But God isn’t dead in Boston. The Andy Needham Band knows firsthand.
“If you choose to define revival or spiritual awakening as Fenway Park packed to hear Francis Chan speak and David Crowder lead worship, you will be easily disappointed,” says Andy Needham, namesake of the popular New England-based worship outfit. “But when you get to see God’s work in our region the way we have—town-by-town, church-by-church—you get to see an amazing and powerful work of God.”
At the forefront of a small but burgeoning Christian music scene in the greater Boston area, the Andy Needham Band has rapidly evolved from a summer camp praise & worship ensemble to a full-time ministry band with an impressive national debut. Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Mitch Dane—whose noteworthy credits include Jars of Clay, Bebo Norman, Brandon Heath, and JJ Heller, among numerous others—Lifted High represents a microcosm of grass-roots revival in the Northeast.
“We understand worship as a living reality, not a segment of a Sunday service,” Needham states. “Worship is seeing and being awakened to God as great, glorious, and at the same time gracious and intimate. It is how we live in abundance and heartache. These songs are prayers of worshippers and for worshippers to connect and call on God.”
A combination of original proven favorites and fresh new offerings, the 10-song set was put to the test when Needham (lead vocals and guitar) and bandmates Joel Rousseau (lead guitar), Jonathan Mason (bass) and Andrew Picha (drums) entered Dane’s Nashville studio. Scrutinizing each song, woodshedding, editing and honing under the watchful eye of such a venerable producer resulted in a cohesive modern worship collection that is both smart and accessible.
Lifted High’s buoyant debut single, “Open Arms,” is a bright reminder of God’s unfailing love. “The song is a reflection on the fantastic faithfulness and grace of God, our persistent Father, who pursues us and embraces us in our brokenness,” Needham says. Originally written as a much slower song, a new tempo inspiration from Rousseau—a student at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music—and Dane’s studio handiwork helps make “Open Arms” an album standout with its memorable Jack Johnson-meets-Jason Mraz groove.
The title track also hits a deeply personal note for the band. With an earnest, guitar-driven lead, it’s easy to see why “Lifted High” resonates as a corporate worship centerpiece that has both defined the band’s mission and taken root beyond the group’s reach. “It has been our most well-known worship song for several years, traveling in the guitar cases of students and worship leaders to colleges, churches, and communities of faith around the world,” Needham says. “The central message of ‘Lifted High’ is summarized in the chorus: ‘May the matchless Name of Jesus be the anthem of our lives’. This is the heart of worship that anchors the project and the band.”
Formed at New Hampshire’s Monadnock Camp, where Needham served as worship leader, the band soon began receiving invitations to lead worship at churches and events around New England. “We were young, raw musicians with passionate hearts given a platform to lead thousands,” Needham recalls. “We learned what worked, and what didn’t. First and foremost, we matured as lead worshipers interested in humbly engaging others in a corporate worship experience as we grew in our skills as players and singers.”
Leaving the camp in 2008 for a position at a Boston church, Needham gained a new perspective on ministry that would ultimately change the course of the band. “Being in a local church helped ground me in God’s passion for His people,” he shares. “I have always loved worship, but I needed to be reminded that when Jesus left the earth he didn’t start a camp or a band, He started the Church.”
As Needham and original members Rousseau and Mason settled into full-time employment, opportunities for the Andy Needham Band steadily began to increase. “I had a great ministry job, but God was calling us to a faith journey, not a career,” Needham remembers. “Genesis 12, the calling of Abraham, ‘Go to the land I will show you,’ was our key passage in that season of decision and fervent prayer.”
The addition of Andrew Picha last year, a recent Berklee graduate, further established the group’s readiness for full-time ministry, and clearly the band’s leap of faith has landed them on solid ground. But if a national debut and more than 130 concerts in 2012 alone aren’t enough, the Andy Needham Band is answering yet another important call.
“Last summer a longtime band supporter cornered me at a festival and asked if we would consider spending a Saturday at his small church helping their worship team,” Needham says. “Starting a conference was not really a part of our strategy or five-year plan, but walking away from the conversation I had a real burden for this man and his church. We put together a basic plan for an event called the Simply Worship Conference. We opened it up to other local churches, and I really hoped we might see 30-40 people come. We were overwhelmed when 125 people registered.”
Two more Simply Worship Conferences are slated this year, as the band has realized a crucial way to serve New England churches through their own ministry. “There is a significant hunger for practical, affordable, efficient, biblical training for volunteer worship leaders, musicians, and tech teams,” he says. “We make it applicable to the contexts of churches in the Northeast. Ultimately we are building a platform for churches to share the experience of training.”
