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Like frontier revivals and spiritual awakenings of bygone days, the worship revolution of the 21st century is defining a new era for the Church. As a generation around the world rediscovers intimacy with Christ through worship, Michael Gungor reflects on his role in this historical season, motivated by an even broader aspiration for the movement. “If our worship simply becomes about ‘Jesus and me,’ and doesn’t have any real impact on broken humanity, then I don’t think we are fully joining into the story,” he says.
Honest insight—no doubt, but Michael has an unwavering vision for what this marriage of worship and social justice should look like—a vision shaped by his experiences as a seasoned worship leader, songwriter and artist. Recruited at just 20-years-old to oversee the worship ministry at Grand Rapids mega-church Resurrection Life, Michael is also an accomplished songwriter, co-penning the popular worship song “Friend Of God” with acclaimed artist and worship leader Israel Houghton. After a six-year tenure at Resurrection Life and two solo projects with Vertical Records, Michael is now fronting a band of friends and family who share a unified mission.
Comprised of Michael, his wife Lisa and brother David, as well as friends Michael Rossback, John Arndt, Josh Eatmon and Daniel Grothe, the Denver-based ensemble is anything but a stereotypical worship band. Rooted in the progressive worship vein of David Crowder*Band or Hillsong United, the Michael Gungor Band’s unique musical identity is further shaped by such diverse influences as Pete Yorn, Sigur Ros, and Chris Thile, among others. The group’s creative pulse alone has earned them a respected platform from which to share their message.
The Michael Gungor Band’s debut, All I Need Is Here—a partnership with EMI’s pioneering Worship Together franchise—is knit-together by the thread of faith in action. “Most of these songs were written for my congregation, but they are not all strictly congregational songs. All of them, however, are aimed at inspiring us to bring the Kingdom of God to earth by revealing who He is and who we are in Him,” Michael says of the album. “His influence, His peace and His justice should begin to come to the earth as we begin to be restored personally. We are just the beginnings of the new creation, and if we let this restoration go in the directions God desires, the world around us will be changed.”
Michael wrote or co-wrote all 12 selections on All I Need Is Here, a project characterized by his impassioned lead vocals atop an organic, often experimental, rock style. While tracks such as the electric guitar-driven opener, “Be Praised,” the catchy “Never Stop,” and the ethereal “Ancient Skies,” a modern interpretation of Psalm 68, are among several full-on worship selections, the extraordinary sonic ride of “Fly” offers a mid-album creative release, inviting listeners to Free your mind/To all this splendor.
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