matter where you are, or what you've done, as a Christian, you are God's child and He has called each of us individually for His purpose, and to be His child. The world is waiting and anticipating us to step out do what He has planned for us.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Psalm 149:3 (NKJV): "Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp."

Romans 8:19 (NIV): "For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed." 

Daniel 12:3 (NIV): "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
 
Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV): "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."

What is the takeaway message?

The song says, "Don't stop dancing. Don't stop singing." The song is saying "don't let anything take away your praise, and don't let fear or anything that comes your way rob you from your praise to God." He loves us so much and has a purpose for each and every one of us. The song is about knowing who you are in God and stepping out in that. The world is waiting for you in anticipation, and it helps when you know who you are. That changes everyone, like a fire that can't be stopped.

Our whole mission as a church and band is about shining for Jesus. In the song, we say "we know who we are." We're finding that a lot of people move to LA to go after their dreams of being an actor, singer, producer, writer, or whatever, and people get caught up in finding their identity in that. Their whole world comes crashing down if something happens. There's a lot of dreamers and a lot of broken dreams. As a ministry, we are dedicated to going deep down and showing people who Jesus is. We meet as a church in a night club in downtown LA, and we opened another campus in West LA on the UCLA campus. It's the epitome of people who are studying to be doctors and other professionals, and we are bringing the hope of Jesus downtown in a nightclub and on a college campus. 

You can have whatever you want in the world, but if you don't have Jesus, you don't have anything. Within this area and hub of creative types all around us, we are keeping the main thing the main thing, which is Jesus. There's no other name that can be lifted higher than Jesus. There's no other name that can save us. There's no dream that can be lifted higher than Jesus. Only He can save us. He's the only One. Sometimes people think if they attain their dreams, they'll find who they are. You can only find who you are in Jesus. Once you're saved, you can show His light by randomly loving people.

Lyrics:
In the dark
I hear You calling my name
From the start
You never left me the same
With all my heart
Nothing will stop my praise

Don't stop dancing
Don't stop singing

And now
We know who we are
We'll shine like the stars
The world is waiting
Anticipating
Anticipating
Anticipating

One way
One truth
One life
Jesus
Freed us
New day
See right
See us
No shame
Get it cracking on sight
You could never stop the team
Ain't a thing you could try
Said goodbye to the past
Life used to live reckless (Reckless)
Only living for ourselves then He wrecked it
Cleaned us up new perspective
Stop ain't on our checklist
You ain't get the message (Check this)

And now
We know who we are
We'll shine like the stars
The world is waiting
Anticipating
Anticipating
Anticipating

Dance, dance, dance
To the beat of the drums
Sing, sing, sing
With all the breath in our lungs
We dance
We dance
We dance
We dance

And now
We know who we are
We'll shine like the stars
The world is waiting
Anticipating

And now
We know who we are
We'll shine like the stars
The world is waiting
Anticipating
Anticipating
Anticipating

I love how the music of this song matches the excitement being expressed lyrically. Our God is worthy of all of our praise, and we'll be singing and dancing before Him for eternity. This song gives believers a foretaste of that celebration. One of my favorite things about "singing a new song to the Lord" is that the idea of worship in Heaven is an exciting picture for me, and that's the glimpse that we gain from this high energy song. It delighted God that David, a man after God's own heart, danced unashamed before the Lord. This song is an example of being obedient to that calling to make God the object of all of our worship. 

I love how the Lord is bringing up worship leaders who are unashamed of the Gospel and are about proclaiming the Truth of God's Word. This is a great message and song for us to celebrate our freedom based on our faith in Christ Jesus. It is also commanded by Jesus in Matthew 5:16 to "let your light shine" so that others may praise God based on seeing the power of His life in us. Sometimes we forget to give Jesus credit for our freedom and accomplishments. We need to celebrate that freedom with our hands reaching out to others in Christ, showing His light in us and letting Him shine in us.

The song has a very catchy and worshipful electronic dance-pop musical style with a holy energy and vitality pulsing through every word. The song is an amazing reminder of how we are called to be a light for Jesus, every day, "without complaining or arguing." Sometimes people think that worship is something they do at an event or at church or only through music. But we know from Scripture that worship is what you put your worth-ship in, and that a biblical definition of worship is a lifestyle of endless praise. God tells us repeatedly in His Word to sing and dance before Him. This song is a great answer to that calling. Join in with the angels and saints, and dance and sing before Him: "Dance, dance, dance, to the beat of the drums, Sing, sing, sing, with all the breath in our lungs." Amen to that!

Watch the music video below.