Just as the historic row houses and cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill seem to contradict the sleek, gleaming skyscrapers of modern Boston, so too does the popular stereotype of a spiritually devoid New England stand in stark contrast to reality. An exciting movement of God is afoot, and the Andy Needham Band is on the front lines.
“Perhaps revival is not a gathering in our beloved baseball stadium for one night; perhaps it is rising in a million points of light scattered across the landscape transforming a region,” Needham concludes. “Perhaps it is not one voice or one ministry that is going to have the monopoly on the movement. Perhaps it is leaders of all shapes, sizes, church cultures, ethnicities, and denominational nuances investing in Gospel ministry for the long haul.”
“This is what we see and why we are encouraged to be a part of what God is doing in New England. We want to raise that banner, to be a voice crying out that God is alive and at work.”
Refuge
Andy Needham Band< Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come and find your home
The weary, the stressed out, achievers and the proud
Lay your burdens down
Let us leave behind these temporary things
Pressing onward to the great and lasting prize
Tower that we run to, You are God
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
The restless, the searching, the hungry and thirsty
Come and find your home
The rich man still empty, those broken and in need
Lay your burdens down
Refuge for the weary heart, shelter in hardest storm
Tower that we run to, You are God
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
Let us leave behind these temporary things
Pressing onward to the great and lasting prize
Refuge for the weary heart, shelter in hardest storm
Tower that we run to, You are God
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
Tower that we run to, You are God
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
The lyrics of "Refuge" by Andy Needham Band reflect on the idea of finding a safe haven in God. The song invites the downtrodden, the restless, and the weary to come and find rest in Him. Every verse is a call to those struggling with different forms of burdens to lay them all down and find solace in the never-changing love of God.
The song's chorus goes on to describe God as a mighty fortress, a towering refuge, and a giver of life. The writers of the song also call for an abandonment of temporary and fleeting things, choosing instead to press forward to the eternal reward of being in God's presence. The song praises God for His power and strength in the lives of all who seek Him with sincerity of heart. Overall, the song communicates the message that God welcomes everyone, regardless of their station in life and that in Him, there is rest for the weary.
Line by Line Meaning
The outcast, the hurting, the least and unworthy
All those who feel rejected, in pain, undeserving and not good enough
Come and find your home
Are welcomed and embraced to experience love and acceptance
The weary, the stressed out, achievers and the proud
Everyone, including those who are physically and emotionally exhausted, burdened by constant pressure, successful and self-confident individuals
Lay your burdens down
Are invited to let go of their troubles, worries, and responsibilities
Let us leave behind these temporary things
All the impermanent and fleeting possessions, desires, and concerns of this world
Pressing onward to the great and lasting prize
Striving towards a greater purpose that goes beyond what is temporary and fleeting
Refuge for the weary heart, shelter in hardest storm
God offers comfort and protection for those who feel exhausted, broken-hearted, and overwhelmed by the challenges of life
Tower that we run to, You are God
God is the secure and reliable refuge to turn to in times of trouble
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
God is the source of all life and knowledge that illuminates our path
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
God is an invincible and powerful stronghold of protection and security
The restless, the searching, the hungry and thirsty
Those who are seeking fulfillment, meaning, and purpose
The rich man still empty, those broken and in need
Even those who seem to have everything and those who are in desperate circumstances
Refuge for the weary heart, shelter in hardest storm
God provides a haven of rest and safety for those who are tired and battered by life's challenges
Tower that we run to, You are God
God is the dependable pillar to lean on when life is unstable and tumultuous
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
God is the sustainer of our lives and the revealer of the path we should take
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
God is the indomitable and impregnable fortress that protects and shields us
Let us leave behind these temporary things
Let us abandon anything that cannot sustain us for a lifetime
Pressing onward to the great and lasting prize
Let us focus on the ultimate prize that endures beyond this temporary life
Refuge for the weary heart, shelter in hardest storm
God provides a safe retreat and shelter from the fiercest storms and difficulties of life
Tower that we run to, You are God
God is the secure and trustworthy sanctuary that we can always count on in our most challenging moments
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
God is the generous giver of life and the illuminator of our path as we journey through life
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
God is the mighty and formidable fortress that defends, protects, and fortifies us
Giver of the air we breathe, light that shines upon our feet
God is the ultimate source of all that is good, including the very breath we take and the light that guides our steps
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
Again, a reaffirmation that God is an unshakable and irresistible fortress who will never let us down
Tower that we run to, You are God
God is the immovable, steadfast, and rock-solid tower that can withstand any storm in our lives
Mighty, mighty fortress, You are God
A final reminder that God is the unbeatable, invincible, and mighty fortress who will always come through for us
Contributed by David H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.