Revealing Jesus – Darlene Zschech Review

Revealing Jesus is the new live worship album from hillsong veteran Darlene Zschech (who also happens to have the hardest to spell name in Contemporary Christian Music…) Darlene is probably best known for the hit song “Shout to the Lord”, but on Revealing Jesus there are plenty of songs that deserve to have a similar level of popularity. Particular stand outs for me include All that we are and Jesus at the centre.
Revealing Jesus is a very passionate live worship album. It was recorded live at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL, and features guest appearances from Kari Jobe, Michael W Smith and Israel Houghton.
Darlene Zschech is now a senior pastor at Hope Unlimited Church and a grandmother, yet you would not realise it from the energy that is on display in this album. Musically it is full of anthemic songs with choruses that get stuck in your head, all of which declare Biblical truths about how God is fighting for us, how God is able, Jesus is alive, risen and resurrected. There are songs of devotion, singing how we need to give our all for Jesus for He gave His best for us, and the chorus to closing track Jesus at the Centre declaring “Jesus be the centre, it’s all about you”. And there are a couple of slower paced, more reflective songs too, such as Magnificent (which while lyrically is a great song about how none can compare to Jesus is just a tad too slow for me, although the pace on the rest of the album makes up for that!)
Darlene and her husband have both recently lost their fathers to cancer, and that is addressed in the song In Jesus Name where she sings of the hope we have in the resurrection of eternal life, and of how Jesus has overcome and carries our burdens for us. And at the end of the song there is a powerful spoken word section where she speaks prophetically to those who are suffering from cancer, declaring from the Bible that in the name of Jesus sickness has to flee and in the name of Jesus there is healing. It is a segment that is powerful, heartfelt and authentic.
A lot of the worship music I listen to is sung by young 20-30 males so it makes a good change to listen to a slightly older female and be reminded that modern, passionate worship isn’t just for those of us who are young. I recommend checking out Revealing Jesus, especially if you are a fan of Hillsong or Misty Edwards.
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{Disclaimer – I asked for and was provided with a free advance review copy by Integrity Music. I was not obliged to write a positive review in return for this}