Paul Baloche - ChristianMusic.com
As a worship leader, Paul's unpretentious and approachable style has encouraged many to draw near to God in worship. "I want my music, and more importantly my life," Paul explains, "to inspire people to pursue a sincere, authentic relationship with Christ."
For fourteen years Baloche has served as the Worship Pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where he lives with his wife Rita and their three children.
One of the most prominent praise and worship songwriters of our generation describes his writing as "journaling the process of my walk with the Lord".
Dove Award-winning songwriter, Paul Baloche, has written hundreds of songs that have been featured on a variety of albums including the platinum selling WoW Worship CDs and the Time Life - Songs 4 Worship series.
You have probably sung his songs in church or heard his music on albums from well known artists such as Michael W. Smith, Sonicflood, and Randy Travis. He has written many popular songs including, "Open the Eyes of My Heart", "Above All", "Praise Adonai", "Offering", and "My Reward".
An accomplished songwriter, worship leader, and producer for Integrity Music, Paul Baloche's album credits include "He Is Faithful", "First Love", "Open The Eyes Of My Heart", "God of Wonders", and his most recent album, "Offering of Worship", a live worship CD/DVD recorded at CBN's Regent University in Virginia Beach. In addition to these recordings, he has produced four albums for Maranatha! Music's Praise Band.
Through God's leading, he was introduced to Dan and Kelly Willard, and later to Lenny LeBlanc. As a guitarist and vocalist, he accompanied them on worship oriented concert tours. "Their lives taught me so much about humility, honesty, and presenting a sincere faith," says Paul.
"Paul Baloche has the hand of God on his songwriting and worship leading. His music is a great gift to the Body of Christ."
This is kind of the desert island question. What are the five ministry essentials you could not do without" Love, humility, commitment, a servant heart, laughter, transparency and music (oops, that makes seven).
You may not recognize the name, but you have no doubt heard, and probably even sung, the songs of Paul Baloche. This is the guy that wrote Michael W. Smith's current hit, "Above All" (with Lenny LeBlanc), "Open the Eyes of My Heart," and over one hundred other worship songs.
Baloche himself co-produced God of Wonders with the production team behind City On A Hill, Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd. The result is an earthy, acoustic album, that incorporates everything from guitar and drums to mandolin, violin, and world rhythms.
Paul Baloche and his wife Rita wrote most of the songs on the disc, with the others being comprised of classic hymns and modern classic worship songs like the title track (although isn't it a sacriledge of some kind to record that song without Mac Powell"). Rita Baloche can also be heard contributing vocals to some of the songs, along with Christine Glass.
Recorded live at the University of Texas Performing Arts Center in Austin, God of Wonders is overall a pleasing album of mostly brand-new worship choruses. I'm not sure if any of these will become the classics that some of his past songs have enjoyed, but if any do, my money is on "Stir Up A Hunger" and/or "But For Your Grace."
Perhaps the album's nicest touch is the fact that the CD is also a CD-ROM, which includes a "video songbook," containing Baloche's own teachings of guitar techniques for how to play the songs on the album.
The latest and greatest release from Integrity's Hosanna! Music imprint, God of Wonders is a lovely way to spend an hour, and it should provide some good new material for church worship leaders.
