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BEHIND THE SONG WITH KEVIN DAVIS
#505 - "Nothing but the Blood" by CentricWorship
Steve Rice and Corey Voss talk about how the meaning of this timeless hymn still has tremendous power today.
 


New Christian Worship label, CentricWorship, unveils the label's debut release, ALL THE SAINTS: Live from the CentricWorship Retreat--No. 1. The album is available digitally on March 11.

Steve Rice founded CentricWorship to publish and release songs specifically relevant to the Church and church ministries. "Through CentricWorship, we want to provide engaging and encouraging songs that exalt the name of Jesus, with sound Biblical doctrine. Our prayer is that these new songs will assist people in their prayer and worship as they continue the journey with us, closer and closer to the heart of Jesus," says Rice.

In the EP's first single "Nothing but the Blood," co-written by worship leader Corey Voss and producer Michael Farren, solid Biblical doctrine is interwoven beautifully with memorable melodies and traditional hymn-like elements, creating an instant classic for now and years to come. I had the opportunity to interview Steve Rice and Corey Voss about the song.

Please tell me the story behind the song and album.

Steve:
 I work with a lot of CCM music with a lot of production involved with songs for radio. The worship music I've been involved with in the past has also had a lot of production. We wanted to record a very authentic sounding gathering of people in an intimate setting and capture that real sound of worship. We didn't try to cut out any of the spontaneous worship elements. We wanted it to sound real and organic like at church. We were all in a studio together, threw a bunch of pillows on the floor and had a time of worship. The album was birthed out of our time with God. We captured a real experience and wanted to share it.

Corey's song "Nothing but the Blood" was written prior to the retreat with Michael Farren who was also at the retreat, and we believed in the song so much that we recorded it. It is really strong for the church in a lot of ways. Going forward, I want to make sure we have doctrinal integrity in our songs. If we are going to put songs in the mouth of people going before the Throne of God, I want to make sure the words are true and they are right, and they are biblically based. Because of that, we utilized some of the old hymn texts in our songwriting. It wasn't a requirement, but we spent a lot of time in the Word, and that's what came out.

Corey: Michael Farren and I were writing in a session together. We had a lot real talk conversations while we were writing. I mentioned that I thought a lot of modern worship songs were getting away from singing about the power of the blood. I am in a lot of circles where I've seen churches not singing about the Cross. Out of that we had this conversation, and Michael played the chorus melody of the old hymn. In that process, we were both in tears, and the Lord was doing something in that writing session. The lyrics of the verses were an overflow from that time of worship. It was really very natural.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song? 

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV):
 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson they shall be as wool."

Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV): "But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed."

John 6:53-54 (NKJV): Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Hebrews 9:22 (NKJV): "And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission."

What is the takeaway message?

Steve: I think today we often refer to being in the presence of God. And that was our goal for the retreat, to invite the presence of God. We wanted to write songs from that place, which is exactly what they did. For us, this is about doing something that will serve the body of Christ in lifting up our Lord together.

We see worship as an active verb, not a passive verb and certainly not a genre of music. We are simply Christian music publishers and we want to publish songs that proclaim and exalt the name of the Lord we serve. We wanted to highlight songs instead of artists. You made a comment about a few artists covering "Nothing but the Blood" recently. What's interesting is that there has been a lot of talk in the songwriter community about how there are some churches that are pulling songs out of their worship sets that sing about the blood of Jesus. We feel like it is an important and primary doctrine of the faith. Maybe that's why we are seeing some writers are pulling this song back in.

The Word of God is living and active. When you take God's Word and put in into songs, that song will cut deep into people's hearts as the Word says it does. Lyrics we make up or paraphrase are not as powerful as God's Word.

Corey: Reminiscent of the traditional hymn that so many of us are familiar with, this modern hymn-like song is as strong in doctrine. Just one drop can make us clean. It has triumphed over darkness, bringing healing, bringing freedom, bringing peace. And whosoever calls upon this name will rise up to their feet forever changed, singing Hallelujah. Jesus described that fellowship with Him is eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The song is also mission-minded and can stir listeners to action knowing that His blood brings freedom, healing and peace.

Lyrics:
To the sinners ears it may sound strange 
That freedom could be found through death and pain 
Why sinless perfection took the blame 
But hallelujah

For our pardon it would take the cross 
Salvation paid for at the highest cost 
Our redemption gained at Heaven's loss 
Oh hallelujah

What can was away my sin 
Nothing but the blood 
Nothing but the blood 
What can make me whole again 
Nothing but the blood

There is nothing strong enough to stand 
Against what love has done with outstretched hands 
For now salvation flows for every man 
Oh hallelujah

And whosoever calls upon this name 
Will find their guilt and burden rolled away 
They'll rise up to their feet forever changed 
Singing hallelujah

Every chain and fetter broken 
Just one drop can make us clean 
There is nothing it can't rescue and redeem 
It has triumphed over darkness 
Crushing every enemy 
Bringing healing, bringing freedom, bringing peace

Oh the blood of Jesus


I've been worshipping with this album since it released in my personal time of praise and adoration with the Lord. I love the natural and organic feel of the recordings. It is refreshing in this era of so many over-produced sounding albums. As I shared with Steve and Corey, I feel like I am part of the collective in singing along with these songs.

The intent of the gathering and messages of these songs is perfectly captured in these reverent and passionate songs, in particular the hymn re-writes of "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Amazing Grace," "All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name," "Nothing but the Blood" and amazing original song, "Overwhelm Me (Lost in You)."

This version of "Nothing but the Blood" is a fresh and anointed take on the well-known hymn for the church, originally written by Robert Lowry in 1876. The blood of Jesus is to the believer the most beautiful picture of salvation and redemption. To the non-believer, it seems like foolishness to sing about the Blood of Jesus, and the Word tells us that "for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV).

The blood of Jesus is salvation, and the cost of eternal life. In the original hymn, the singer repeats the text, "Nothing but the blood" twelve times if you sing all four stanzas. The refrain is succinct and the language is direct and obvious. That type of writing is to be cherished. The question and response pattern of "what can wash away my sin?" and "what can make me whole again?" is a great way to reflect on "The Way, The Truth and The Life" of the blood of Jesus. This is a wonderful song to sing in order to prepare your heart for Easter.

(Watch the music video here.)

NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.

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