I met Josh Taylor in the fall of 2008, when I worked with Clairmont for a project in my public relations class. Josh and I got to know each other fairly well through the two months of email exchange that ensued. I was able to explore his faith, past experiences in the church, his ministry and passion for using music to speak Truth into people’s lives. I had no clue that I would be serving alongside Josh only a year later…
The first time I played drums for Josh was at a church in Houston. I noticed very quickly that he had a gift of connecting with youth and students and an anointing for creating an environment where people could feel comfortable to worship Christ in a very real way. I had the distinct honor of leading worship with Josh through the spring and summer of last year, as we led a few DNOW weekends, church retreats and a couple summer camps. I saw Josh grow leaps and bounds as a leader, a musician and a servant.
There’s a lack of humility in the “worship culture” today. In the Christian subculture, an overpopulation of skinny jean wearing, mocha latte drinking, Abercrombie sporting hipster wannabes are standing in front of our congregations singing a very “me-centered” theology. Sometimes it’s difficult to judge where the praise and worship, contemporary Christian music and secular worlds exist, as they seem to have all melded together. It’s refreshing to work with songwriters, like Josh, who understand this predicament.
“Clarity, Humility and Peace” is an album being released under Josh Taylor’s new ministry, thesurrendersound. It’s a collection of songs that are written for the Church. It’s songs from the local church for the local church. The album includes nine songs, featuring five full band and four acoustic-percussion tracks, which are derived from experiences and stories from the home group to which Josh and his wife, Whitney, are connected, as well as thoughts from the past year of his ministry. I’ve heard them as early demos, constantly being refined through the walls (as Josh and I are also next door neighbors in a town home community), in the home group setting and as the drummer playing the tracks for the album. I’ve literally seen these songs from start to finish and I’m so excited to see what lies around the corner for Josh and thesurrendersound.
These songs are crafted quite well. You can hear an attention to detail in the lyrics and arrangements. Josh is influenced by indie rock – and you can definitely hear those roots in these tracks. I especially enjoy songs like, “Glory to Your Name”, which speak directly to stories experienced in Josh’s home group.
I’m anxiously waiting for the tracks to become available, but I’m particularly excited to see the ministry that takes place after the record has released. Josh has been preparing to schedule some “house shows”, where he’ll lead music in smaller, home-type settings. Josh consistently takes a “community” approach to all that he does and wants to share his music with home groups, home-based youth groups and Bible studies.
The community idea extends into the way Josh is raising support for “Clarity, Humility and Peace”. This morning, a Kickstarter campaign was launched as a community effort to raise funds for the project. Although tracking is complete, there are additional costs necessary to get the music mixed, mastered and duplicated. Josh also wants to make sure that the music is free to groups that he leads over the next few months, so any support through the Kickstarter campaign will help to ensure that it is kept that way.
I’d love for you to head over to support the “Clarity, Humility and Peace” project, as well as thesurrendersound blog. I know that you will find this ministry and these songs to be encouraging and refreshing. And to Josh – I wish you the best of luck, my friend. I’m proud of the man of God you are, the husband and father you strive to be, the leader you are and your servant heart. I’m confident you will do many great things for the Kingdom.
Show some support to Josh and thesurrendersound on Kickstarter.
Read thesurrendersound blog on the official website.
Follow thesurrendersound on Twitter.
