Good worship leaders are hard to find. Can I get an amen? When you find one, you grab on tightly and don't let go. At least that's what I'm doing with our church's worship leader, Joseph Holm.
Joseph is gifted at leading others to worship. He says things in a way that resonates with people, myself included. But in my opinion his greatest gift is song-writing. Joseph writes music for our church, and his songs have truly become the heartbeat and the soundtrack of our community together.
A few years ago, I remember tagging him in my Facebook status: "Where is the 'Joseph Holm' Pandora station?" I wanted to listen to his songs anytime I wanted. I begged and cajoled him to record. Fortunately for me (and for you), he has recently released his first album. Pandora, Schmandora. I listen to the cd from start to finish multiple times a day. My kids beg to listen to it. My husband is humming the songs around the house. Simply put, I can't recommend it enough.
I asked Joseph to sit down for an interview about his writing process and about the themes behind his music. He's also made a whole song available to sample the album, which follows the interview.
Joseph is gifted at leading others to worship. He says things in a way that resonates with people, myself included. But in my opinion his greatest gift is song-writing. Joseph writes music for our church, and his songs have truly become the heartbeat and the soundtrack of our community together.
A few years ago, I remember tagging him in my Facebook status: "Where is the 'Joseph Holm' Pandora station?" I wanted to listen to his songs anytime I wanted. I begged and cajoled him to record. Fortunately for me (and for you), he has recently released his first album. Pandora, Schmandora. I listen to the cd from start to finish multiple times a day. My kids beg to listen to it. My husband is humming the songs around the house. Simply put, I can't recommend it enough.
I asked Joseph to sit down for an interview about his writing process and about the themes behind his music. He's also made a whole song available to sample the album, which follows the interview.
Q:
Congratulations on releasing your first album! That's quite an endeavor and
quite an accomplishment. As a writer, people often tell me that they would like
to pursue making art (writing, dancing, making music) but they feel foolish,
insecure, or like it's frivolous to follow those desires. Assuming you've
worked through those feelings yourself, what have you learned about pursuing
passions as a Christian?
JH: Thank you! I feel like sometimes you hear the arts and faith
addressed in a way that makes it sound like it’s more complicated to pursue the
arts as a Christian. You know, the whole “it’s not about me, but yet this
is kind of about me” conundrum. For me, though, I think faith simplifies
the pursuit. First, my faith has placed me in relationship with people
that have helped make it even possible to make a record. And secondly, my
faith gives me a context in which I can make a “Joseph Holm record” but do it
for other people, not just to make myself seem cool or something.
Q: Your album
is entitled "God of the Sea and the Sea Monster". What is the
significance behind that title?
JH: The title comes from an essay written by Jonathan Martin of the same
name. When I look at the album, I hope it can be a lens through which
people can see this world for what it is: a place of pain and a place of
joy. I think life will teach us we have to hold these two very different
truths, and it takes a little bit of help I think to not lose our minds in the
process. Anyway, Martin’s essay has helped me, and I wanted to pay tribute
to its influence on the Spirit’s movement in my life.
Q. Your songs
are often about the tension of suffering while also having faith in Jesus. I
personally love how you give words to the pain and difficulty that we all face
but you draw attention to hope. What have you learned about God as you've put
these songs together?
JH: I’d certainly say what I’m learning is an ongoing process, but I’ll say
this: God isn’t afraid of darkness. And no matter your theological
leanings, Christians seem to agree that Christ, the hero of the human story,
can be found there in the Scriptures, in the teeth of darkness, fighting for
us. Whatever your thoughts on sin, God had a plan to destroy it. I
seem to think that goes for other kinds of darkness, too. So there, in the
darkness, in the worst of it, we look to the brave Christ.
Q. My favorite
songs on the album are the ones we sing at church (Father of the Forest, Beat,
Voices, Yes). What is your favorite song off the album and why? What does that
song represent for you?
JH: In the context of our people, I’d have to say “Voices”. And that’s
because in the loudest parts of the song we basically yell out loud that we
have a sin problem and that we have spiritual schizophrenia, but yet Christ is
greater than what is broken in us. I love that we will shout in song what
we won’t even admit otherwise, and I hope it can teach us to humble ourselves
so that the good news can lift us up.
Q. What do you
hope people who listen to your music remember, think about, or learn?
JH: I think, because of our baggage, and our poor way of handling it sometimes,
we become introspective. We look inward, we lock the outside out, we cut
our losses. My hope was to write some songs that originate from those
locked up places where we keep the hurts, the secrets, and then set them
free. And freedom is looking at Christ, talking to Christ, giving the hurt
to Christ. So I think what I’d want to remind people is: don’t fall into
the trap of thinking that because you have pain and sin you need to focus on
it. Look to Christ, open up to him, let him interact with the
darkness.
Sample Joseph's album below and then (because you're going to want to) purchase it on Amazon or iTunes. You can find Joseph online at www.josephholm.com.
