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I wrote it for my youth group while pastoring in Alabama while trying to talk to them about James 2. Little did I know then that I was writing that song for every youth group I’ve had since. It addresses a problem I’ve seen in churches all over, that churches are a lot like a circle. Circles are great if you’re inside the circle, but most people find themselves outside that circle for whatever reason. There’s not a sign on the door, and no one’s really saying it to you, but you get the feeling that they’ve got everybody they need. You’re welcome to come, but you’re not really ever going to be part of the circle, and that’s certainly not what the Bible teaches.

James 2:1-9 / John 5:19-21

It’s crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

Jesus is the way

© 2003 Club Zoo Music / SWEC Music (Admin. by Club Zoo Music) /
BMI. All rights reserved.
Used by permission.

The beginnings of this song came from the first song I ever wrote, called “Fear.” Growing up with dyslexia and some learning challenges, Satan used that in my life to keep me very small and very afraid to ever try anything, to ever leap out of my boat and do something that I knew I couldn’t do. I’m learning that God often puts us in the position to do the unthinkable knowing we’re not able to. God’s not intimidated by what intimidates me and if I can just understand that all He wants me to do is obey him and that the things that scare me, don’t scare Him. This was the first song Steven and I wrote on together, and he pulled out that chorus of ‘voice of truth.’

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 / 1 Corinthians 1:20-2:4

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

© 2003 Club Zoo Music / SWEC Music (Admin. by Club Zoo Music) /
BMI / Sparrow Song / Peach Hill Songs
(admin by EMI Christian Music Publishing) /
BMI. All rights reserved.
Used by permission.

This song was written from every student I’ve ever ministered to, to their dads. It’s everything they could never say. It’s the story of a dad who provided financially, but was never there physically or emotionally. Luckily for me, God blessed me in that it’s not a biographical song, and I wish every teenager could have grown up with my dad. Our church puts on a big NASCAR event with 2000-3000 men and families there. The event was on a Thursday, and we started writing the song on that Tuesday because we realized we needed to take that opportunity to say something to them.

Mark 8:34-37 / Ephesians 5:25-33

All work no play may have made Jack a dull boy
But all work no God has left Jack with a lost soul
But he’s moving on full steam
He’s chasing the American dream
And he’s gonna give his family the finer things

Not this time son I’ve no time to waste
Maybe tomorrow we’ll have time to play
And then he slips into his new BMW
And drives farther and farther and farther away

So He works all day and tries to sleep at night
He says things will get better;
Better in time

‘Cause he works and he builds with his own two hands
And he pours all he has in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are comin’ crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

His American Dream is beginning to seem
More and more like a nightmare
With every passing day
“Daddy, can you come to my game?”
“Oh Baby, please don’t work late.”
Another wasted weekend
And they are slipping away

‘Cause he works all day and lies awake at night
He tells them things will get better
It’ll just take a little more time

He used to say, “Who ever dies with the most toys wins”
But if he loses his soul, what has he gained in the end
I’ll take a shack on the rock
Over a castle in the sand
Now he works all day and cries alone at night
It’s not getting any better
Looks like he’s running out of time
‘Cause he worked and he built with his own two hands
And he poured all he had in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are coming crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

All they really wanted was You
All they really wanted was You
All they really wanted was You

© 2003 Club Zoo Music / SWEC Music (Admin. by Club Zoo Music) /
BMI. All rights reserved. Used by permission.